Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XIV.djvu/812

 780 SETTER SETTLEMENT dies, they assumed the religious habit, Jan. 1, 180!), at Emmettsburg, and opened there a conventual establishment on July 30. In 1812 the 'sisterhood numbered 20 members, and chose Mother Seton as superior general, which post she occupied till her death. In 1814 they took charge of an orphan asylum in Philadel- phia, and in 1817 were incorporated by the legislature of Maryland. In the latter year they took charge of an orphan asylum in New York, and thenceforward their increase kept pace with the spread of the Roman Catholic church in the United States. The community numbered 50 members at the death of the foundress. (See CHARITY, SISTERS OF.) See White's "Life of Eliza A. Seton," for the most part an autobiography (New York, 1853 ; 5th ed., Baltimore, 1865) ; and the Right Rev. Robert Seton's " Memoir, Letters, and Jour- nal of Elizabeth Ann Seton" (2 vols., New York, 1869). SETTER (cani* index, Caius), a sporting dog of the hound group. The head is remarkably developed, the brain very large, and the ani- Setter. mal evinces intelligence, affection, and docility. The figure is intermediate between that of the pointer and spaniel, and it is generally consid- ered as descended from the crossing of these two varieties ; it resembles a large breed of the spaniel, and is probably of Spanish origin ; the hair is long and silky, less smooth than in the pointer, with much of the waved character seen in the spaniel, even on the ears. The best breeds are those of England and Ireland ; the most ancient colors were deep chestnut and white ; the English setter is generally white with large spots or blotches of liver color or reddish brown ; many are marked with black. The natural instinct to crouch at the sight or scent of game has been cultivated in the set- ter, but they have been taught also to point with the fore foot raised, so that practically the setter and pointer are used in the same way ; they are used only as gun dogs and for birds ; their sense of smell is very acute. They take to the water better than, the pointer, and .are better in close coverts; they will work well with pointers ; in the United States they are taught to bring game; they will almost always point at the scent of turkeys, but not of other domestic fowls. SETTLEMENT. I. Under the poor laws, the right which one acquires to be considered a resident of a particular place, and to claim relief from such city, town, or village, if he stands in need of it. The conditions deter- mining settlement are almost entirely prescribed by statutes, which provide generally in respect to adults that their residence in any place for a denned term of years gives them a settlement therein. A married woman has the same set- tlement as her husband, though if he has none within the state it may be provided that her own at the time of the marriage, within the state, is not lost or suspended. Legitimate children have the settlement of the father, or of the mother if the father has none in the state. Illegitimate children take the settlement of the mother. In different states serving under articles of apprenticeship or for wages, and the payment of taxes, are made to give a right to a settlement. II. In the limitation or disposition of property, a deed or instrument commonly made previous to or in contempla- tion of marriage, the object of which is gen- erally to limit property in such modes and to such uses as will assure a provision for the wife and the issue of the marriage. Settlements may be made by the wife, but then they are very often made in consideration of a settle- ment by the husband ; or they may be made mutually by husband and wife upon a separa- tion, during the coverture. The common law troubles itself but little with the equitable right of a woman to retain after her marriage some enjoyment of her own property, but chancery has to a considerable extent interposed in her favor. Whenever the husband was compelled to seek its assistance in order to reach the wife's property, chancery obliged him to make equi- table settlements out of it in the wife's behalf. It invented also and supported, for the wife's benefit, the contrivance of a separate use and estate ; and it favored those contracts, named settlements, which, employing the equity de- vices of uses, trusts, and powers, were framed for the purpose of securing by express stipu- lation this same benefit of a separate estate for the wife. The legislature came in time to re- form the law in the same direction, and has en- acted, both in England and the United States, those "married woman's statutes" which have materially modified the common law touch- ing the rights of husbands over the estates of their wives. In general, every person who may alienate his property may make a settle- ment of it. All persons therefore of full age, and masters of their estates, may settle them as they please. Yet a woman, even if she is of full age, cannot in contemplation of marriage, without the knowledge of her intended hus- band, make a settlement of her property real or personal ; the disappointment of the future