3?
Cougrefs of the United' States.
Is SENATE,
Tuesday, January 2lit. 1794.
The following written meflage was re
ceived from the Preiiocnt ot the United
State 3, by I Ir. Ins fecretaiy.
United States, January 20th. 1794*
Gentlemen of the Senate, and of the
House of Repreleiitatives,
Having already laid before you a lettei
cf the 16th of August i"93> ' rora t ' ie
Secretarv of State to our Minister at Pa
ris, ilating the condU'ft and urging the
recal of the Mlnifter Plenipotentiary of
the Republic of France ; 1 how commu
nicate to you, that his conduit has been
unequivocally disapproved ; and that the
ftror.geft alfr.rances have been given, that
his recal (hocld be expedited without de-
*
lay.
G. WASHINGTON.
Tlte me!Tac<r was read.
Ordered, That it lie on %.
The memorial oi the people called Qua
kers, from the yearly meeting held at
Rhode liland for New England, in the
yeair 179?. was presented and read, play
ing Cotigvefs to e sere iff the authority ves
ted in them by 'the conftitutjon, lor the
fuppreflion of the ilave trade.
Ordered, That this petition lie on the
table.
The petition of Jacob Milligan was
pretested and read, praying compensation
for lone 3 lullained, whilst in the lcrvke or
the United States.
Ordered, That this petition lie on the
table,
The following written mcffiigc was re
ceived from the P.efideflt of the United
States bv Mr. Dandridge his Secretary.
United States, January 2 n't, 1794.
Gentlemen of th " Senate, and of
the House of Representative*,
It Is with fatisfa&ion that I announce
to you, rhat the alterations which have
been made bylaw in the original plan for
raifiijg a duty on spirits d: Hilled willun the
United States, and on il'.lis, co-operating
with better information, have had
iiderabk influence in obviating the difficul
ties, which have embarrassed that branch
of the public revenue. But the obstacles
which have been experienced, though les
sened, are not yet entin-ly
-^uldfecm
added ; which leads me to recall the at
tention of Cpngrefs to the fubjeft. A
mong the matter*, which may demand re
gulation, ia theeffedl, in point of organi
zation, produced by the separation of
Kentucky from the state of Virginia ; and
the fituatipn, with regard to the law of
the territories north-well and south-west of
the Ohio.
The laws refpe&ing light house elta
blilhments require as a condition of their
permanent maintenance, at the exptnee
of the United States, a complete ceP.ion
of foil and jurisdiction. The celTiona of
different Hates loving been qualified with
a refervalion of the right of fervmg legal
process within the ceded jurifdiftion, are
underitood to be icconclulive, as annexing
a qualification not confonar.t with the
terms of the law. I present this circum
stance to the view of Congress, that they
may judge whether any alteration ought
to be made.
As it appeaj-s to be conformable with
the intention of the " ordinance for the
government of the territory of the Uni
ted State 9 north-weit of the river Ohio,"
although it is not expressly dire&ed, th?.t
the laws of that territory (hould be laid
before Congiefs, I now transmit to you a
copy of such, as have been palled from
July to December 1792, incluiive ; being
the la ft which have been received by the
Secretary of State.
G. WASHINGTON.
The message and copy of laws referred
to were read.
Ordered, That this melTage lie for con
sideration.
On motion,
Ordered, That Mr. Bradley, Mr. Li
vermore and Mr. Brown, be a committee
lo take into consideration the laws passed
in the territory of the United States
north-weft of the river Ohio, from July
to December 1792 inclusive, and report
US : y~ thereon to the Senate.
■ The Senate adjourned to 11 o'clock to-
rnorroiv morning,
Jan. 2 2d. 1793-
The Vice Piefident laid before the Se-
, *
Orthography —•_ , i j o i ic ,tea.
en the mode of teaching th« Deal, or buia | J
pate futuky communications from the Se
cretary for the department of war, retpec
ting a treaty of peace lately concluded by
fames Seagrave,agent M Indian affairs,on
behalf of the United States, with the
chiefs and warriors on behalf of the Cieek
Indians.
The papers communicated were read.
Ordered, That they lie on the table.
Agreeable to the order of the day, the
Senate took into consideration the motion
made the 16th hilt. That the doors of the
Senate chamber "should remain open,
whilst the Senate fhaU be fitting in a legis
lative and judiciary capacity."
On motion,
It agreed to poll pone the conside
ration of this fubjeel to this day fort
night.
The Senate adjourned to II o'clock to-
morrow morning.
Thursday, Jan. 23d. 1794.
Oa motion by Mr. Cabot, that a com
ih'.ttee be Appointed to coiil'idcr of the ex
pediency oi allowing the drawback on the
re-exportation of goods, warts and mer
chandize, from ports other than those into
which they were iirit imported, and to re
port a bill for that puipofe, if they fliall
tkiiik it proper,
Ordered, That this motion lie for con
sideration.
The following written meiTage was re
ceived from the President of the United
1 States, by Mr. Dandridge his secretary.
United States, 22d. Jan. 1794.
Gentlemen of the Senate, and of
1 the House of Representatives,
I forward to you extra&s from the last
advices from our Minister in London ; as
being connected with communications al
ready made.
G. WASHINGTON.
The mefi'age and extra&s were read.
Ordered, That they lie for confidera
ti°n.
A mefl'age from the House of Repre
fentativen bv Mr. Lambert, in the absence
of Mr. Beckley their clerk, detained bv
sickness :
" Mr. Prcfident, The House of Repre
sentatives have palled a bill, entitled, —
" An act for completing and better sup
porting the military eftabiidiinent of the
United States," in which they desire the
concurrence of the Senate." And he
withdrew
The bill was read tlic firft lime.
Ordered, That this bill pafa lo the 20
reading.
(To be Continued.)
CONGRESS.
House of Representatives.
January 16.
In committee of the -whole on Mr. Madifun's
rrfolutions,
Mr. Goodhue,
Mr. Chairman, the propositions now
before us having been confidercd by seve
ral gentleman, who have already fpok.cn,
and who have given such a particular de
tail of calculations, I (hall confine myfelf
to some general obfervatior.s on the fub
jeft.
The gentleman from Maryland, has
made an observation, which (truck me ve
ry forcibly as applied to the subject be
fore us, because it is a maxim to which
all mankind have alfented and upon which
all mankind continually pra&ife, it was
this, " there is no Friendship in Trade,"
and it may be added as a necefl'ary confe
qlience, there ought to be no Hatred in
Track. By following a path founded
upon so obvious a maxim, as the forego
ing, we may be sure of a right guide, but
if we deviate from it, we are in danger of
being led into unforefeen error and mif
chief. It is unqueftionablv our duty to
attend to the Navigation and Commerce
of our country, and give it every proper
encouragement which time ind circum
[lances admit, this has ever been my wilh
and my conduct.
This object so important and desirable
irmft be effected by fixed principles and re
gulations, such as giving our vefiels a de
cided preference in our own ports above
the (hips of every other nation whatever,
by paying less tonnage and other duties ;
by fuffering no foreign (hips to bring into
the United States the productions of any o
| thercountry, than the oneto v.hich they be
long ; and by prohibiting foreign (hips
from coming to the United States from
those places where our own (hips are pro
hibited.
These are the fixed principles and re-
gulajtioivs by one or all of which our na- 1
vigation and commerce can only be pro j
moted, and must never he deviated from,
when adopted in favor of any one nation
whatever—unHs, it be in return forfome
special advantage granted to us by any
particular nation as an equivalent. > l_
therto, onr government has proceeded to
diftiriguifh foreign (hips, only by making
them pay greater tonnage and duties than
our own. Ifcircumttances required it and
the time is judged a seasonable one, I (hall
be willing to proceed further.
Let U» examine what advantages, vve
enjoy in consequence of any commercial
treaties we have already formed lor the
propofitiofls before us, are proposed to at
fea only those nations with whom we
have no treaties, We have commercial
treaties with Prullia, Sweden, France and
Holland, and in the dominions of neither
of those powers, have our (hips or the pro
duce of this country (except in the fi-tgfe
article of our Oil in France) been admit
ted on any more favorable terms than the
(hips or produce of any other nation, and
for this obvious reason because our trea
ties only ensure the advantages they may
grant to the mod favored nation; and being
circumltanced in such a manner as not
judging it for their interest, to diftinguiju
any one by its favors—we are left only
in the enjoyment of a trade with them
on the terms common to all other nations
This being the cafe, I would not give
on', farthing to have like treaties formed
with every other nation, for they have
not been and never can be of any fei #ice
to us—if we expect to derive any advan
tage from commercial treaties, we must
stipulate for fomc certain good, for some
other good which we may grant them in
return.
But it 19 said, Mr. Chairman, we are
particularly injured by the commercial re
ftridions of Great Biitain—the fact is,
we en'oy in our trade with that country,
all the advantages of commerce and in
some instances greater, than they grant to
any other nation. Our pot ash and fcvc
ral other articles pay a less duty in Great
Britain than the like articles do from any
other country, and in no in (lance do I 'oe
lieve they pay greater. Our Ir.ips are al
lowed generally, to carry to Great Bri
tain and Ireland the productions of thi#
country UII the fnme terms their own ships
do. We have also free admiflion into
their extensive territories in India ; where
I they prohibit the (hips of their own coun-
I try, unless they belong to their India com-
party.
It is true our commerce is cramped by
a refufal of our Chi pi into their colonies
of Nova-Scotia, Canada, Newfoundland,
tlicir Well India islands, which ii the ouW
evil of a commercial kind, we have to
complain of in their reputations. But
this is not an evil in consequence of dif
tinguiftiing us from any other nation ; —
they deny that privilege to all others, *nd
it has taken effect as it relates to u» in
consequence of our becoming an indepen
dent nation. The evil of being prohibi
ted their colonies arises from the existing
circumstance* of things—their contiguity
to the United States, compels them to
carry on a coniiderable trade with u» for
supplies, and in which it is but just we
{hould be partakers, and if we mean to
redress this evil, we (hould point out mem
fures to that object —and fay, no foreign
{hips (hall come to the United States,
from any place, where our Slips are pro
hibited, or, if they do come, they (hould
come under some peculiar disadvantages
—this would be meeting the evil direct.
If we raise the duties on their manufac
tures imported into this country, as is
proposed by the resolutions now under
consideration, with a view of compelling
them to be more liberal in their commer
cial irrangemcnts with us, we (hall surely
rail* our aim—for it is certain France in
her present Situation is by no means able
to supply us, whatever (he may do hereaf
ter. No other country, at present, but
Great Britain can supply us—it therefore
follows, undeniably, if such be the fact,
that if we import their goods and lay an
additional duty on them, the blow aimed
at them will fall on us, by raifmg the price
to the consumers in this country eo/ial to
the proposed additional duty.
It is said the chics of the foreign ton
nage that comes to this country, is Bri
ti(h, and this is an evil; if our object is to
promote our own navigation, I (hould
suppose the evil confided in having our
trade so much carried on in foreign bot
toms, and not as belonging to one or ano
ther foreign nation ; and if we meant
further to encourage our ws
ought to raise the tonnage duty on all fo
reign {hipping —this would be . coming to
the obi'.ft. But how comes it we have so
manv more British (hips than others—have
we granted them a monopoly . or may
pot the (hips of every Other nation-come
here on the fame terms they do ?—the
reason then why there are so many more
liritilh than other foreign (hips which
come here, is not becaufewe have encou
raged it by any regulations we have adopt
ed! but becaule they are a more enter
prising commercial people than their
neighbors, and from other causes which
will ever influence and dircift commerce.
It is also mentioned that aconfiderabk
part of the products of this country (hip
ped to Great-Britain, is not confunled
there, but re-fliipped to other countries,
and that we ought to make fach regula
tions as th-.t such excefa should pass di
rectly to the country where they are con-'
fumed, without their firlt going thro .jh
Grqrt-Britain.
I fhouM think it strange n any One
was to refufis felling an article, becaule he
underilood the peiion who wanted to pur
chase it, would, not be the consumer, hut
lie would afterwards fell it to a.iolhcr
this would not certainly influence, and
ought not. Let us examine and fee whe
ther our navigation ha 3 received any en
couragement by the regulations already
adopted by this government —In I 790,
our navigation' was but little more than
one half of all the tonnage entered in th_
United States; in 179 1 > was three
fifth#, and in 1792 it was nearly two
| thirds. Foreign tonnage has actually de
creased iince that period I 4,Q09 tons,
while ouis has increaied 171,000 tons.
If the iucreafe is not fufficient, then we
must incr«afe the tonnage duty on foreign
snipping, and take fiich other measures as
I have hinted at t*> promote the object ;
though, I confefsjfuc 1 ! is our delicate situ
ation at this time, I am inclined to believe
exjierhnents are hazardous > and 1 ftioiild
be strongly apprehensive, if we pals any
rcftri&ive l?w? at thi<i time, that (hc-.l afr
feft Great-Britain only, as is the avowed
object of the resolutions before % such is
her close alliance with moll of the Euro
pean nation*, and efpeciaiiy with Spain,
that Ihe will l>e fully able to influence
iome of them at least, and Spain in parti
cular (who is not very friendly) to be as
sociated with her in any count** regulati
on* tin. niay think proper 10 pursue by way
of retaliation.
Mr. Clark differed from many members
who had spoken before him, in the view
they took of the fubjeft ; he conceived,
it ought to be confidcred in a political
light. Wc had many wrongs to complain
of and we should endeavor to obtain re
drefc ; the English have violated our trea
ty, just after it was ratified, by taking
amy our negroes, and since by holding
our pofb ; they have also set the savage*
on our back* and have not they let loose
the Algvr.i.n upon us ? Shall we fit still
and bear it. How can we help it, it is
asked ? They wiil retaliate wc are told.
How retaliate ? will they refufe to fell us
tlieir manufactures ? He remembered that
efenin old times, an non-importation agree
ment made them repeal their damp act.
We have surely as well now as wc had
then a right not to buy their goods; we
dont want to cram our provisions down
their throats or to force them to buy our
lumber. During the non-importation a
greenient, wc did not peri!h with cold ;
we found even then that among ourselves
we could make wherewith to clothe our
selves ; we are surely as able to do it now.
We then gained our point, we should now
be much more powerful with the fame
weapon; many of her manufacturers arc
already llarving for want of emplovment.
We (hould add greatly to their distress,
and soon bring the government to their
senses', and they will be glad to enter into
a commercial treaty with us.
Thc balance of trade with Great-Bri
tain is much egainft us, and by carrying
to Portugal and Spain what we fend to
them we fnould receive cash in return.
France will not always be in a storm, and
a supply of the manufactured articles wa
want may soon be received from tha'. quar-
He did not fee to what purppfe calcu
lations three hours long had been brought
forward. It was very well for merchants
to calculate in their counting houses; but
he conceived the Legislature fhouldxlc
termine the queltion upon political confl
agrations. He concluded.bv remarking,
that he believed bv this time the cornmit
\