The most numerous religious sects in this state are the presbyterians, the baptists, and methodists, who all live. together in the utmost harmony. The manners of the people are in many respects similar to those of the Virginians, which appear in a spirit of high independence, quick temper, and frank generosity. The two vices most prevalent are gambling and swearing; in respect of the latter the inhabitants are not less guilty than the natives of Ireland. Indeed there is a strong similitude between the Irish people and the Virginians and Kentuckians in more respects than this: affable, polite, and hospitable in a high degree, they are lively in their temper, sudden in their resentment, and warm in all their affections. In Kentucky, and in the western country generally, there are a vast majority of civil, discreet, well-disposed people, who hold the lawless and profligate in check, and in time will correct the morals of the whole. Slavery is no doubt hurtful to society; but it is probably more ameliorated in this state than in any other part of the world. In fact, so much is this the case, that the blacks are generally as well fed, and nearly as well clothed, as the white people; and it is very questionable whether they work so hard: certain it is, that they are much better fed, lodged, and clothed, than a great majority of the peasantry in Britain. Still, however, slavery is a bitter draught, in whatever manner it may be softened; and though thousands in all ages have been made to drink of it, it is no less bitter on that account.

Constitution.-The constitution declares, among others, the following fundamental principles: All power is inherent in the people; all men have a right to worship God according to the dictates of their own consciences; all elections shall be free and equal; trial by jury shall be for ever sacred, and printing-presses shall be for ever free. The government consists of three parts; legislative, executive, and judiciary. The legislature consists of a house of representatives, the members of which are chosen annually; and a senate, of which the members are elected for four years, one-fourth being chosen every year. All free citizens (negroes, mulatoes, and Indians excepted) who have attained the age of twenty-one years, who have resided in the state two years, or in the county or town in which they offer to vote one year, are entitled to vote for representatives, and also for the governor, who is elected for four years,

and is ineligible to fill that office for seven years thereafter. The judiciary is vested in a supreme court, and such inferior courts as may be appointed by law, and the judges hold their offices during good behaviour.

STATE OF TENNESSEE.

Situation, Boundaries, and Extent.

THIS pleasant and healthy state is situated between 35° and 36° 30′ N. lat. and 4° 26' and 13° 5′ W. long. Bounded on the north by Virginia and Kentucky; south, by Georgia, Mississippi, and Alabama; east, by north Carolina; and west by the Missouri territory. It is the longest state in the Union, extending from east to west 420 miles, and in breadth from north to south 102 miles; forming an area of 40,000 square miles, or 25,600,000 acres. But by a treaty concluded with the Indians in October, 1818, by which all the lands west of Tennessee river, in the states of Kentucky and Tennessee, have been ceded to the United States government, an immense addition has been made to both these states, and particularly to Tennessee, in which there will be not less than 4,000,000 acres of excellent land for sale, at the government price of two dol lars an acre. In consideration of this important cession, the Indians are to receive 300,000 dollars, payable in fifteen annuities of 20,000 dollars each; besides presents to sundry chiefs of seven or eight thousand dollars.

Tennessee was separated from North Carolina, and created a territory in 1790; in 1796 it was admitted as a state into the Union, and the year following the popula tion was 35,691; in 1795, the inhabitants were increased to 77,262; by the census of 1800, their number amounted to 105,602; and by that of 1810, the people had increas ed to 261,727. In 1817, the number of inhabitants was 340,000, of whom nearly 50,000 were slaves.

Rivers, mountains, &c.-This state is divided into East and West Tennessee by the Cumberland mountains, which intersect the state obliquely, separating it into two unequal valleys, one of Cumberland, the other of Tennessee. These two fine rivers, in their advance to the Ohio, ap

proach and enter the main stream only thirteen miles apart from each other. East Tennessee is watered by the Holston, Notachuky, French Broad, Tellico, Richland, Clinch, Great Emery, and Hiwasee rivers; all head branches of the Tennessee. West Tennessee is watered by Cumberland, Tennessee, Buffalo, Elk, Duck, Swan, Wolf of Cumberland, Oby, Forked Deer, Obian, Hatchy, and Wolf of the Mississippi.

The Tennessee is one of the largest rivers in the western country, being nearly as long and broad as the Ohio, of which it is the principal branch. It enters the Ohio fifty-seven miles above the mouth of that river, and is navigable for large boats 1,100 miles; vessels of great burden can proceed as far as the Muscle shoals, 250 miles from its mouth. At this place it is about three miles broad, full of small isles, and only passable in boats or batteaux; from these shoals to the Whirl, or Suck, where the river is contracted to the breadth of seventy yards, and breaks through the Cumberland mountain, is 250 miles, and the navigation for large boats all the way excellent: boats easily ascend the Whirl, being towed, and from thence the river is navigable to the distance already stated.

Cumberland river rises in Cumberland mountain, Virginia, and after a long and winding course, falls into the Ohio 1,113 miles below Pittsburgh, and seventy miles above the mouth of the Ohio. It is navigable for large vessels to Nashville, 120 miles from its mouth, and from thence to Oby river, 170 miles farther. At Nashville it is 200 yards wide, and 300 at its junction with the Ohio. From the falls in Kentucky to the place where it crosses the line into Tennessee, is more than 100 miles, thence to Nashville is 200, and from thence to the Ohio 120; it is therefore navigable 420 miles for vessels of burden, and a considerable way further for boats. Many of the tributary streams of the Tennessee and Cumberland, are also large rivers which can be navigated to a great distance.

Cumberland mountains, already mentioned, run through the state from north to south, and spurs or lateral branches extend west to the vicinity of Nashville. Their summits, between Wolf river and the Great Emery, are dreary and precipitous in certain places, and bear frequent evidences of the action of water, even on the highest peaks. Approaching the head branches of Wolf and Oby, the soil becomes deep and fertile, even on the knobs and ridges · where the ascents and declivities are so steep as to render it impracticable to travel on horseback. Upon these hills, or rather small mountains, are found tulip, beech, and

sugar-maple trees of the largest dimensions, with little or no underwood, but abundance of genseng and other medicinal plants. Between the mountains are coves of ten, fifteen, or twenty arches, similar to those in Wayne county, Kentucky, already described, with the best freestone water, and covered with the largest trees and canebrakes. No situation can be more lonesome and dreary than those secluded and gloomy retreats, when found at the distance of fifty or sixty miles from the residence of a human being. The north-easterly part of this chain of mountains form the dividing line between Virginia and Kentucky. The ridge is generally about thirty miles broad; but in Tennessee it enlarges in width to fifty miles, and with so level a surface, in many places, that it may be called the high lands. In other parts, the mountain consists of the most stupendous piles of craggy rocks, and is inaccessible for miles, even to the Indians on foot. In one place partìcularly, near the summit of the mountain, there is a most remarkable ledge of rocks of about thirty miles in length, and 200 feet high, shewing a perpendicular front to the south-east. Besides the great Cumberland ridge, the other principal mountains in this state are Stone, Yellow, Iron, Bald, and Unaka, adjoining to one another, which form the eastern boundary of the state, and separate it from North Carolina; and Clinch, which divides the waters of Holston and Clinch rivers. But it would require a volume to describe the mountains of Tennessee, one half of which is covered by those that are perfectly uninhabit¬ able.

Aspect, of the country, climate, soil, productions, &c. The surface and soil of this state, west of the Cumberland mountains, are nearly similar to the southern counties of Kentucky, and to the northern parts of the states of Mississippi and Alabama. The greater part of the country is broken, free from swamps, and remarkably healthy. The fertile cotton lands produce forest trees of an extraordinary growth; and cane abounds in the valleys and on the rich hills. Three-fourths of Tennessee may be justly called mountainous or hilly, and the east section is occupied by what can be strictly termed the nucleus of the Allegany mountains; the ridges, indeed, are less elevated than in some other places, but they extend over a much wider surface than in any other part of the United States. West Tennessee is more flat than the eastern district; the mountains, after their course to the west, gradually de

cline, and before they reach the Mississippi, entirely disappear. The hills also become, in approaching the Ohio and Mississippi, more rounded, less elevated, and, like the mountains, are by degrees lost before reaching the extreme depression of the valley in which they are situated. From so many concurrent causes, the changes of temperature between the eastern and western extremities of Tennessee, are almost as great as would be found, in many situations in North America, in an equal distance along a meridian line.

The climate of this state forms a medium between the warmth of the south and the cold of the north; it may be correctly viewed as the middle climate of the United States, and proves peculiarly congenial to northern constitutions. There is no country in America where diseases are so rare, where physicians have so little employ, and where children are more robust and healthy. The following authenticated facts will tend to prove the purity of the air, and the general salubrity of the climate:About thirty years ago half a dozen families removed from New York and fixed in Overton county in this state. The unprecedented health and increase of one of these families (Simon Barber's) deserves to be recorded. He left New York with a wife and eight children, five girls and three boys: his daughters are all married. The eldest has ten children, the second ten, the third eleven, the fourth ten, and the fifth five; the eldest son ten, the second seven, and the third three; making a total of SIXTY-SIX, all perfectly formed, and living in May, 1816. They have enjoyed uninterrupted health. Old Mr. Barber has six or seven great grand-children, which makes the increase from one family upwards of seventy souls. Not a single death occurred in the different branches of the family, until two of the sons removed into Indiana, in 1816, when two of the children died of the whooping-cough. Mr. Barber was then seventy-seven years of age, and his wife seventy-four, and both possessed an uncommon degree of activity, with much bodily and mental vigour. The old man thinks nothing of walking fifteen or twenty miles, and labours occasionally in his fields. None of the other families which accompanied him, have had the same rapid increase of numbers; but they have all enjoyed an equal degree of health, and perfectly concur in representing the country as healthy beyond example. Indeed, from experience and observation, the country between Cumberland and Tennessee rivers, is incomparably the most healthy of any part of the western country, from the