principle of uniformity, and rhe competency of
the federal liegiflatuie to making adequate provi
sion in tlie cafe, point out the impropriety of
leaving the buiinefs to the state legiilatures.
Mr. Smith pursued the idea of Mr Tucker, and
observed, that to be confident, the motion ought
ro g° farther, and extend to exempting Ministers
of" the-Gofpel, only while engaged in preaching
—The StJVool-Mailer, while teaching—The Mil
,]cr while attending his Mill,&c. In liiort it ought
to be so particular as to amount to 110 exemption
at all.
lvlr. White spoke in favor of /he motion : The
Conilitution, said he, has fufficieut'y defined the
privileges of the Members. With respect to the
State officers, he was in favor of leaving them to
be exempted by the Hate legifiatures—nor was he
apprehenfivc they >yould abul'c the power by ex
empting half their citizens, as this would only en
.creafethe burthen on the other half.
Mr. Jiickfon said he imiltbe Hill oppofedto the
motion trom this interesting confidei ation, if no
other existed— I hat it might in its operation de
prive 50000 citizens of their vote in the national
'legislature.
ivlr. Vining added a few observations in favor
of the motion—and then the queition being ta
ken, ic was negatived 24 to 18.
FRIDAY, Dec. 17.
The fubjeft of exemptions was this day fui ther difcufled—the
propriety ot vesting the power in the slate legifl uures, so far as it
refpefts the legrflative, executive and judicial officers ot the parii
•cular lfcate*, was alternately advocated and opposed :—lt was fi
nally determined that the several exemptions ftiould be particu
larized in the bill.
Mr. Seney, moved to add to the exempts, " persons authorized
and received to teach or preach the gospel by the focteties ot which
they are re fpeftively members."—This was agreed to.
Mr. Jackson proposed to add public printers and pilots. The
tjueftion 011 the former was negatived : —On the latter agreed to.
Mr. Boudinot proposed to add all such as now do,or may here
aftrr bear a commillion in the militia.—Agreed.
This finifbed the difcuflion of the second feftion,
Mr. Jackson touched on the fubjeft of penalties, for neglecting
mil-tia duty, and the equivalent to be paid by the exempts ; bat
as this will probably occasion confideraole debate when the 16th
ieftion comes under cunfideration, we reserve ourselves to that oc
casion.
The third feftion being read, Mr. Fitzfimons moved an amend
ment, bv which the power of arrangeing-the militia in divfious,
brigades, &c. is to bevefted in the President ot the United State&j
mftcad of the refpeftive governors ot the Hates.
This motion occaftoncd foine debate ; it was finally carried in
the affirmative.
The cldufe giving rank to aids-de-camp was struck out —and
" to be uk.cn from the line" added.
MONDAY, Dec. 20.
fin| |liin linji
A. bin to continue in force for the term of five years, an act. en
titled an ast, declaring the afTent of Congress to certain acts of the
states of Rhode-Island, Maryland >nd Georgia, was brought in
cngroffed, read a third time, and palfed.
A bill supplementary to an ast further provision for the
debts of the United States, was read a second, and ordered to be
read a third time.to-morrow.
Mr. Ben lon, froihthe committee appointed for that purpose,
ieported the following bills, viz.
A bill declaring the officer who, in cafe of the death, removal,
•r disability of the Pref»dentor Vice-Prefidem, shall exercise the
officeof President.
A bill for determining the refpe&ive times when the electors
for a President and Vice-President lhall be chosen, and the time
when they (hall give their votes.
A bill directing the mode in which the lifts of the votes for Pre
sident and Vice-President shall be transmitted to the fat of the
government of the United States ; ail which were read afirfttime.
Mr. Partridge ptefenied the petition of Barnabas Lucas, read,
and referred to the Secretary of War.
Mr. Huntington prefenttd the petition of William Robinson,
refpe&ing a loftcertificate ; read and referred to the committee
appointed to bring in a bill dire&ing the mode ih which the evi
dences of the public debt (hall be renewed.
Mr. Gerry presented the petition of John Millet RufTell, pray
ing the remillion of the new duty on a quantity of hcrup by hun
imported ; read, and referred to the Secretary of the Treasury.
Mr. Fitzfimons presented a petition from a number of the mer
•ii ants and traders of Philadelphia, praying for the ere£tion of
additional piers at Chester, in the river Delaware ; read, and re
ferred to the Secretary of the Treasury,
Mr. Gory lair] the following motion on the tabic, That the Se
cretary of State be dirr&ed to procure and keep in his office, all
Charters, Patents, and Documents, which refpeel the juiifdi&ional
and territorial rights of the refpc£fcive States.
Mr. Smith laid the following motion on the table, That provi
flon be made for ere&ing a Beacon at the entrance of the port of
Georgetown, South-Carolina ; read, and referred to the Secretary
of the Trcalury.
In committee of the whole on the Militia Bill.
Progress was made in the difcuflion as far as the Bth fe&ion,
TUESDAY, Dec. 21
The bill supplementary to an aift making pro
•vifion for the debts of the United States, was read
the third time aud pafled.
The three bills reported by Mr. Benfonyefter
:day, were read the lecond time, and made the
order of the day for Monday next. 100 copies
of eafh of these bills were ordered to be printed
for the nfe of the House.
Mr. Fiizfiinons prcfented a memorial from the
Trultees of Wilmington College, which was read,
and referred to the Secretary of the TYeafury.—
Also a Memorial and reinonlb ance frojn a com
mittee of a number of the creditors of the United
States in Philadelphia.
Mr. Sen eyprefented a petition from R. Ford,
a marineiv-Wouncled in the service of the United
States, referred to the Secretary of war.
Mr. Seneyof the committee appointed on the
petition offimdry inhabitants of Baltimore, pray
ing for the eitabliihmenr of an health office,
wrought Lii a report, which was in fV.vor cf the
petition—an;l recommendary of a lunilar institu
tion in every port where they are wanted.
j his 1 epott being accepted by the house, a com-!
mittce of five was appointed to prepare and bring
in a bill accordingly.
Mr. notice that hefhould to
morrow move for a committee to bring in a. bill tol
prevent invalid pensioners from transferring the
light to their pensions, before they become due.
A report from the commilfioners appointed the
lait feiiion to superintend the purchase of the
public debt, was communicated to the house by
the Speaker, by which it appears, that the Trea
fuier ot tlie United States, pursuant to orders,
received from the commilliouers, has purcliafedi
the funi ol two hundred seventy-eight thousand
fix hundred and eighty-fev&n dollars; for which,
the sum ot one hundred and fifty thousand two
hundred and tliirty-niue dollars, in specie, lias
been paid
In committee of the whole on the Militia Bil
The committee, finifhed the difcuflioii this day
—and thp Chairman reported the fame to the
J-loufe with fun dry amend irtAICS. 1
It was ordered that ic fliould lfis on the table/
Adjourned. 7,
BALTIMORE, Dec. 14
The legifLture of this (late, now in feflion at Annapolis, have
passed an a£l to repeal certain parts of an ast, entitluJ, " an a£t to
prevent dilabled and superannuated slaves being set free, or the
lnanumilTion ef (laves, by any last will or testament, and of a sup
plementary a£l thereto, and for certain other purposes."
It may be necessary, Qn this occasion, to mention that the a&
prohibits, (under the penalty of of three hundred pouuds) the for
cible and fraudulent transportation or carrying out of this state,
any free Negro or Mulat to—or the felling, or causing to be sola,
or oifpofed of, out of this state, as a flavc for life, any
Negro or Mulatto, entitled to freedom at a certain age.
Philadelphia, Dec. 22.
The wisdom and policy of the law pafled lad
session of Congress, appointing Commiflioners to
superintend the ncgociation of a Loan, and to in
vert the unappropriated monies in the Treasury
in the public debt, while fold in the public mar
ket under par, are now mod apparently made
manifefl, in that rapid appreciation, which has
done more for the public creditors in a few months
than they anticipated for many years.
Congress is now deeply immersed in public buGnefs—the re
ports ot the Secretary of the Treasury, $nd those which areex
pe&ed from the other heads of departments, will probably open
a very extensive field ot difcuflion—but that patriotism which has
picponderated in the councils ps the union, v. ill we doubt not
unite the legislature in giving all poflible dupatch to the impor
tant objects of their deliberation.
The fluduation of our counsels previous to the adoption of the
New Constitution, unhinged the public mind, weakened all con
fidence in the government, and almost annihilated the credit of
the Uuited States. A solemn lesson to the present government,
that measures adopted alter due deliberation, ihould be inflexibly
supported : On this firrnnefs and liability our refpc&ability, our
union and credit, our all depend.
Tefterday, between the hoars of twelve and one,
his Excellency Thomas Mifflin was proclaimed
Governor of this Commonwealth, with the usual ce-
re monies.
The public teflimonials of joy exhibited on this oc
casion, demon[lr ate the general fatisfafiion of the ci
tizens on the elevation of this diftinguijhed charafler
to the Chair of Government.
By the Maflachufetts Spy of the 9th inft. it ap
peal s that the Hon. Artemas Ward is elected Mem
ber of the House of Representatives of the United
States, for Worcester DiihiCt, by a very fuiall
majority.
by ihc Cumberland Gazette it appear*, that the Hon. Georcs
Thatcher is re-ele&cd a Membrr of the Houf_-of Representa
tives of the United States for the Diftri& of Maine.
Ext rafts of letters from Cape-Francois oj the 6th and
Bth of November, to a gentleman in this city.
" In my lail, I mentioned that the Aflembly
had advised the Editor of La Gazette du Jour y to
forbear publishing any thing concerning the in
furrecftion here, which indeed was true : but I
was not then apprised of the true motives of the
Aflembly. It appears that a majority of that
house are Aristocrats —indeed it is certainly so—
and have consequently pafled an edicft, prohibit
ing the publishing of the grounds and progrefsof
the revolution, or any thing concerning it. This
Edic r t yon will fee in the Gazette of today, which
I have enclosed.
" There are but few people here who relish
the Edi<ft, regarding it merely as if a cock had
crowed.
" Since writing my letter of the 6th instant,
the infurreclion of the Mulattoes has nearly been
put an end to : And yefterdny the greater part of
the volunteers returned, having left a few to
watch the motions of the few reinainig rebels,
who are about 400, therelt having dispersed, and
with them their leader, whose name is Oge, not
Ojay, as I before wrote it, who has fled to St. Ja
go, in the Spanifli part of the ifiaud. A reward
of.icoo joes has been offered by the government
so apprehending him. Thus has a dangerous
iufuri e<ftion been quelled by the spirited exerti
ons of the volunteers.
In our last, among the names of the Senators, whose times
expire in March next, we ioierted Mr. Hawkins, which is a mif
take # he drew the class for fix years.
679
We hear that a Resolution is now pending b«-
fore the Senate of the United States, to the sfol
lowing purport—" 1 hat it would be dangerous
and inexpedient to make any alterations in the
Funding Syftein palled the laftr session of Con
gress."
APPOINTMENTS
THE President of the United States, by and 'with the advice an<
consent of the Senate, has been plcafcd to make the following ap
pointments.
Robert Mo r r i s, to be Judge of the Diftrifi of New-Jersey,
in place ot David Brearly, deceased.
John Hrth, ofVirginia, Ensign in the troops of the United
States, in place of Richard Archer, who has declined his appoint
ment.
John Si tc r eaves, Judge of the Diftrift of North-Carolina,
in place of John Stokes, deceased.
Wi l l i am Hill, Attorney for the United States in the diftrift
of North-Carolina, in place of John Sitgreaves.
Zachariah Rowland, Surveyor of the port of Richmond,
in the State of Virginia, in place of Corbiri Braxton, who has
refigncd his appointment. And
Jeremiah N i cols, Collector of-the port of Chefter,in the (late
of Maryland, in the place of John Scott, deceased.
PRICE CURRENT. PUBLIC SECURITIES.
FUNDED DEBT.
6 pr. Cents 17/6. 18/. pr. /.
3 pr. Cents 8/6 9/
Defered 6 pr. Cents 8f Bf6.
UNFUNDED DEBT.
Final Settl.and other Certificates 15/6.
Indents 8/"6 9/
State debts 9fS 10\f.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
December 13, 1799.
In obedience to the Order oj the House of Representatives of the ninth
day of Auguji lafl, requiring the Secretary of the Trealury to pre
pare and report, on this day, such fuitbtr provijion as nay y in his
opinion, be necejfary for eflablifhing the public credit—the fmd Secre
tary Rcfpe&fully Reports,
THAT the object which appears to be mod immediately efTcn
tial to the further support of public credit, in putfuanc«of
/ne plan adopted during the last feflion of Congress, is, the eflab
l'fhment of proper and fufficient funds, for paying the interest
which will begin to accrue after the year one thousand {even hun
dred and ninetv-one, on the amount of the debts of the several
flutes, aflumed by the United States ; having regard at the fame
time, to be probable, or estimated deficiency in those already
citablifhed, as they refpeft the original debt of the union.
In order to this, it is necefTaiy, in the firft place, to take a view
ot the lums requisite for those purposes,
The amount which has been aflumed of the state
debts, 15
The sum of annual intercft upon that amount,
which, according to the terms of the proposed
loan, will begin to accrue after the year one
thousand seven hundred and ninety-one, is
The cftimated deficiency, in the funds already
established, as they refpeft the original debt of
the United States, is
Making together,
For the procuring which sum, the reiterated reflections of the
Secretary have suggested nothing so eligible and unexceptionable,
in his judgment, as a further duty on foreign distilled spirits, and
a duty on spirits distilled within the United States, to be collected
in the mode delineated in the plan ot a bill which forms a part of
his report to the House of Representatives, of the ninth day of
January last.
Under this impression, he begs leave, with all deference, to pro»
pose to the confederation of the house—
That the following additions be made to the duties on spirits
imported from foreign countries, which are fpecified in the ast
making further provision lor the payment of the debts of the
United States, namelv,
On those of the fir A class of proof therein mentioned, per gal
lon, eight cents.
On thofc of the second class, per gallon, eight and a half cents.
On those of the third class, per gallon, nine cents.
On those of the fourth elafs, per gallon, ten cents.
On those of the fifth class, per gallon, tencrnts.
On those of the sixth class, per gallon, fifteen cents.
And 'hat the following duties be laid on fp ; rits distilled within
the United States, namely :
If from Molafles, sugar, or other foreign materials, and of the
laid firft class of proof, per gallon, eleven cents.
of the said second class of proof, per gallon, twelve ceots.
of the said third class of proof, per gallon, thirteen cents,
of the said fourth class of proof, per gallon, fifteen cents,
of the said fifth class of proof, per gallon, twenty cents,
of the said sixth claf? of proof, per gallon, thirty cents.
If from materials of the growth or production of the United
States, distilled within any city, town or village, and of the
said firft class of proof, per gallon, nine cents.
of '.he said second class of proof, per gallon, ten cents,
of the said third class of proof, per gallon, eleven cents,
of the said fourth class of proof, per gallon, thirteen cents,,
of the said fifth class of proof, per gallon, seventeen cents,
of the said sixth class of proof, per gallon, twenty cents.
And upon each still employed in distilling spirits fiom the like
materials in any other place than a city, town or village, in lieu of
the rates above mentioned, the yearly sum of sixty cents for every
gallon English wine measure of the capacity of such still including
its head ; exempting nevertheless all such stills, wiihin a certain
defined dimtnfion, as are used essentially for domestic purposes of
their refpe&ive proprietors.
The produtt of these fcvcral duties (which correspond in their
rates with those proposed in the report above referred to, of the
ninth of January lad) may, upon as good grounds as the nature of
the cafe will admit, prior to an experiment, be computed at eight
hundred and seventy seven thoufand'and five hundred dollars ; the
particulars of which computation are contained in the (latement
which accompanies this report.
This computed produ6l exceeds the sum which has been stated a«
neceflary to be provided, by fifty thousand eight hundred and fe
ven/y-five dollars, and twenty-seven cents ; an excess, which if it
(hould be realized by the a&ual product, may be beneficially ap
plied towards increasing the finking fund.
The Secretary has been encouraged to renew the proposition of
these duties, in the fame torm in which they were before submit
ted, from a belief, founded on circumstances which appeared in
the different di feu (lions of the fubjett, that collateral considerati
ons, which were afterwards obviated, rather than objettions to the
meafuie itfelf, preventedits adoption during the last feflion ; from
the impracticability which he conceives to exist, of devifingany
substitute equally conducive to the cafe and interest of the com
munity; and from an opinion that the extension of the plan of
colle£hon, which it contemplates to the duties already imposed
on wines and diftillcd fpirits,is neceflary to a well grounded reli
ance on their efficacy and produ&ivenefs. (T§ be centinvcd.J
or go pr. cent.
or 45 do.
4 2 i d».
77 \ do.
45
50 do,
Dolls. Cts.
21,500,000
788,333 31
38,291 4®
826,624 73