EAELT HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY. 197 



to ratify the Constitution of the United States, which was unani- 

 mously adopted on the 19th, when the members went in solemn 

 procession to the Court House, where the ratification was publicly 

 read to the people, New Jersey, being the third State to ratify. He 

 was entrusted by the Legislature with another important trust, viz : 

 that of a member of the Committee of Public Safety from '77 to '81. 

 The duties of this committee were arduous and responsible.* 



He created great astonishment with the people, when he pre- 

 sented to their wondering eyes the first top-carriage (an old-fash- 

 ioned chair) that was ever brought into the county. The horse- 

 cart was the favorite vehicle in those times, whether for family 

 visiting, or going-to-meeting purposes; and any innovation upon 

 these usages, or those of their ancestors, was looked upon with 

 jealousy and distrust. 



Elijah Hughes was a member of the Provincial Congress in 1776, 

 and was one of the committee of ten, appointed on the 24th of June, 

 to prepare a Constitution, which was adopted and confirmed on the 

 2d day of July, two days before the Declaration of Independence.! 



Those who first located lands in the county, were particular to 

 select such portions as were contiguous to the waters of the bay 

 or ocean ; hence the sea-shore and bay-shore were first settled upon, 

 evidently for the purpose of being within reach of the oysters, fish, 

 and clams, abounding in our waters. Thus we find the whole sea- 

 shore from Beesley's Point to Cape Island, a continuous line of 

 farms and settlements, regardless of the quality of the soil ; whilst 

 the interior portion, and considered by some much the better part, 

 remains to this day unimproved and uncultivated. 



Between the years of 1740 and '50, the cedar-swamps of the county 

 were mostly located ; and the amount of lumber since taken from 

 them is incalculable, not only as an article of trade, but to supply 

 the home demand for fencing and building materials in the county. 

 Large portions of these swamps have been worked a second, and 



* Minutes of Committee. t GordoD. 



