vegetable production has an extensive range. To those already named, may be added cotton, rice, tobacco, and indigo; of fruits, the peach, fig, pomegranate, plum, &c. The sea border is a region of palms, and has a mean temperature at least two degrees above that of equal latitudes in the basin of Mississippi. In summer the Atlantic border is a real tropical climate; whilst towards North Carolina and Tennessee, the mountain vales smile under a mitigated sun. Cotton, rice, and sugar, may be regarded as its staples. The former has, however, so far predominated—the Atlantic islands producing a peculiar kind of superior value-that it may be considered the exclusive staple of the state. The sweet orange and sugar-cane can be cultivated with success along the whole ocean border, and for some distance inland.

The constitution of Georgia was framed in 1777; revised in 1798; and amended in 1839. The powers of government are vested in the legislative, executive, and judicial departments. The legislative is composed of two branches-the senate and House of Representatives. The former consists of a member from each county-at present 135; and the house consists of at least one member, and not more than four, from each county, determined according to appointment from time to time; and, at present, 175. The members of both branches are elected biennially, and the legislature meets biennially. The governor is elected by the people, for a term of two years. The judicial powers are vested in a superior court, and such other courts as shall be ordained by the general assembly from time to time. The judges are elected by the legislature, for a term

of six years. The state is divided into sixteen circuits, with a judge for each. Every resident white male citizen, of twenty-one years of age, having paid the legislative taxes, is a qualified voter.

In the preceding pages we have hastily noticed each of the original thirteen colonial states. It has not been possible for us to give details of political history; nor could we do more than simply refer, laconically, to some of the most important incidents, developments, and peculiar characteristics of the respective political divisions. These were the thirteen independent and sovereign powers that formed the great American Republic of 1789, which has progressed with a degree of prosperity theretofore unknown in national annals. Its career has been brilliant, and of singular renown. But, at the present time, a fratricidal struggle is effacing its well-earned glory from its heretofore fair escutcheon.

CHAPTER II.

Admission of new States-their History, Topography, and Governments; the Territories of the Union, and the District of Columbia.

ADMISSION OF NEW STATES INTO THE UNION.

THE Constitution of the United States formed a government composed of the thirteen colonial states, with all their territories. Provision was made, in that instrument, for the admission of new states into the Union; viz.

"New states may be admitted by Congress into the Union; but no new state shall be formed or erected within the jurisdiction of any other state, nor any state be formed by the junction of two or more states, or parts of states, without the consent of the legislatures of the states concerned, as well as of Congress."

The word "may" has been interpreted, by some politicians, to mean permissive; and that Congress could admit or reject the application: but statesmen have contended, that Congress had no power to refuse the admission of a state properly organised. The expression of the constitution is vague and irregular. The clause was written for special cases-particularly to gratify the state of New York, with respect to the district of Vermont, at that time assumed by its people to be a state; while, on the other hand, New York claimed Vermont as a part of its territory. Another clause of the constitution has been interpreted, by politicians, to bear upon

the consideration of propositions for the admission of new states; namely

"The United States shall guarantee to every state in this Union a republican form of government, and shall protect each of them against invasion; and, on application of the legislature or the executive (when the legislature cannot be convened), against domestic violence."

Many politicians have coupled the two quoted clauses together, and have asserted, that Congress must examine the constitution of the proposed state applying for admission into the Union, and determine whether or not the form of government recognised in it be republican or not. Northern politicians have been wonderfully fastidious on the subject of constitutional mention of the negro race, on the admission of new slaveholding states; and the slightest restriction of their immunities, has been sufficient to incur their indignity and unceasing opposition; but in cases where the state is non-slaveholding, the restrictions upon free negroes, it would seem, has not been a question of conscience with them. To prove the preceding, we would refer to the great northern struggle, on the admission of Missouri, in the years 1818, 1819, and 1820; and then to the tranquillity of the republican party, on the admission of Oregon, in 1858. On the Missouri question, the northern states objected to the clause in the constitution permitting the legislature to pass laws prohibiting free negroes from emigrating into that state. The clause had to be practically expunged from the constitution, before Missouri could be admitted. In 1858, Oregon was admitted, with a constitutional clause more severe against the free negroes than was proposed by the

Missourians in 1820. The admission of Oregon was advantageous to the north; it increased the power of the republican party in Congress.

We are pained to make these admissions of the inconsistencies of our country's public men. It is but just to mention, however, that the pro-slavery party has been equally anxious to obtain an increase of power; as an evidence of which, we need but refer to their efforts in favour of the admission of Kansas, as a slave state, in 1857. As proof that the constitutional question created on the recent applications for the admission of new states into the Union, has been but a mere party strategy, we need but refer to the Congressional proceedings on the applications for the admission of the states of Missouri, Kansas, and Oregon; and then compare them with the proceedings of Congress admitting the states of Vermont, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Ohio.

Vermont was the first new state admitted after the adoption of the federal constitution. On the 9th of February, 1791, President Washington laid before Congress documents received from the governor of Vermont, expressing the consent of the legislature of New York, and of the territory of Vermont, that the said territory should be admitted to be a distinct member of the Union. On the 18th of the same month, an act of Congress was approved for the admission of Vermont into the Union. No formality was observed respecting the contents of its constitution. The act of Congress says-" Vermont having petitioned Congress, &c., on the 4th day of March, &c., shall be received into this Union, as a new and entire