CHAP. IV.

Manufactures, trade, and commerce of Philadelphia-Municipal government, mayor, alderman-Select and common councilsLegislation-Population, gradual increase from 1790-Proportion of white and coloured races-Proportion of males and females in each-Proportion of deaths to the whole numbers-Classes of society, aristocracy of birth and wealth-Middle class of general society-Dinner from the bar to the bench of Pennsylvania General appearance of the inhabitants-Manners of Philadelphia society-Wretched condition of some labouring classes—Individual cases of extreme distress-Decline in the spirit of benevolence-Attributable to increasing wealth-Suggestion of a selftaxing society-Instances of munificent legacies-Contrast of the living and the dying.

Or the manufactures, trade, and commerce of Philadelphia, more may be said as to its prospects than as to its actual condition. At present, there is not nearly so much of either, as there might have been, or as there will be a few years hence, when the vast resources of the State come to be more fully developed. The few manufactories now carried on here are confined to carpets, floor-cloth, some hardware of a coarse kind, glass, porcelain, and articles of domestic consumption; but little or nothing is made for exportation, if we'except a very extensive and excellent manufactory of steam-engines, conducted on a large scale, and supplying both the cities of the seacoast, and the rising towns of the western waters.

The foreign commerce is almost as limited as the home trade, the shipping of Philadelphia not equalling

INTERNAL RESOURCES.

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a fourth of those of New York, and the shores of the Delaware presenting a striking contrast, in the fewness of the vessels upon it, compared with the forests of masts that line the banks of the East River and the Hudson at the latter city.

That which promises so much for the future, however, is the gradual development of the mineral wealth of Pennsylvania. In the interior of this

State, has been recently discovered, beds of coal and iron, sufficiently extensive to afford materials for manufacturing, for centuries to come; and these will soon become articles of export to other parts of the country. The communications by rail-road and canal every day, extending into the interior, by Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, to the Ohio, and thence down the Mississippi, up the Missouri, and on by Arkansas and the Red River to Texas, and the Rocky Mountains, will facilitate the diffusion of imported as well as manufactured goods, and form a channel for the conveyance of cotton, tobacco, flour, and other native produce to Philadelphia, where the Delaware will form their outlet to Europe, the West Indies, and other parts of the world.

At present, it is true, New York has got the start of Philadelphia and Baltimore, in the internal and foreign trade, by being in advance of both, in her enterprizing undertakings. But the local position of both these latter cities, aided by internal canals and rail-roads, is such as to render it more than probable that each may in time attain a position of commercial eminence, greatly superior to that which they now enjoy; and every increase of population in the interior must accelerate this period, by the development

of the resources of these parts, and by increased means of consumption.

The municipal government of Philadelphia was originally appointed by the proprietary, William Penn, but was gradually opened to the influence of the community in colonial times, till it was settled upon its present basis soon after the revolution. In 1789, the mayor was elected out of the municipal body only. In 1796, the select and common councils were included among the electors. And in 1826, the restriction of choosing the mayor from among the aldermen was abrogated; so that ever since that period this officer has been chosen out of the body of the citizens generally. As he is paid a salary of 2,000 dollars, or 400l. a year, and has the patronage of appointing nearly all the officers of the corporation except the city treasurer, it is a place sought after by many; but unfortunately in this, as in almost every public office, down to that of a constable, party politics, rather than the capacity and general qualifications of the individual, are made the test of fitness, and the Whigs and Democrats consider it a party victory or party defeat whenever their candidate is elected or beaten.

The recorder is appointed by the governor of the State; and, acting as a judge, he holds his office during good behaviour. There are fifteen aldermen who are also appointed by the governor; and as these sit as justices of the peace, for trials of suits where the amount does not exceed 100 dollars, they also hold their offices during good behaviour; that is, for life, unless convicted of wilful neglect or violation of duty, after trial. The Mayor's Court, at which

the recorder and aldermen sit, has jurisdiction over all criminal offences committed within the city.

Though the recorder and aldermen are thus permanent in office, the legislative power of the municipal body resides in the select and common councils, who are elected by the people generally; and who, in their capacity as councillors, annually elect the mayor. The common council consists of twenty members, who are selected from persons qualified to serve as representatives in the State Assembly. The select council is formed of twelve members, chosen from persons qualified to serve as senators in the State Assembly.

These form, in short, the upper and the lower house of City legislation; the lower house being elected annually, and the upper house for three years, one-third going out by rotation every year. They sit in separate chambers, and serve without salary, and each body has a negative on the acts of the other, so that no ordinance or regulation can be made law without the consent of both. In practice, this constitution is found to work extremely well.

The population of Philadelphia, at the last census of 1830, was 139,888, of which the proportions were 80,406 in the city, and 59,482 in the liberties and suburbs. The proportion of increase in the decennial periods at which the census had been taken, beginning at 1790, were thus, in round numbers

- 43,000—68,000—89,000—110,000-140,000. The greater proportionate increase of population within the last eight years, from immigration and other causes, induces the belief here that the next census of 1840 will exhibit a population of 200,000

for the city and suburbs, which, will probably be the case. The proportion of coloured people to whites is not large; being, in the city, at the last census, 9,256 coloured, to 71,150 white; and these proportions remain nearly the same. In each race there were a greater number of females than males, the white population exhibiting a return of 37,619 females, and 33,531 males; and the coloured population exhibiting a return of 5,231 females, and 4,025 males. The number of deaths in 1831 were 4,939, of which 2,720 were children, and 2,219 adults; the total of deaths being, therefore, in round numbers, 5,000, and the total of population in round numbers, 140,000; the proportion of deaths was 1 in 28, or about three and a half per cent. in the whole year. The greatest mortality in 1831 was in December, the number being 708, while the average of the other months was about 350; and in 1832, the greatest mortality was in August, the deaths being 1689, the average of the other months being about 450.

The classes into which the population are divided in Philadelphia, are very similar to those of New York and Baltimore. Though there is no titled nobility, or hereditary aristocracy, there is a decided aristocracy of family connexion, as well as of wealth; and of the two, the first are the most fastidious about the rank and station of their associates. The expressions of respect for those who are descended from the first families, or who belong to some of the oldest families of Pennsylvania, or Maryland, or New Jersey, or Virginia, are as frequently heard from the lips of Americans, as from those of the most aristocratic circles in our small country towns in