YORK. 



▼efted in ftock of banks, United States ftock, &c. fecurities 

 on lands, &c. &c. amounted to 4,191,803 dollars 25 cents, 

 producing an annual i-evenue of 278,489 doll. 96 cents. To 

 this amount of funds fhould be added the fchool fund, 

 amounting to 483,326 doll. 29 cents, producing an annual 

 income of 36,427 doll. 64 cents. The ftate alio owns about 

 1,000,000 acres of land, which, valued at two dollars per 

 acre, amount to 6,675,129 doll. 54 cents. The expences of 

 government for the year 1811 amounted to 268,366 doll. 

 22 cents. This eftimate draws an excefs of revenue amount- 

 ing to 10,123 doll. 74 cents, and including the balance in 

 the treafury, Feb. 16, 181 1, of ready funds, to the amount 

 of 34,129 doll. 86 cent?. 



The militia of this ftate conCfts of every able-bodied male 

 inhabitant between eighteen and forty-five years of age ; 

 and the laws have made an honourable exception in favour 

 of thofe whofe religious opinions are averfe to war. Agree- 

 ably to the annual return of the adjutant-general for 1809, 

 the enrolled infantry amounted to 95,324; the artillery, 

 3102 ; the cavalry, 3642 ; giving a total of 102,068. 



The conftitution provides for the free exercife of religion 

 in this ftate in the following terms : " And whereas we are 

 required by the benevolent principles of rational liberty not 

 only to expel civil tyranny, but alfo to guard againft that 

 fpiritual opprefTion and intolerance, wherewith the bigotry 

 and ambition of weak and wicked priefts and princes have 

 fcourged mankind : This convention doth further, in the 

 name and by the authority of the good people of this ftate, 

 ordain, determine, and declare, that the free exercife and 

 enjoyment of religious profeflion and worfliip, without dif- 

 crimination or preference, fhall for ever hereafter be allowed 

 within this ftate to all mankind. Provided, that the liberty 

 of confcience hereby granted (hall not be fo conftrued as 

 to excufe afts of licentioufnefs, or juftify pradices incon- 

 fiftent with the peace or fafety of this ftate. That no mi- 

 nifter of the gofpel, or prieft of any denomination, Ihall 

 ever hold any civil or military office or place within this 

 ftate." In April, 1804, a law was paffed authorizing all 

 religious denominations to appoint truftees, for the purpofe 

 of fuperintending the temporal concerns of their refpeftive 

 congregations. And thefe truftees become a body corporate 

 by that general aft, capable of all legal tranfaftions in be- 

 half of the congregation. 



All denominations, therefore, are left at liberty to fup- 

 port their own miniftry, and maintain the order of their 

 worfhip, in fuch way as is moft agreeable ; and every con- 

 gregation may deCgnate from three to nine of its members 

 as truftees, who are, with little trouble, inverted with cor- 

 porate powers in behalf of the whole, and authorized to 

 hold eftates producing an annual revenue of 3000 dollars. 

 This free toleration has not produced more fefts in this 

 than in other ftates lefs tolerant of religious opinions. 

 There are many fefts however ; and in the enumeration of 

 thofe, no regard is paid to comparative numbers. There 

 are, Englifh Preftiyterians, Dutch Reformed, Congregation- 

 alifts, Epifcopalians, Quakers, Baptifts, Methodifts, Ger- 

 man Lutherans, Moravians, Roman Catholics, Shakers, 

 Jews, and a few of the Univerfal Friends, or the followers 

 of Jemima Wilkinfon, Scotch Cameronians, Anabaptifts ; 

 and Chriftian charity would include fome Indians, befide 

 thofe v.'ho profefs Chriftianity. But it is worthy of remark, 

 that many of the above feftarian diltinftions exift merely 

 in name, while their tenets differ lefs, perhaps, than thofe 

 of the fame religious fociety, in the individual opinions. 



The manners and cujloms of this ftate have undergone a 

 confiderable variation during the period that has elapfed 

 from its firft fettlement to the prefent day. Among thofe 



Vol. XXXIX. 



who planted the colony of New York, and who for many 

 years afterwards fettled in it, a large proportion confifted 

 ot Dutch families, who migrated hither from the Dutch 

 Netherlands, and transferred to the focieties which they" 

 eftaclilhed here, the rural economy of the population of the 

 Netherlands, of Holland, and of the banks of the Rhine. Soon 

 after their arrival, various parts of this ftate prefented build- 

 ings refemblmg thole of their native country, and habits of 

 neatnefs, order, induftry, and frugality, which they had 

 praftifed from their youth. After the conqueft of the 

 Enghrti in 1664, multitudes flocked hither from various 

 nations of Europe, and produced a confiderable change in 

 the original and difcriminating charafter and cuftoms of 

 this colony. In 1685 't f>ad a numeroHS acceffion of French 

 Proteftants. In 17 10 it was augmented by about one hun- 

 dred families of poor PaLdnes from Germany ; fixty or 

 feventy of which fettled Germantown on the eaft bank of 

 the Hudfon, and fome at Efopus, now Kingfton. Other 

 early German emigrants fettled on the Mohawk, in Orange 

 county, on Long ifland, and in many other parts where 

 their defcendants are now found. The early Englifh fettled 

 principally at New York and in Long ifland. The French, 

 at New Rochelle, in Weft Chefter county, and on Staten 

 ifland. The Scotch fixed themfelves, during the more early 

 periods, about Albany, and in Wafhington county. Maffa- 

 chufetts fupplied alfo the eaft part of Long ifland with in- 

 habitants, whofe pofterity form a large fhare of the prefent 

 population. But the Dutch were the original proprietors 

 and firft colonifts, and therefore their poffeffiona were the 

 greateft and the moft valuable : nor did they, or the Germans, 

 next to them in number and importance, altogether abandon 

 their difcriminating manners and habits. The Revolution, 

 however, produced a material change in this ftate, and the 

 change, though effefted by fanguinary conflifts, was not 

 unfavourable to its general character. The profperity that 

 fucceeded the peace widely diffufed a fpirit of enterprife 

 and of emigration ; and was followed by a furprifing in- 

 creafe of population and wealth. Hence arofe thofe various 

 traits of national charafter, and thofe diverfified habits, 

 manners, and cuftoms, which have diftinguiftied this ftate. 

 It is obferved, that the new charafter imparted by the in- 

 flux of emigrants is beneficial to the ftate ; more efpecially 

 as the New England people have introduced their improved 

 agriculture, their fpirit of enterprife, their ingenuity in the 

 arts, and their focial habits. In this ftate, it is faid, there 

 are about 100,000 freeholders ; and freehold etlates are 

 known to produce for their proprietors from 30,000 down 

 to 50 dollars per annum ; and this faft is alleged as form- 

 ing a peculiar feature of the civil habits, manners, and cuf- 

 toms of the population of this ftate. 



The Englifh language is chiefly prevalent in this ftate ; 

 though the Dutch and German are in ufe among people of 

 Dutch and German defcent : but thefe and other dialefts 

 are declining, in confequence of the intercourfe and influence 

 of a large majority of thofe who fpeak Englifh. Some few 

 inftances, however, occur, in which public worfhip is per- 

 formed in the Dutch, German, and Welfh dialefts. 



The tafte for literature znA/cience is gradually increafing, 

 and is promoted by a variety of pubhcations ; and by the 

 progreflive improvement of fchool education, for which a 

 liberal fund is provided, which has been already mentioned. 

 We are informed by the writer of communications, of which 

 we avail ourfelves in the compilation of this article, that there 

 are about a hundred printing eftablifhments in this ftate, and 

 fixty-nine gazettes, befides a very confiderable number of 

 other pubhc journals, which contribute to diffufe various kinds 

 of knowledge. The advancement of literature is promoted by 

 N an 



