beyond the bounds ofhuihan nature—heilill con
nects his dcfciiption with human patiions, and
tho his ideas have less Inblimity, iliey have molt
fire. The appetite for gr'eatneis, that appetite
which always grasps at more than it can contain,
is never so fully gratified as in the perusal of pa
radise lojt. In following Milton we grow fa
miliar with new worlds. We traverse the im
jiienfities ot ipace, wandering in amazement, and
finding no bounds ! Homer confines the mindte
a narrower circle, but that circle he brings near
er the eye—he fills it with a quicket- fuccelfion of
objects, and makes it the scene of more interesting
ac'tion. H.
PHILADELPHIA, December 18.
A CORRESPONDENT has lately perused the
publication of a letter giving a curious ac
count of the rifingof the waters in lake Ontario,
which, from their continual advances, have a
larmed the inhabitants around its borders to a great
degree, as several buildings which ltood at a con
venient distance from its ancient boundaries now
stand seven feet under water. He takes this op
portunity to remark that the tide waters in gene
ral 011 the eallern coast of North America seem at
present to be gradually gaining on the land, which
is mod perceivable in high northern latitudes.
With a view to ascertain this matter, he has col
lected a great number of concurring accounts, a
mong which is a certificate, dated 19th of May,
1788, from a certain Joseph Rice, an intelligent
man, who was questioned 011 this account, the
lame who brought through these States a moose
deer, which he caught to the northward, who of
fered in the prefcnce of several credible witnefles
to swear to the truth of his aflertions, which are
as follow—That he, the said Joseph Rice, when
at home, relidcs 011 the banks of Annapalis river,
in Nova-Scotia, about miles from the inouth
thereof—that along this river are large bodies of
ground which fliew the Humps and roots of trees,
an incredible space below the common high-water
mark—that the waters continue to rife higher e
very year—that he had often heard an elderly per
son declare, that they had risen so much there,
that the tides extend now 50 miles higher up An
napolis river than formerly.
PHILADELPHIA,' Dec. 10, 1759.
IN CONVENTION.
Report of the Committee appointed to prepare
the draft of a NEW CONSTITUTION.
WE, the People of the Commonwealth of Pennfyl.
vania, ordain and eJUblifh this ConJlitutiou for its
Government.
ARTICLE I.
Section I. ' I ''HE legislative power of this Com-
X monwealth /hall be vested in a
General Aflembly, which ihall consist of aSenatc
and House of Representatives.
ll.The Representatives Ihall bechofen annual,
ly by the citizens of thecity of Philadelphia, and
of each county in the State respectively, 011 the
Tuesday of October.
111. No person ihall be a Reprcfentative, who
shall not, at the time of his election, have been,
the three years next preceding, an inhabitant of
the State ; and one year next preceding, an in
habitant of the city or county in which he Ihall be
chosen.
IV. The Representatives from the city of Phi
ladelphia and the several counties ihall be in pro
portion to the number of taxable inhabitants;
provided that the number of Representatives (hall
jieverbe fewer than llxty, nor more than one hun
dred: But each county Ihall have, at least, one
Representative. An enumeration of the taxable
inhabitants Ihall be made in three years after the
firlt meeting of the General Aflembly, and with
in every subsequent term of ten years, in such
manner as they /hall, bylaw, direct. Until such
enumeration ihall be made, the city of Phi
ladelphia and the several counties of the State
shall be refpe«tively entitled tochoofethefame»
number of Representatives as is now prescribed
by law.
V. The Senate Ihall consist of not fewer than
sixteen, nor more than thirty-two members, cho
sen in districts, in proportion to the number of
taxable inhabitants in each district.
VI. The city of Philadelphia and the several
counties of this State, Ihall be formed into dif
tric r ts, containing each, as nearly as may be, such
a number of taxable inhabitants as Ihall be en
titled to elect one Senator ; but where that cannot
be done, then such a number of adjoining coun
ties Ihall be formed into one district, as ihall be
entitled to elect not more than three Senators.
VII. The citizens of the city of Philadelphia
and cf the several counties in this State, qualifi
ed to elect Representatives, when afiembled for
that purpose, /hall, if occasion require, at the
fame time, at the fame places, and in the fame
manner, elect for every Reprcfentative, two per
sons resident within their city or county re/pec
tiveJy, as Electors of the Senator or Senators of
their district.
VIII. Within days after their election,
the clectorsof each district /hall meet together at
fomc convenient place within the district, and e
lecft the Senator orSenators for their district.
IX. The Senators Ihall be chosen for four years.
But Immediately after they shall be afli.*mbled in
eonfeqtience of thefirfl election, they shall be di
vided, as equally as may be, into four clafles.
Tlie feats of the Senators of the firft class shall be
vacated at the expiration of the firftyear ; of the
second class, at the expiration of the fecou'd year;
of the third class at the expiration of the third
year; and of the fourth class, at the expiration
of the fourth year : So that one fourth may be
chosen every year.
X. No person fiiall be elected a Senator, who
shall not have resided four years next before his
election in the State, the last year whereof shall
have been in the diltrict, for which he is chosen.
No man fliall be a Senator who shall not have
attained the age of thirty years. And no Elector
shall be chosen a Senator.
XI. No person lliall be chosen an Elector, who
fliall not have resided in the diftricfl three years
next before his election. And no person shall be
chosen an Elector, who is a member of the Legis
lature, or who holds any oflice in the appointment
of the Executive Department.
XII. Until the enumeration before mentioned
shall be made, the number of Senators shall be
sixteen.
XIII. The General Afl'emblyfliall mcetatleaft
once in every year ; and ftich meeting fliall be on
the Tuesday of November.
XIV. Each House shall clioofe its Speaker mid
other officers ; and the Senate fliall also clioofe a
Speaker pro tempore, when the Speaker fliall ex
ercise the office of Governor.
XV. Each House shall be the judge of elections,
returns and qualifications of its own members; and
a majority of each House fnall conflitute a quorum
to do business ; but a fmallernumber mayadjourn
from day to day ; and may beauthorifed to com
pel the attendance of absent members, in such
manner and under such penalties as the House
may provide.
XVI. Each House may determine the rules of
its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly
behaviour, and, with the concurrence of two
thirds, expel a member . And shall have all other
powers neceflary for cither branch of a free Le
gislature.
XVII. Each House shall keep a journal of its
proceedings, and, from time to time, publish them,
excepting such parts as may, in their judgment,
require secrecy .• And the yeas and nays of the
members of either House, on any quellion, fliall,
at the desire of be entered onthe journal.
XVIII. The door* of each House shall be open,
unless when the business fliall be such as, in their
judgment, ought to be kept secret.
XIX. Neither House fliall without the eon
fent of the other, adjourn for more than three
days, nor to any other place than that, in which
the two Houses shall be fitting.
XX. The Senators and Representatives fliall
receive a compensation for their services, to be
ascertained by law, and paid out of the treasury
of the Commonwealth. They shall, in all cases,
except treason, felony and breach of peace, be
privileged from arrest, during their attendance at
the feflion of the refpecftive Houses, and in going
to and returning from the fame ; and for any
speech or debate in either House they shall not
be qnellioned in any other place.
XXI. No Senator or Representative fliall, dur
ing the time for which he was elected, beappoint
ed to any civil office, under the authority of this
Commonwealth, which fliall have been cre
ated, or the emoluments of which fliall have been
increased during such time : And no person hold
ing any office, except in the militia under this
Commonwealth or the United States, shall be a
member of either House during his continuance
in office.
XXII. When vacancies happen in either House,
the Speaker of that House shall ifTue writs of e
lection to fill such vacancies.
XXIII. All bills for rrtifi ng revenue fliall ori
ginate in the House of Representatives; but the
Senate maypropofcor concur with amendments,
as in other bills.
XXIV. No money shall be drawn from the trea
furv but in confequenceofappropriations made by
law.
XXV. Every bill, which fliall have pafled the
House of Representatives and the Senate, shall,
before it become a law, be presented to the Go
vernor. If he approve, he fliall sign it; but if
lie fliall not approve it, he fliall return it, with
his objections to that House, in which it fliall have
originated, who shall enter the objections at large
011 their journal, and proceed to reconsider it.
If, after such reconsideration, lliree-fifths of that
House fliall agree to pass the bill ; it shall be sent,
together with the objections, to the other House'
by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if
approved by three-fifths of that House, it fliall be
come a law. But, in all such cases, the votes of
both Houses shall be determined by veas and
nays, and the name of the persons voting for and
against the bill ffiall be entered 011 the journals of
each House refpecftively. If any bill shall not be
returned by the Governor within ten days (Sun
days excepted) after it shall be presented to him,
the fame fliall be a law in like manner as if lie had
signed it,unlefs the General Afiembly, by their ad
journment, prevent its return, i„ which r,r •
lhall not be a law. '
XXVI. Every order, resolution or v ote
winch the concurrente of the Senate-mid Hr
ol Representatives may be necefliiry fexent
queftionof adjournment) /hall be preleired?
the Governor, and before the fame (hall t-iU.f
feci, be approved by him ; or, beingdiCapprovcd
by him, shall be replied by three fifths of th
Senate and House of Reprefeutatives, according
to the rules and limitations prescribed in cafe
a bill.
article 11.
Setftion I. Ihe Supreme Executive power of
this Commonwealth lhall be veiled in a Governs
11. He shall hold his office during the term of
three years: and shall be chosen on the
Tuesday of October in every third year, bvthe
citizens throughout the Commonwealth, at the
places where they fliall reflectively vote'for Re
preventatives.
111. He shall not be capable of holding his o f.
sice longer than nine years successively ; nor (hill
he be capable of being elected again till three
years after the nine f'ucceiiive years fliall have
been expired.
IV. He must be„ at lead, thirty years of a«e ;
and he mud have been an inhabitant of this Scale
during seven years before his eletfiion.
V. No person fliall be capable of excrcifingthe
office of Governor, who, at the fame time, (hall
hold any other office under this State, or auv of
fice under the United States.
VI. The Governor lhall, at dated times, re
ceive, for his services, acompenfation, which lhall
neither be increased nor diminilhed during the
period for -which he (hall have been eleded.
VII. He shall be Commander in Chiefof the ar
my and navy of this Commonwealth, and of the
militia, except when they fliall be called into the
actual service of the United States.
VIII. He (hall appoint the Chancellor, Judges,
Protlionotaries, Clerks, and all other officers of
this Commonwealth, whose offices are eftabliih
ed by this Cosititution, or shall be eftablifned by
law, and whose appointments are not herein o
therwise provided for. But no person shall be ap
pointed to an office within any county, who (hall
nothave resided therein one year next beforehis
appointment.
IX. The Governor fliall commiiiionall the offi
cers of this Common wealth.
X. He may require the opinion, in writing,
of the officers in each of the Executive Depart
ments, upon any fubjec r t relating to the duriesof
their refpetftive offices.
XI. He shall, from time to time, give to the
General Ailembly information of the Hate of the
Commonwealth ; and recommend to their coiiti
deration such ineafuiesas lie fliall judge neceflary
or expedient.
XII. He may, on extraordinary occasions, con
vene both houses ; and in cafe of disagreement
between them with refpeift to the time of adjourn
ment, he may adjourn them to fuchtime as he(hall
think proper.
XIII. He shall take care that the laws be faith
fully executed.
XIV. In cafe of the removal of the Gover
nor from office ; or of his death, or religna
tion, it shall devolve 011 the Speaker of the Se
nate until the next annual election of Reprcftn
tatives, when another Governor shall be choien
in the manner herein before mentioned.
XV. The State Treasurer shall be appointed in
the niannerprefcribed by the twenty-nxth fe«ftion
of the firft article of this Conditution : All subor
dinate officers in the Treasury Department, Ele
ction Officers, Officers relating to the poor and
highways, Condables and other township oft
cers, fliall be appointed in such manner as (hall be
directed by law.
ARTICLE 111.
Setfiion I. IN elections by the citizens, every
freeman of the age of twenty-one years, haying
resided in the State two years next before the'ia} s
of the elections respectively, and paid taxes wit l
in that time, shall enjoy the rights of an . e J e<^ LO ii
The foils of freeholders, of the age aforefaid, (ha
be entitled to vote, though they have not pa'"
*11. All elections lhall be by ballot,except tliofe by
tliofe persons in their representative or public ca
pacities ; which shall be viva voce.
111. If eletftions are not properly attende , a
tendance oil them fliall be enforced by law.
A 11 T I C L E IV. . ~
Section I. THE House of Reprefeutativesw
have the sole power of impeachment. .
11. All impeachments shall be tried be(ore
Senate ; and the Chancellor of the Common wea
lhall preside therein. When fitting for that p
pose, the Senate shall be on oath or allnmatl °
No person fliall be convitfled without the con
rence of two thirds of the members present.
111. Judgment in cases of impeachment ma
extend further than to removal from office,
difqualification to hold any office of honor,
or profit under this Commonwealth ; but t . ie F. ( r t .
ty convidted shall nevertheless be liable to in
| ment, trial, judgment and punishment accot
I to law.