United States and probably stands first in the world.

Religion. Government does not interfere with religion farther than to subject all property to taxation for its support; leaving it to the pleasure of each individual to pay his tax to what denomination or society he chooses. No control, of course, is exercised by government over religious opinions. Congregationalists are much more numerous than any other sect. In 1817 they had 366 congregations; the Baptists 91; Friends 32; Episcopalians 14; Presbyterians 8; and there were a few methodists and Roman Catholics.

Government. Every good government consists of three distinct branches or departments; the Legislative, which makes the laws; the Judicial, which interprets and applies them to particular cases; and the Executive, which enforces them or exacts the penalties for their violation. Generally the more distinct these departments are preserved in the constitution and usages of a State, the more will the government conduce to the happiness of the people.

How does government support religion? What is the prevailing denomination ? What other sects are there in the State?

What are the three branches or departments of a good government? What is the duty of the Legislative depart ment? What is the duty of the Judicial department? What is the duty of the Executive? How is the Legisla

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The Legislative power of Massachusetts is vested in the General Court, which is composed of two branches, the Senate and the House of Representatives. The latter branch is the most numerous and is chosen annually by the ballots of the people; every incorporated town having 150 ratable polls being allowed to choose one representative, and another for every additional 225 polls. The Senate consists of 40 members, who are chosen in April annually by districts. Each county generally forms one district, and the number of Senators to be chosen by it depends upon its aggregate property or the proportion of the public taxes which it pays.

The Judicial power is vested in judges, who are nominated and appointed by the Governor Iwith the advice and consent of the Council. The judges hold their offices during good behavior. They form two bodies, called the Supreme and the Circuit Courts. The judicial courts are held in the shire towns of the several counties.

tive power vested in Massachusetts ? Which branch of the Legislature or General Court is the most numerous? How are the Representatives chosen? How many ratable polls entitle a town to one representative? How many polls are required to entitle a town to each additional representative? Of how many members does the Senate consist, and when are they chosen? How are the Senators apportioned among the districts?

How is the Judicial power vested in Massachusetts ? How are the judges appointed? How long do they hold their offices? How many bodies do they form, and what are they called? Where do they hold their courts?

The Executive power is vested in the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Council, together with certain subordinate officers, who are appointed by them. The Governor and Lieutenant Governor are chosen annually in April by the ballots of the people; and the Council, consisting of nine persons, is chosen annually by the joint ballots of the Senate and House of Representatives assembled in one

room.

Internal Improvements. The earliest settlements of Massachusetts, like those of all other new countries, were made chiefly with reference to the real or supposed fertility of the land. These settlements, which were scattered over the whole face of the country, as their mutual wants increased, were connected by roads, crooked and rough indeed at first, but afterwards improved from time to time as the necessities of the public required and their abilities allowed.

The common roads have now become very numerous, leading from town to town and village to village, and thus intersecting the whole

How is the Executive power vested? How are the Governor and Lieutenant Governor chosen? How is the Council chosen?

What generally determines the position of the settlements in a new country? How were the early settlements of Massachusetts made? What is said of their roads and the improvements of them?

What is said of the common roads at the present time? How are the roads and bridges built and supported?

surface of the State. A tax on the polls and property of every town is levied annually to keep the roads and bridges within its precincts in repair, and to construct such new ones as the public convenience may require.

In addition to the means of intercommunication by the common or free roads, are the turnpikes, of which there are in Massachusetts, more than one hundred. These owe their origin chiefly to the supposed demands of the public business between their extremities, with comparatively little reference to the convenience of the inhabitants occupying the intermediate territory. They are constructed and kept in repair by the enterprise of individuals, incorporated into companies by the Legislature, with the right to erect gates on them, and exact from the travellers a toll fixed by the act of incorporation. The turnpikes, which were multiplied very rapidly a few years since in every part of the State, have frequently proved a convenience to the public; but to their projectors they have generally been unproductive and very frequently ruinous; the tolls gathered from the travellers being too inconsiderable to keep the roads in repair and refund to the owners their original cost.

How many turnpikes are there in Massachusetts ? To what do they owe their origin? By whom are they constructed, and how are they kept in repair? How have the turnpikes rewarded their proprietors ?

The increasing demands for the transportation of heavy articles between different and distant sections of the State, it has been thought by some, would justify the expense of constructing railroads. Accordingly several routes have been surveyed and the cost of building the roads estimated. The most magnificent work of this kind projected in Massachusetts, is a road from Boston through Worcester, Springfield, Pittsfield, and Stockbridge, in this State, to Canaan in New-York, and thence to Albany. It is a distance of nearly 200 miles, and it is estimated by its friends that exclusive of land and fences, the work would cost when completed more than three millions of dollars. Another route has been surveyed from Boston through Lancaster, Fitchburg, and Northfield, to Brattleborough, on Connecticut River, in Vermont. The country between Boston and Providence has been very carefully examined with a view of opening an easier communication between the two places by a railroad, and the estimated expense amounts to about $650, 000. A line for a railroad has also been surveyed from Boston to Lowell; if one should be constructed between these places it would undoubtedly divide the transportation of heavy articles with the Middlesex Canal. The only

What new means of internal communication have been projected within a few years? Mention some of the con