is to say,

don shall not take place, but when their information authorises it.

13. The president is authorised, when he may deem it expedient, to publish a particular or general amnesty, as it may appear to him bet adapted to the state of the country which may be in possession of the enemy, or as the measure may tend to terminate the war.

14. The president shall give to congress, or 1. The supreme command of the military and its acting committees faithful and exact periodinaval forces for the republic, their organization cal report and information of every description, and discipline conformable to the rules hitherte discriminating between what may be made pubexisting and till congress shall determine other lic-and what may be preserved from present wise, shall reside in the president of the repub-publication, in order not intefere with the pub

lic.

2. The executive shall nominate to all offices and functions of the republic, until congress shall, by a special law, determine which of the public trusts shall rest in the congress itself. 3. The president is the chief of the general administration of the republic.

4. The president is charged with the preservation of order and tranquility throughout the republic.

5. It shall be his duty to lay before congress all complaints against persons charged with high crimes, felonies, misdemeanors in office, and malversation in office, usurpation, or neglect of duty, or incompetency to perform the Innctions of stations to which they may have been appointed.

6. From this obligation are excluded military crimes, which are to be determined by the criminal code until congress shall finally establish the classification of the penal code.

7. He appoints and revokes all diplomatic agents.

3. He conducts all negotiations, with foreign nations, forming treaties of alliance, commerce and all other affairs which may be necessary to the good of the state; subject however to the approbation and ratification of congress.

9. He is charged with the promulgation and execution of the laws and decrees of congress, aud shall affix to them the seals of the republic.

10. He orders the execution of the sentences which may be pronounced by the congress, or by the judiciary power according to faw.

11. In cases of an extreme nature, he may, having just and adequate cause, suspend execution of sentence, and refer the case back to the tribunal which passed sentence; and in case the tribunal shall adhere its sentence, it shall he his duty to refer the case to congress, who will finally decide.

12. In respect to humanity, the executive is authorised to mitigate, upon reasonable cause severe punishments, to commute them for milder punishments, or to pardon, even in capital cases; but in the latter circumstance, the judi

lic interests.

15. The ministers and heads of departments whom he may nominate, shall give without delay, to congress every information that may be. required of them, under the reservation of what is excepted in the preceding article, of which congress shall be the judge.

16. He shall grant letters of marque and reprisals, conformably with the law of nations, adhering to the forms at present in use, until congress shall establish new forms.

17. As a sumptuary regulation, the president shall be invested with authority to raise troops and organize them, and receive persons from foreign nations, appoint them to daties and stations adapted to their qualifications, and direct their distribution; and he shall form contracts to sustain the armed force by sea and

land.

Given in the national palace of Angostura, 18th
February, 1819, and ninth of Independence.
(Signed)
F. A. ZEA.
Attest-D. B. URDANETTA, Secretary.

This act was communicated to the executive the same day, and proclaimed by the executive on the 25th February.

Provisional establishment of the departments
of administration.
SIMON BOLIVAR, &c.

It being necessary to give to the public administration a provisional and efficient organi zation-it is decreed as follows:

1. The administration is arranged into three departments: viz.

1. That of state and finance.
2. Marine and war,

3. Interior and justice.

2 Each of these departments shall be under the direction of a secretary of state.

3. The secretaries are, for the state and fi. nance sen'r Manuel Palacias.

Marine and war, colonel Briseno Mendez.
Interior and justice, D. B. Urbaneja.
4. The attributes of those dapartments shall

ciary shall be consulted, and remission or par- "be regulated in detail by a special decree.

15. The courts shall have the duty of examng the qualications of lawyers, who must af 27therwards present the decisions of the courts to The executive, prior to the exercise of any anctions.

"April 29-Arrived at Valdivia, where the remainder of the Spanish army, under the com 13. The court shall nominate all its officers mand of Gen. Saulchez, amounting to 800 men 14. The courts shall form rules for the dis-had just arrived, after travelling from Conceppatch and conducting of business.

pronounced by Moses on him "who removeth his neighbor's and mark"

"April 30-An armed schooner, formerly The land-mark is indeed the Shelby, of New York, arrived from Lima immoveable; for, though the marked trees at any with dispatches, and money for the troopsone corner may be burnt or destroyed, yet at the was informed by the captain that Lord Coch-distance of half a mile east, west, north, or south, rane had landed 500 men at St. Ancho, a small there are other marked trees by which the true village to the leeward of Lima; the Vice King corner may be found. In a single township there are 182 marked trees, which, in the language of the had dispatched troops to assist the inhabitants The troops at Lima are well disciplined, cloth-destruction of all these Loci through a widely exGeometer, are Loci. Nothing less than the total ed and armed, amounting to 8000 men. Itended space can secure effect to the malicious de. was reported that the American frigate Mace-sign. Very few disputes as to limit or boundary donian, and Erie, sloop of war had arrived at Valparaiso."

It

can arise. It is a subject of regret that the spirit
of this system was not, at an early day, adopted by
Kentucky, Tennessee, and several other states.
has been said, thai, probably, as much money is an-
nually expended in those states in land title litiga-
tion as would defray their taxes for the support of
the severest war. What a contrast between the oc-
cupant of land by a doubtful title and the purchaser
from the United States! The latter has a conscious-
ness of security--his labors, his improvements, are
for himself and not for another-he plants his orch-
ards with a cheerful heart-he knows that his pos-
terity enjoy their fruits.

To furnish the materials for an easy, certain, and

At Wooster, on the 20th, a severe frust destroyed || precise definition, five principal meridians have al the beans, the leaves of the oak, &c.

At Zanesville, on the 17th, frost, snow and hail.
At Cincinnati, on the 4th, a sudden rise of the
Ghio-more than ten feet in three days.

At Huntsville, on the 19th and 19th, severe frost -cotton killed-armers alarmed.

It is proper to note, these late frosts were so near ly at the same time, in places differing about six degrees in latitude, five degrees in longitude.

||

||

ready been designated and marked.

The first commences at the confluence of the Great Miami and the Ohio. This meridian, extended to the north boundary of the United States, is 450 miles in length.

The second principal meridian commences on the west branch, at a point five miles south of the confluence of Little Blue River with the Chio--this meridian, extended to the north boundary of the United States, is 580 miles in length: it is crossed, at the distance of 30 miles from its commencement, by a base line or parallel to the equator, which has been extended through Indiana and Illinois to the east branch of the Mississippi.

The third principal meridian commences at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi-when extended towards the northern boundary of the United States, it will reach the south shore of Lake Superior, at the distance of 700 miles from its beginning.

The fourth principal meridian was run for the purpose of surveys for military bounties for the soldiers in the late war. It commences at the conAuence of the rivers Illinois and Mississippi; when extended towards the north boundary, it will strike the south shore of Lake Superior at the distance of 519 mies from its beginning. This meridian, at the distance of 72 miles from its beginning, is cros sed by a base line or parallel to the equator. Five and a half million acres between the Illinois and Mississippi have been surveyed-from which have been selected for bounties, three and a half million acres of land, "fit for cultivation"-the whole of which has been lecated and patented.

In May, 1785, Congress adopted the plan of laying out the Public Lands in Townships, six miles square. This plan has been followed in all surveys, || excepting that portion of public land in Ohio, || which, by act of June 1, 1795, was appropriated for military bounties for the army of the Révolation-that tract was divided into townships five miles square -The cast and west boundaries of townships being meridians, it is evident that their approximation, though scarcely sensible in a space of sie miles, would, if not corrected, throw into the form of a || parallelogram the township which, by law, was to be a square. To obviate this, the deputy surveyors are instructed to form a new buse or parallel to the equator, at every 24 or 30 miles. The corners of cach section and quarter section are defined by || marks, on at least two trees, whose species, datae ter, distance and beating, by the compass, are entried on the field notes. The magnetic variation at the time of the survey is also noted for each township Baca deputy surveyor deposits his field || notes in the Odise of the Surveyor General within whose district the land is. These notes are copied into bound book--he is, also, by his contract, beliged to deliver to the barvey or General three copies of a plat and description of each township, and The fifth principal meridian begins at the conflufractiond township. Of these, one copy is trans- ence of the Arkansas and Mississippi rivers-it is mitted to the General Land Office; one to the Re-crossed by a parallel to the equator, or a base line, "gister of the Land Odice in whose district the land at the distance of 60 miles from its beginning.is, and he retains the other, which is copied into Township 58 north of that base has been surveyed. well bound books, of which he makes out a dupli-This meridian, extended to the north boundary, cate, one of which is retained and the other trans. will be 980 miles in length; and if continued southmitted to the General Land Office. By this multi-erly, will strike the coast of the Mexican Gulph, plication of authentic copies, and their deposition in || at 330 miles distance from the mouth of the Arkanthree different and distant places, perfect security sas, at a point on the coast of the Gulpla, in latitude is had from fire or other accident. This wise sys-29 degrees 30 minutes north, and in longitude 14 tem takes away all temptation to incur the curse degrees west of the Capitol-its whole length will

be 1,310 miles, equal to twice the length of the Kingdom of France.

Between the west boundary of Pennsylvania, and the first meridian above described, are

Between the first and second

Between the second and third

Between the third and fifth

37 ranges.

15

do.

241

do.

16

do.

Between the fifth and the west boun-
dary of Howard county, Missouri 32 do.

derings of fancy. The following is a sketch of the result of those observations:

I. Throughout, what is denominated by Volney, the valley of the Mississippi, there exist the traces of a population far beyoed what this extensive and fertile portion of the continent, is supposed to have possessed: greater, perhaps, than could be supported of the present white inhabitants, even with the careful agriculture practised in the most popu lous parts of Europe. The reason of this, is to be found in the peculiar manners of the inhabitants by 125 ranges or whom it was formerly occupied; like those of Mexico, their agriculture had for its only object their The principles of this system have governed the own sustenance-no surplus was demanded for public surveys in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisi-commerce with foreign nations, and no part of ana; and will, unquestionably, be adhered to, until the public surveys shall reach Astoria, at the mouth of Columbia river, in longitude 48 degrees west of the Capitol.

750 miles.

the soil, susceptible of culture, was devoted to pasturage-yet, extensive forests with wild animals would still remain. The aggregate population of the country might be less, but that of particular It has been said that "man brings down the Hea-districts much greater. We must, in this way, acvens to the earth, for his convenience." A few geo- count for the astonishing population of the vale of graphical positions on the map of the public surMexico, when first known to the Spaniards; perveys, being accurately determined by astronomical haps equal to any district of the same extent of observations, it is obvious that, with very little diffi- climate.* The astonishing population of Owhyee culty, the longitude and latitude of every farm, and and Otaheite, must be accounted for in the same of every log-hut and court-house, may be ascertain way. There are certainly many districts on the ed with great precision. This system owes its Ohio and Mississippi equally favorable to a numerchief practical excellence lo the genius and the la- ous population When I contemplated the beauty bors of a distinguished mathematician and natural and fertility of those spots, I could scarcely believe philosopher, Colonel Jared Mansfield, now of the it possible, that they should never have supported Military Academy at West Point, who was Surveyor a numerous population; such a fact would form au General several years. exception to what has usually occurred, in every other part of the globe.

About sixty million acres (twice the extent of England) have been surveyed; (59,757,020) of which, in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri, are 39,564,700 acres; and, in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, 20,192,310 acres.

So wise, beautiful and perfect a system was never before adopted by any government or nation on earth. It is the "eorte diaseise," the divided feast of Homer. The government with a temper and spirit truly parental, has divided, for the children of the Republic, that patrimony in which they all have a right and an interest.

General Land Office, June 29, 1819.

J. MEIGS.

AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES.
FROM THE TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN PHILO-
SOPHICAL SOCIETY.

On the Population and Tumuli of the Aborigines of
North America. In a letter from H. M. Bracken-
ridge, Esq. to Thomas Jefferson. Reud October
1, 1813.

II. In the valley of the Mississippi, there are discovered the traces of two distinct races of people, or periods of population, one much more ancient than the other. The traces of the last are the most mumerous, but mark a population less advanced in civilization; in fact they belong to the same race that existed in the country when the French and English effected their settlements on this part of the continent; but since the intercourse of these people with the whites, and their astonishing diminution in numbers, many of their customs have fallen into disuse. It is not more than a hundred and twenty years, since the character of the population, which left the traces of the second period, underwent a change. The appearances of fortifi cations, of which so much has been said, and which have been attributed to a colony of Welch, are nothing more than the traces of pallisadoed towns or villages. The first travellers mention this custom of surrounding their towns with pallisades; the earth was thrown up a few feet, and pickets placed on the top. I have seen old volumes in which they are represented in the engravings The Arikara and Mandan villages are still fortified in this way. The traces of these are astonishingly numerous in the western country; I should not exaggerate if I were to say that five thousand might be found.— Some of them inclose more than an hundred acres. From some cause or other (and we know that there are enough which might suffice to effect it) the population had been astonishingly diminished imme

BATON ROUGE, July 25, 1813.-Sir: From a knowledge that research into the history of the primitive inhabitants of America, is one of your favorite amusements, I take the liberty of making || this communication. My attention to the subject, was first awakened on reading, when a boy, the ob servations contained in the "Notes on Virginia," and it has become, with me, a favorite theme of speculation. I often visited the mound, and other remains of Indian antiquity in the neighbourhood of Pittsburg, my native town, attracted by a pleas ing interest, of which 1 scarcely knew the cause,diately before we became acquainted with them; and afterwards read, and heard with delight, whatever related to these monuments of the first, or rather carlier, inhabitants of my native countrySince the year 1810, (without previously intending it) I have visited almost every thing of this kind, worthy of note, on the Ohio and Mississippi; and from examination and reflection, something like bypothesis, has taken the place of the vague wan.

and yet Charlevoix mentions a town of the Mascutin tribe (at present incorporated with the Kicka

*See Humboldt, Vol. II page 127.

These are to be seen in many old volumes in the present library of Congress, which contains the most valuable collection of Books on America to be found in any part of the world.

poos) containing a thousand families! The barrows, of general receptacles of the dead, such as examin ed by yourself, may be classed with the pallisadoed towns, though they are much more numerous; they are, in fact, to be found in almost every cornfield in the western country The tumuli or mounds, are often met with, where there is no appearance of pallisadoed villages or fortifications, or of bar

YOWS.

||

drid, and at the commencement of Black River, are
all larger than those of Marietta. The following is
an enumeration of the most considerable mounds
on the Mississippi and on the Ohio, the greater pait
examined myself with such attention as the short
time I had to spare would permit :
1. At Great Creek below Wheeling.
2. At Pittsburg.

3 At Marietta,

4. At Cincinnatti.

5. At New-Madrid-one of them 350 feet diame. ter at the base.

6. Bois Brue bottom, fifteen miles below St. Ge nevieve.

7. At St Genevieve.

8 Mouth of the Marameck.

9. St Louis-one with two stages, another with three.

10. Mouth of the Missouri.

11. On the Colokia river-in two groups.

12. Twenty miles belo y-two groups also, but the mounds of a smaller size-on the back of a lake, formerly the bed of the river.

13. Near Washington, (M1 T) 145 feet in heigth. 14. At Baton Rouge, and on the bayon Machang one of the mounds near the lake is chetly compos ed of shells—the inhabitants have taken away great quantities of these for the purpose of making lime. 15. The mound on Black River, of two stages, with a gro ip around it,

At each of these places there are groups of mounds; and at each there probably once existed a city. On the other considerable rivers which are tributary to the Ohio and Mississippi, in Kentucky, Tennessee, state of Ohio, Indiana Territory, &c. they are equally numerous. But the principal city and center of population was between the Ohio, Mississippi, Missouri, and Illinois.

III. The first and more ancient period, is marked by those extraordinary tumulti or mounds. 1 have reason to believe that the ir antiquity is very great. The oldest Indians have no tradition as to their authors, or the purposes for which they were originally intended; yet they were formerly, I might almost say instinctively, in the habit of using them for one of the purposes for which they were at first designed, to wit, as places of defence. The old ehicf Du Cain, told Mr Rice Jones that the mounds in the American bottom had been fortified by the Kaskaskias in their wars with the Iroquois An old work by Lalitan, a jesuit, which I met with at New Odeans, contains a curious plate in which one of these mounds fortified by pallisades on the top, and large beams extending to the bottom, is assaulted by enemies. These tumuli as well as the fortifi cations, are to be found at the junction of all the considerable rivers, in the most eligible positions for towns, and in the most extensive borlies of fertile land. Their number exceeds perhaps three thousand; the smallest not less than twenty feet in height, and one hundred in diameter at the base. Their great number, and the astonishing size of some of them, inay be regarded as furnishing, with other circumstances, evidence of their antiquity.I have been sometimes induced to think that at the period when those mounds were constructed, there existed on the Mississippt, a population as numerous as that which once animated the borders of the I have been informed that in the plains between Nile, or of the Euphrates, or of Mexico and Peru. || the Arkansa and St. Francis, they are numerous IV: The most mumerous, as well as the most and so ne very large. They resemble the Teocalli, considerable of these remains, are found precisely || in these important features, 1st, in their positions in the part of the country where the traces of a the cardinal points are observed with considerable mumerous population might be looked for, to wit, accuracy. 21, The larger mounds have several from the mouth of the Ono (on the east side of the stages. 31, In every group there are two mounds Mississippi) to the Elinois river, and on the west much larger than the others. 4th, The smaller side from the St. Francis to the Misso tri. mounds are placed around symmetrically. A closer perfectly satisfied that cities similar to those of an- examination would show a resemblance in other cient Mexico, of several hundred thousand souls, particulars. It is doubted by Humboldt whether have existed in this part of the country. Nearly advantage had not been taken of some natural rise, opposite St. Louis there are the traces of two such m the formation of the pyramid of Cholula; with cities, in the distance of five miles, on the bank of respect to the mo nl of Cohokia, there can be no the Cohokia, which crosses the American hottom at doubt, for it stands in the midst of alluvium, and this place # There are not less than one hundred there is no natural hill nearer than two miles.§ monads, in two diferent groups; one of the mound- Such are the appearances of antiquity in the wes fills little short of the Beyptian pyramid Myceriustern country, which I consider as furnishing When Lexamined it in 1811, I was aston shed that proof of an ancient and numerous population. The this stupen bus inouiment of an iquity should have resemblance to those of New Spain would render been unnoticed by any traveller: 1 afterwards pub-probable the existence of the same arts and customs; hshed an account in the newspapers at St Louis, de- perhaps of an intercourse. The distance from the tailing its dimensions, describing its form, position, large mounds on Red River, to the nearest in New &e. but this, which I thought might almost be con Spain is not so great but they might be considered sidered a discovery, attracted no notice: and yet i as existing in the same country. stated it to be eight hundred paces in circumfer ence (the exact size of the pyramid of Asychis) and one hundred feet in height. The mounds at Grave Crock and Marietta are of the second or thin class. The mounds at St. Louis, at New-Ma

I am

See the Chapter on the Antiquities of the Valle of the Mississippi, in the Views of Louisiana," by the author of this Memoir, p. 181. Pittsburg edition, 1814.

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From the description of the Adoratorious, as they are called, it appears highly probable that the mounds on the Mississippi were destined for the same purposes. Solis tells us, that every considederable place had a number of them, upon which a kind of tower was erected, and which gave rise to

§ See the account of the Teocalli of New Spain, by Humboldt, pages 16, 41, 44, 123, 170, &c. vol. Ų. New York edition, 1811.