present acting secretary in Virginia, and clerks of the county courts, shall continue in office. In case of vacancies, either by death, incapacity, or resignation, a secretary shall be appointed, as before directed: and the clerks, by the respective courts. The present and future clerks shall hold their offices during good behaviour, to be judged of, and determined in the general court. The sheriffs and coroners shall be nominated by the respective courts, approved by the gover nor, with the advice of the privy council, and commissioned by the governor. The justices shall appoint constables; and all fees of the aforesaid officers be regulated by law.

The governor, when he is out of office, and others, offending against the state, either by mal-administration, corruption, or other means, by which the safety of the state may be endangered, shall be impeachable by the house of delegates. Such impeachment to be prosecuted by the attorney general, or such other person or persons as the house may appoint, in the gene ral court, according to the laws of the land. If found guilty, he or they shall be forever dis

abled to hold any office under government, or be removed from such office pro tempore, or subjected to such pains or penalties, as the laws shall direct.

If all or any of the judges of the general court should, on good grounds (to be judged of by the house of delegates) be accused of any of the crimes or offences above mentioned, such house of delegates may in like manner, impeach the judge or judges so accused, to be prosecuted in the court of appeals; and he or they, if found guilty, shall be punished in the same manner as is prescribed in the preceding clause.

Commissions and grants shall run, "In the name of the commonwealth of Virginia," and bear test by the governor, with the seal of the commonwealth annexed. Writs shall run in the same manner, and bear test by the clerks of the several courts. Indictments shall conclude, "against the peace and dignity of the common.

wealth."

A treasurer shall be appointed annually, by joint ballot of both houses.

All escheats, penalties, and forfeitures, here

tofore going to the king, shall go to the commonwealth, save only such as the legislature may abolish, or otherwise provide for.

The territories, contained within the charters, erecting the colonies of Maryland, Pennsylvania, North and South Carolina, are hereby ceded, released, and forever confirmed to the people of these colonies respectively, with all t rights of property, jurisdiction, and government, and all other rights whatsoever, which might, at any time heretofore, have been claimed by Virginia, except the free navigation and use of the rivers Potomaque and Pokomoke, with the property of the Virginia shores and strands, bordering on either of the said rivers, and all improvements, which have been or shall be made thereon. The western and northern extent of Virginia shall, in all other respects, stand, as fixed by the charter of king James I. in the year one thousand six hundred and nine, and by the public treaty of peace, between the courts of Britain and France in the year one thousand seven hundred and sixty-three; unless by act of this legislature, one or more governments be esta

blished westward of the Alleghany mountains. And no purchases of lands shall be made of the Indian natives, but on behalf of the public, by authority of the general assembly.

No. IV.

JOHN BARTRAM, an eminent botanist, was born near the village of Darby in Chester county, Pennsylvania, in the year 1701. His grandfather of the same name, accompanied William Penn to this country in the year 1682.

This self-taught genius early discovered an ardent desire for the acquisition of knowledge, especially in the science of botany; but the infant state of the colony placed great obstacles in his way. He however surmounted them by intense application and the resources of his mind. By the assistance of respectable characters he obtained the rudiments of the learned languages, which he studied with extraordinary success. He acquired so much knowledge of medicine and surgery, as to administer great assistance to

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the indigent and distressed in his neighbourhood. He cultivated a farm as the means of porting a large family; but while laboriously employed in rural avocations, he was still pushing his inquiries into the operations of nature.

Mr. Bartram was the first American who conceived and carried into effect the design of a botanic garden, for the cultivation of American plants as well as exotics. He purchased an eligible situation on the banks of the river Schuylkill, about five miles from Philadelphia, where he laid out with his own hands a large garden. He furnished it with a variety of the most rare and beautiful vegetables, collected in his excursions from Canada to Florida. These excursions were principally made in autumn, when his presence at home was least demanded by his agricultural pursuits. His devotion to the science of botany was such, that at the age of seventy he made a journey into East Florida to explore its natural productions.

His travels among the Indians were frequently attended with danger and difficulty. By his means the gardens in Europe were enriched