arising out of the country; and that no
person should accept a power of attorney to receive debts contracted
abroad.

{1669}

[Sidenote: Constitution of Mr. Locke.]

The proprietors, dissatisfied with their own systems, applied to Mr.
Locke for the plan of a constitution. They supposed that this profound
and acute reasoner must be deeply skilled in the science of
government. In compliance with their request, he framed a body of
fundamental laws which were approved and adopted. A palatine for life
was to be chosen from among the proprietors, who was to act as
president of the palatine court, which was to be composed of all those
who were entrusted with the execution of the powers granted by the
charter. A body of hereditary nobility was created, to be denominated
Landgraves, and Caciques, the former to be invested with four
baronies, consisting each of four thousand acres, and the latter to
have two, containing each two thousand acres of land. These estates
were to descend with the dignities for ever.

The provincial legislature, denominated a Parliament was to consist of
the proprietors, in the absence of any one of whom, his place was to
be supplied by a deputy appointed by himself; of the nobility; and of
the representatives of the freeholders, who were elected by districts.
These discordant materials were to compose a single body which could
initiate nothing. The bills to be laid before it were to be prepared
in a grand council composed of the governor, the nobility, and the
deputies of the proprietors, who were invested also with the executive
power. At the end of every century, the laws were to become void
without the formality of a repeal. Various judicatories were erected,
and numerous minute perplexing regulations were made. This
constitution, which was declared to be perpetual, soon furnished
additional evidence, to the many afforded by history, of the great but
neglected truth, that experience is the only safe school in which the
science of government is to be acquired; and that the theories of the
closet must have the stamp of practice, before they can be received
with implicit confidence.

{1670}

The duke of Albemarle was chosen the first palatine, but did not long
survive his election; and lord Berkeley was appointed his successor.
The other proprietors were also named to high offices; and Mr. Locke
was created a landgrave.

After this change of constitution, the attention of the proprietors
wa