CONTENTS.

Page.

13

17

CHAPTER I. Of civil Government and Laws-what

they are, and why they are necessary,

CHAP. II. How Power is exercised in different Gov.

ernments,

CHAP. III. How the present Form of Government

came to be established in this country,

CHAP. IV. Of the Government of New-York-The

general Nature and the Origin of the Government of

this State,

CHAP. V. Of the formation of the present Constitution

of New-York,

CHAP. VI. Of the Election of Officers, and by whom

they are elected,

31

38

CHAP. VII. Of the Legislature, and how it is formed, 33

CHAP. VIII. Organization of the Legislature-Privi-

leges of Members-Appointment of its Officers, &c., 35

CHAP. IX. How the laws are enacted-The Compen-

sation of Members, &c.,

CHAP. X. Of the Executive Department, and of the

general Administration of the Government of the

State-Governor and Lieutenant Governor,

CHAP. XI. Of the Secretary of State, Comptroller,

Treasurer, Attorney-General, and State Printer,

CHAP. XII. Of the Funds, Revenue, and other pro-

perty of the State; and of the general management

of them-General Fund; Canal Fund, and Canals, 50

(9)

43

45

CHAP. XIII. Common School Fund; and Literature

Fund, and their management,

CHAP. XIV. Of the Public Lands, Buildings, &c.; and

of the salt Springs,

CHAP. XV. Of the Militia of the State,

CHAP. XVI. Of Towns and their Incorporation, and of

Town Meetings,

CHAP. XVII. Town Officers and their Powers and

Duties-Supervisors, Town Clerks, Commissioners

of Highways, Overseers of Highways, Overseers of

the poor,

CHAP. XVIJI. Town Superintendent of Common
Schools Constables, Inspectors of Election,

CHAP. XIX. Town Sealer-Board of Auditors of

Town Accounts-Commissioners of Excise-Fence

Viewers Strays, Pound Masters,

CHAP. XX. County Officers-Board of Supervisors-

Treasurer, Clerk, Sheriff, Surrogate, District Attor-

ney, Judges, Superintendents of Poor, Superintendent

of Schools,

CHAP. XXI. Of the Assessment and Collection of

Taxes,

CHAP. XXII. Of Courts of Justice.-Justices' Courts,

CHAP. XXIII. Trial by Juries; Collection of Judg.
ments, Appeals, etc.,

CHAP. XXIV. Courts of Common Pleas and General

Sessions of the Peace; Circuit Courts, and Courts of

Oyer and Terminer,

CHAP. XXV. Court of Chancery; Court for the Cor-

rection of Errors, and Trial of Impeachments,

CHAP. XXVI. General Provisions concerning Courts

of Record,

CHAP. XXIX. Of the Proof and Recording of Deeds

and Mortgages,

109

CHAP. XXVII. Time of commencing Actions,

CHAP. XXVIII. Of Rights.-The Right of Property;
Title to Real Estate,

CHAP. XXX. Of Leases; and the Rights of Landlord

and Tenant,

CHAP. XXXI. Of Wills and Testaments,

CHAP. XXXII. Of the Domestic Relations.-Of Mar.

riage, and the Relation of Husband and Wife; Pa-

rent and Child; Guardian and Ward,

CHAP. XXXIII. Minors, Masters, Apprentices and

Servants,

112

115

118

122

CHAP. XXXIV. Of Fraudulent Conveyances, and of

Contracts in General,

124

CHAP. XXXV. Of Principal and Factor, or Agent;

and of Lien,

128

CHAP. XXXVI. Of Partnership, and of Bailment, or

the Delivering, Borrowing, Carrying, Letting, etc. of

Property,

CHAP. XXXVII. Of Promissory Notes; Bills of Ex-

change; Interest,

CHAP. XXXVIII. Moneyed Corporations.-Banks;

Insurance Companies,

CHAP. XXXIX. Of Crimes.-Felonies, or Crimes

punishable with Death, or by Imprisonment in State

Prison,

CHAP. XL. Offences punishable by Imprisonment in

a county Jail, and by Fines; General Provisions

concerning Crimes; Arrest and Examination of

offenders,

CHAP. XLI. Sundry Regulations for preserving Peace

and Order,

130

134

137

141

147

150

160

CHAP. XLII. Of the rights of Conscience; Writ of

Habeas Corpus; Liberty of Speech and of the Press, 154

CHAP. XLIII. Of the Government of the United States, 157

CHAP. XLIV. Of the Legislative Department,

CHAP. XLV. Of the Executive Department,

CHAP. XLVI. Of the subordinate Executive Depart-

ments,

163

165

CHAP. XLVII. Of the Judicial Department,

160

CHAP. XLVIII. Of the Powers of the General Gov-

ernment,

171

CHAP. XLIX. Powers of the General Government,

continued,

175

CHAP. L. Powers prohibited to Congress and the

States,

179

CIVIL GOVERNMENT, &c.

CHAPTER I.

Of Civil Government and Laws; what they are, and why they are necessary.

§ 1. GOVERNMENT, in a general sense, signifies direction, or regulation; or it is the control which one thing has over another, in causing it to move or operate in a certain manner. When applied to persons, it means the exercise of au thority by one or more persons over others.

§2. A parent gives directions to his children for the regu. lation of their behavior. He commands what they are to do, and forbids what they are not to do. In giving these rules and causing them to be obeyed, he is said to govern his family. So the government of a teacher consists in keeping order in his school, by causing his scholars to observe the rules he has prescribed for their conduct.

§3. But that kind of government which I shall endeavor to explain in this book, is the government of a state or nation, generally called civil government. It is so called, because it is the government which regulates the actions of persons as members of civil society. But in order fully to understand the meaning of civil government, it is necessary first to know what is meant by civil society.

§ 4. The Creator intended that mankind should live together. He has given them a desire to associate with each other, and made their happiness depend. in a great measure, on such association. Hence we find that persons derive enjoyment from each other's company which they could not have by living alone.

QUESTIONS. 1. What is government in a general sense? What when applied to persons? 2. Illustrate the meaning by example. 3. What is the government of a state or nation called? Why? 4. From what