Tuesday to Walpole. Here they left me again, for Keene: whilst I, passing through Westmoreland, crossed the Connecticut to Putney; and again from Brattleborough to Hinsdale; and proceeded thence to Northfield. The next day we reached Northampton; and, having parted with our Charlestown companions at Springfield, arrived at New-Haven on Wednesday, the 13th of October.

I am, Sir, yours, &c.

LETTER II.

General Remarks upon New-Hampshire-Its Population, Soil, and Agriculture— Form of Government-Support of Religion.

Dear Sir,

PERMIT me now to make a few general observations on NewHampshire.

This State lies between 42° and 45° 11′ North Latitude, and between 72° 40' and 70° 28′ West Longitude. I am, however, of opinion, that, if the words of the treaty of peace, which terminated the Revolutionary war were to be exactly followed, its Northern point would be found not far from 45° 30'. This State is of a triangular figure, about 170 miles in length from North to South; perhaps more truly 190. At the Southern extremity it is 90 miles in breadth; at the Northern it comes almost to a point. Its area is 9,491 square miles, or 6,074,240 acres. On the North it abuts upon Lower Canada. On the West it is bounded by the Western bank of the Connecticut; on the East by Massachusetts Bay; on the North-East by the District of Maine; and on the South by Massachusetts.

New-Hampshire contains six Counties.

* By the Census of 1820, New-Hampshire contained 244,161 inhabitants.--Pub.

183,858

214,414*

41,973

30,556

It is difficult to distribute this State into obvious, and yet accurate, divisions. The country along the Connecticut, until we ascend the mountains of Littleton, resembles that in Massachusetts. The Valley, however, is generally narrower. The next division is formed by the range of Mount Washington: the only collection of mountains in this state which, so far as I have ob. served, is of any great extent. The Northern half, as will appear from observations heretofore made, is in the proper sense a mountainous country.

New-Hampshire abounds in lakes. Umbagog, from such information as I have been able to obtain, is larger than the Wentworth; and there are several smaller ones, not mentioned in these letters.

The soil is inferiour to that of the other New-England States, Rhode-Island excepted. In many places it is rich; and, under a superiour husbandry, would easily become rich in many others. Much of it is better fitted for grazing than for agriculture. The light and warm lands might easily be rendered productive by the use of gypsum. Those, which border the Merrimac, are extensively of this nature. The improvement of its navigation will easily, and cheaply, furnish the inhabitants on its borders as far up as Concord, or Boscawen, with this valuable manure: while, on the Connecticut, it may be conveyed to Bath. When the reluctance to alter their modes of husbandry, so often, and so unhappily, prevalent in farmers, shall have been overcome; and the efficacy of gypsum shall be realized; such lands will possess a new value, and their produce be increased beyond what the proprietors could now be induced to believe.

A great multitude of neat cattle, fed in the pastures of NewHampshire, are annually driven to the markets on the Eastern shore. To sheep a great part of the country is very well suited; and their numbers are fast increasing.

Few countries in the world are better furnished with millstreams, and mill-seats, than New-Hampshire. Manufactures

are begun in various places; and ere long will be an object of primary attention to the inhabitants. Iron is already made on a large scale at Franconia.

The trade of New-Hampshire is principally carried on with Boston; and to some extent with Hartford, Newburyport, Portsmouth, and Portland. Connecticut river furnishes almost one hundred miles of water conveyance to the inhabitants on the Western border. The central parts are beginning to derive similar advantages from the Merrimac, aided by the Middlesex canal. The people in the North have begun to send cattle to Quebec. In 1810, and 1811, a road from the St. Lawrence, opposite to that city, was opened to the United States near the place where the Connecticut crosses the 45th degree of North Latitude. From Montreal to the same place the distance is less; but no road has hitherto been opened through the intervening wilderness. The trade of Portsmouth with the interiour has, hitherto, fallen in a great measure into the hands of its rivals. Newburyport and Portland have engrossed a part; and Boston much more. Numerous turnpike roads have been cut from that Capital in every direction, and particularly through a great part of the interiour of New-Hampshire. The trade from the country along the Connecticut, below Bath, has within a few years been turned towards Hartford; and the business, done in this channel, is increasing.

The Agriculture of this State, particularly that in the Central and Eastern parts, is visibly inferiour to that of their Southern neighbours. The fruits, requiring a warm climate, either do not grow at all, or at least do not flourish. It is, however, doubtful whether sufficient efforts have been made to obtain them.

The manners of the inhabitants differ little from those of Massachusetts. The proper New-England character is, I think, more evident than in Vermont. The political constitution is altogether better. The government is obviously more stable. The inhabitants discover less propensity to disorder; and men, who are eagerly employed in seeking offices, seem less willing to countenance it.

The government of New-Hampshire is founded upon the Constitution of that State, established at Concord, September 5th, To this Constitution is prefixed a Bill of Rights, consist

1792.

ing of thirty-eight articles, and containing in substance the declarations, which are found in most other American instruments of the same nature. To these are added, as you would conclude from their number, several others. In the sixth article morality and piety, rightly grounded on Evangelical principles, are declared to give the best and greatest security to government: and the legislature is accordingly empowered to authorize congregations to make adequate provision, at their own expense, for the maintenance of protestant teachers of Morality and Religion. At the same time it is declared, that no person of any particular religious denomination shall be compelled to pay towards the support of a teacher, who is of a different one. It is also declared, that every denomination of christians, demeaning themselves as good subjects of the State, shall be equally under its protection, and entitled to equal privileges; and that no sect shall ever be legally subordinated to another.

By the thirteenth article, persons, conscientiously scrupulous about the lawfulness of bearing arms, are exempted, on condition of paying an equivalent.

In the twenty-sixth it is declared, that in all cases, and at all times, the military, ought to be under strict subordination to, and governed by the civil power.

In the twenty-seventh, it is declared that in time of peace no soldier shall be quartered in any house without the consent of the owner; nor in the time of war, but by the civil Magistrate, in a manner ordained by the Legislature.

In the thirty-third, the Magistracy is forbidden to demand excessive bail or sureties; impose excessive fines; or inflict cruel, or unusual punishments.

In the nineteenth, general warrants are forbidden; and the right of the subject to be secure from all unreasonable searches, and seizure, of his person, houses, papers, and possessions.

In the thirty-fifth, the Independence of the Judges of the Supreme Judicial Court, quam diu bene se gesserint, and honourable salaries, established by standing laws, are required.