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Abstract of Lands, Lots, Dwelling Houses, and Slaves, owned or possessed on the 1st day of April 1815, within the State of Pennsylvania, returned by the United States' Assessors, revised and corrected by the Board of Principal Assessors.

Internal Government.-The annual election for civil officers is on the second Tuesday of October. Inspectors, previously elected by the people, appoint persons who act as judges of the election, and the latter furnish a sealed statement of the election to the sheriff, who, within the space of thirty days, transmits it to the governor, by whom the names of the new members are immediately published. In Philadelphia, the aldermen, fifteen in number, are elected by the freeholders, every seven years; the common-council men, thirty in number, every third year. The mayor is elected annually by the aldermen, out of their own body; the recorder, every seven years, by the mayor and aldermen, from among the citizens; the mayor, recorder, eight aldermen, and sixteen common-council men, form a quorum.

Religion.―The principles of religious freedom were first established by the illustrious Penn. "If abridged of the freedom of their consciences, as to their religious profession and worship, no people can be happy; and, therefore, I do grant and declare, that no person inhabiting this province or territories, who shall acknowledge one Almighty God, the Creator, Ruler, and Upholder of the world, and live quietly under the civil government, shall in any case be molested, or prejudiced in his person, or estate, because of his conscientious persuasion or practice." Before the revolution Roman Catholics and Jews were excluded from a share in the government. The latter had no vote till the adoption of the new constitution, which placed every denomination on the same footing as to public

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Abstract of Lands, Lots, Dwelling Houses, and Slaves, owned or possessed on the 1st day of April 1815, within the State of Pennsylvania, returned by the United States' Assessors, revised and corrected by the Board of Principal Assessors.

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Internal Government.-The annual election for civil officers is on the second Tuesday of October. Inspectors, previously elected by the people, appoint persons who act as judges of the election, and the latter furnish a sealed statement of the election to the sheriff, who, within the space of thirty days, transmits it to the governor, by whom the names of the new members are immediately published. In Philadelphia, the aldermen, fifteen in number, are elected by the freeholders, every seven years; the common-council men, thirty in number, every third year. The mayor elected annually by the aldermen, out of their own body; the recorder, every seven years, by the mayor and aldermen, from among the citizens; the mayor, recorder, eight aldermen, and sixteen common-council men, form a quorum.

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Religion. The principles of religious freedom were first established by the illustrious Penn. "If abridged of the freedom of their consciences, as to their religious profession and worship, no people can be happy; and, therefore, I do grant and declare, that no person inhabiting this province or territories, who shall acknowledge one Almighty God, the Creator, Ruler, and Upholder of the world, and live quietly under the civil government, shall in any case be molested, or prejudiced in his person, or estate, because of his conscientious persuasion or practice." Before the revolution Roman Catholics and Jews were excluded from a share in the government. The latter had no vote till the adoption of the new constitution, which placed every denomination on the same footing as to public

offices and employments. About the year 1802 the congregations of the different denominations were as follows: Presbyterians, 36; German Calvinists, 84; German Lutherans, 84; Quakers, 54; Episcopalians, 26; Baptists, 15; Roman Catholics, 11; Scotch Presbyters, 8; Moravians, 8; Free Quakers, 1; Universalists, 1; Covenanters, 1; Jewish Synagogues, 2; besides several Methodists. According to the report of the general convention of Baptists, held at Philadelphia, in May 1817, the number of their churches was then 60, that of members 4517.

Benevolent and Humane Societies.-In the city of Philadelphia there are eight public charitable institutions, and two private; three female societies for general charity; eight free schools; fifteen mutual benefit societies; associations for the relief of foreigners; and eleven mutual benefit societies, for foreigners and their descendants. St Andrew's society, German incorporated society, St George's society, Hibernian society, French benevolent society, the Cincinnati society, composed of officers of the army of the revolution, for granting relief to the distressed members, their widows, and orphans. The mutual benefit societies are, the Shipmasters' society, the Franklin society, the Caledonian society, the Union society, the Friendly society, the Provident society, and some others. Harmony Society, established in Butler county, on the right bank of the Connoquenessing creek, is composed of German emigrants, who, under George Rapp, their chief, in 1803 and 1804, fled from the intolerance of the Lutheran church to the western

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