By the Federal Constitution, the legislative power is vested in a Congress of the United States, consisting of a Senate and House of Representatives. The Senate is composed of two members from each State, chosen by their legislatures for 6 years. The representatives are chosen by the people for 2 years. Every 40,000 are entitled to a representative. The executive power is vested in a Presi dent chosen for four years by electors from all the States.

NEW-ENGLAND.

New-England is generally rocky, hilly and mountainous. It enjoys a healthy climate. The extremes of heat and cold, according to Farenheit's thermometer, are from 20° below, to 100° above 0. The soil is various from the most barren sand to the richest clays and loams. The interval lands on the large rivers are accounted the best, particularly for grain. The highlands are esteemed for grass. Drained swamps have a deep, mellow soil, and the vallies between hills are generally very fertile.

In new and uncultivated parts, a judgment may be formed of the soil from the various kinds of wood which grow upon it. Thus white oak land is hard and stony; it is good for Indian corn, but must be subdued by planting and hoeing before it will bear grass. The same may

be said of chesnut land.

Pitch pine land is dry and sandy; it will bear corn rye with ploughing, but is soon worn out.

and

White pine land is also light and dry, but has a deeper soil, and is of course better. Spruce and hemlock genèrally denote a thin, cold soil, but in some parts with a mixture of birch, it denotes a moist soil which is excel

lent for grass Beech and maple denote a warm, rich, loamy soil, which easily takes grass, corn, and grain, when new, without ploughing, and not only bears good crops the first year, but turns immediately to mowing and pasture.

Black and yellow birch, white ash, elm, and alder, are indications of a deep, rich, and moist soil, which will admit grass and grain without ploughing. Generally the strength of land is known by the largeness of the trees which it produces.

The most important production of New-England is grass. Beef, mutton, pork, butter, and cheese are very abundant. Wheat is cultivated in certain parts, but generally does not succeed towards the sea-shore. Indian

corn is the most cultivated of any kind of grain. Orchards are general, and cider is the common drink of the inhabitants.

New-England is the most populous part of the United States. The inhabitants are almost wholly of English extract. The first permanent settlement in the New England States was begun at Plymouth in Massachusetts, November, 1620, by 101 English emigrants, of whom 46 died before the opening of the next spring.

The desire of gain, so much the characteristic of the people of the United States, is peculiarly so of the people of New-England. They are much engaged in comunercial pursuits, and great numbers find employment in the fisherics. The landholders are generally cultivators of the soil which they possess. Slavery, that bane of morals, and reproach of free governments, is hardly known in New-England. The distribution of wealth is more equal here than in any other civilized country. Religion, except in Rhode-Island, is supported by law, and public schools, in every town. There is not another country on the globe, perhaps, where education is so generally diffused among all classes and orders of citizens as in the NewEngland States.

MAINE.

Climate. The winters in this State are severe, with less changeable weather than in the more Southern New. England States. They commence in November, and close about the last of March. During this period, the ground is usually covered with snow, and sleying is seldom interrupted by thaws.

Face of the Country, Soil and Productions.-Maine is generally hilly, but not mountainous. West of Androscoggin river the soil is light and lean, being mostly pine plain. On the Kennebeck, and between that river and the Penobscot, it is excellent, being well adapted either for tillage or pasture. East of the Penobscot it is less productive. Along the coast it is mostly barren. Nature, however, seems here to have afforded a remedy in some

measure for this defect, in the abundance of rock-weed growing on the shore, ten loads of which being spread on an acre, is reckoned an excellent manure, sufficient for three years. Much of this country is yet a wilderness. Lumber is the chief source of wealth to the inhabitants. Apples flourish in the interior, but not on the coast. Peach trees will not bear the climate. Corn grows to a good size; wheat, rye, barley, oats, peas, and flax, are also extensively cultivated. The sheep in Maine are remarkably good, and the mutton uncommonly sweet and well flavoured, especially of those fed on the islands. Lime-stone, and mountain and bog iron, abound in many places; also a species of stone in Lebanon, which yields copperas and sulphur. There are large tracts of land here, yet a wilderness, belonging to the State, which collectively are called the EASTERN LANDS.

Towns-Portland, the capital, situated on a peninsula in Casco bay, is the most commercial town. The harbour is deep, safe, capacious, and seldom frozen over. Fortytwo vessels were built here in 1810. The number of inhabitants is about 9,000. Bath is a flourishing commercial town, at the head of winter navigation on Kennebeck riv. er, 16 miles from the sea. Hallowell and Augusta are on the same river, the latter at the head of tide waters. Wiscasset is a flourishing, commercial town on Sheepscot riv er, ten miles from the sea. The river is here navigable for the largest ships. Thomastown, on St. George's river, which is navigable for vessels of 150 or 200 tons, 15 miles or more, is the place from which is sent to market the greatest part of lime manufactured in Maine. Upwards of 70,000 casks were in one year exported to different parts of the United States, valued at from $1,50 to $2,00. There are also a number of flourishing towns on the

Penobscot.

Trade. The principal article of export is lumber. Vast quantities of boards, shingles, masts, spars, and the like, are transported to the neighbouring States, to the West Indies, and to Europe. Much of the fire-wood consumed in Boston is brought from Maine. Lime, dried fish, and pickled salmon, are also considerable articles of commerce.. There are thirteen' banks in Maine.

Government. The legislative power is vested in two branches, a House of Representatives, and a Senate, styl ed, The Legislature of Maine, who, with the Governor, and seven Counsellors, are chosen annually.

Inhabitants. The object of the first settlers was prinsipally lumber, almost to the entire neglect of agriculture. But the revolutionary war putting a check to that business, they turned their attention to the cultivation of the soil, which, contrary to their expectations, they found capable of yielding them an ample supply of provisions. On an island in Penobscot river, there are still the remains of the Penobscot tribe of Indians. They consist of about 100 families; they are Roman Catholicks, and have a church and a priest.

Religion. Congregationalists, Baptists, and Methodists are the prevailing denominations. Many of the towns and plantations are destitute of any settled minister.

Literature. In Brunswick is Bowdoin College, so called after the late Hon. James Bowdoin, whose benefactions amounted to $ 10,000. The legislature has endowed it with 5 townships of land. The buildings are two colleges and a chapel. The situation is pleasant, and the institution flourishing. Its Library contains 5000 volumes. A Seminary, entitled the "Maine Literary and Theological Institution," is established at Waterville. Academies have been established at Portland, Hallowell, Berwick, Fryeburg, Bath, Hampden, Farmington, and Machias. The "Maine Charity School" was instituted at Hampden, May 5, 1814. Schools are maintained in most of the towns and in many of the plantations.

NEW-HAMPSHIRE.

Face of the Country. New-Hampshire has but about 18 miles of sea-coast; the only harbour is that at the entrance of Piscataqua river. The shore is mostly a sandy beach. Twenty or thirty miles back from the sea the country becomes hilly or mountainous.

Climate. The air in New-Hampshire is generally pure and salubrious. Morning and evening fires become necessary in parlours from about the middle of September. Cattle are housed from the beginning of November. In the course of this month the earth and rivers generally become thoroughly frozen and covered with snow. uary often produces a thaw, which is succeeded by severe frost. The deepest snows and the coldest weather are generally in February. The open country is generally cleared of snow in April; but in the woods it commonly

Jan

lies till May. About the beginning of this month the grass is generally sufficient for cattle to live abroad.

Soil and Productions. The soil is various, but generally fertile. The intervals on the margin of rivers are the richest and the best adapted for wheat and other kinds of grain; the uplands for pasture. Winter rye thrives best on the new lands; Indian corn, oats, barley, and flax, on the old. Apples are produced abundantly: No good husbandman thinks his farm complete without an orchard. Other fruits are not much cultivated. Peaches particularly do not thrive well; the apricot is scarcely known.

Towns. Portsmouth is the largest town in New-Hampshire, situated on the south bank of Piscataqua river, about two miles from its mouth, 63 miles from Boston, and 540 from the city of Washington. It is the only seaport in the State. Its harbour is accounted one of the best on the continent, having a sufficient depth of water, never frozen, and being so fortified by nature as to be easily rendered impregnable. A fire in 1802, destroyed a considerable part of the town, which has since been rebuilt; and in December, 1813, another tremendous fire took place, which destroyed nearly 200 buildings. The number of inhabitants, in 1810, was 6,934.

Exeter, at the head of navigation on Swamscot river, a branch of the Piscataqua, 15 miles from Portsmouth, and about the same distance from Newburyport, is well situated for a manufacturing town, and contains a duck manufactory, a number of saw-mills and grist-mills, a paper-mill, slitting-mill, a snuff-mill, and iron works. It is particularly celebrated for ship-building. The number of inhabitants in 1810, was 1,759.

Concord, on Merrimack river, 55 miles from Portsmouth, is a pleasant flourishing town, and has a boat communication with Boston, by means of the Merrimack and Middlesex canal. Much of the trade of the upper country centres here. It is the present seat of government, and contained in 1810, 2,393 inhabitants.

Manufactures. Pot and pearl ashes, maple sugar, pottery, and some iron, are manufactured in this State. Franconia, in particular, is distinguished for its various works in iron. Acts of incorporation have lately been obtained for establishing woollen and cotton factories at Concord and at Jaffery. Considerable quantities of woollen and linen clothes are manufactured in families.