CONGRESS
H use of Representatives.
Wednesday, Jartuary 29,
The S PbECH of Mr. Smith, of South'
Carolina, in reply to Mr. M dison, on
the inject tf the Ccto n.rci.il Regulations.
/ [comtinued]
To depreciate the difciimination in our
favor in the Briti/h I (lands by the exclufi
-011 qf the produce of other nations, the
gentleman had laid the exclulion was only
a matter of form and a remnant t>[ the
old colony f\ ft em.
* 'r. 61111 th said this was no answer to
la* 'tw;s a remnant of the colony fy.
stun ' —I hat fyltem aimed at peculiar
privilege* to the national Dominions ; as
far as we, leing foreigners, iliil partake
ol u.olc privileges, 'tis to our advantage;
funpofc under that old fvftem we had
co ntinued to enjoy the right of navigating
to the lfl.uds, wouid it have been a dispa
ragement of the right that it was only a
remnant of the old colony system ? Neither
was it true that.it wasonlv matter of form
auJ of no confluence: though we can
in general (upply the islands better than
othvr nations, it does not,follow that o
thefs could not fujiply at all: The French
coionies could not get flour on as good
teirns as we can furnifh them ; yet that
article was prohibited, and in general
the Britifli colonies could not be supplied
equally well as from us, yet in the years
oi lcarcity in this country, and of plenty
ehewhere, a competition might injure us:
W.iy could not lice in particular be sup
plied from the Porttijuefe dominions in
cc with our's ?
Much reliance had been placed by the
gentleman on the disproportion of Ame
ric.rri and Britiih tonnage employed in the
commerce between the two countries } he
hal dated that in 1790 the British ton
n; was 211,000 the American only
4-• »COC : But Mr. Smith observed the
cc:np»rifon was not accurate: the rule
p:.; fired by the gentleman was entry, not
real tonnage : and as we have no direst
tonnage with the Britidi Welt-Indies,
from which entries, are frequent, the Bri
(''■ '• tonnage is swelled by that frequency
of entries, as happened in the cafe of the
Anerican tonnage employed between the
B; tithand French dominions. The house
hiving no materials before them, it was
in;poffible to pronounce how far this eir
ci:',flthnce varied the true proportion, but
it was easy to fee that it mud do it greatly!
Arguments had been-likewife drawn
from the greater pi oportion of onr tort
nage employed in our trade with Spain,
Portugal, &c.-
Mr. Smith thought the principle of
co.r.'pariion was a proof of nothing, ex-
that Britain was a more navigatrng
poxier than the nations in general with
whom we have commerce : It Was no teji
ot the fyitem of either. Tin's was evi
dent when we compared the proportion
of our tonnage with Britain, and with
Spain and Portugal, for as the latter e
qually Vith Biita'n excluded us from their
colonies, their !y (terns were eflentially the
farre : But Britain has extensive means of
navigation, Spain and Portugal slender
ntcaiis, so that while our bottoms were the
principal carriers between those countries
and us, Britain maintained a competition
wi'rtrus in the trade between her domini
on ■ and us. But^could it be proved that
this was either avoidable in the present
clrcumdances of the country, or that we
oifght to attempt to avoid it by violent or
farced expedients. The navigating dates,
in the European trade between the Britiih
dominions and the United States, prepon
derate greatly in the article of tonnage ;
Great Britain may have the advantage in
the rton-naWgating dates ; this arises, in
a great degree, from a cause which navi.
gation laws cannot enre—the fujpeiiority
of capital. The merchants of Britain
can supply on long credits, what those of our
navigating dates cannot; they have more
mam to purehafe' and export the commo
dii ie» of the south ; from both causes they
carry on a confldera'ole part of "the south
ern trade, and they make their own (hip.
ping the indrutnent of it. No means cal
culated to multiply our vefTels, can under
exidirrg circumllances, obviate this course
of things. But the remedy of violent
and forced expedients would be pernicious,
if if could be fuccefsful : It would divert
our cap'tal, in too great a degree, from
better to worse bufinefa, from agriculture,
commerce and mauuf.fturcs, to mere na-
ligation. The true conrfe, he thought,
was to fofter our navigation by gradual
and moderate encouragements, and to ex
pert from time and the increase qf refour—
<•«, the advantages, of which w<s were so
licitous. In the mean time, and till our
l-efources could b= better matured, it
would be difficult to demonstrate that it
was not a convenience to us'to have the
aid of foreign menns. Mr. Smith, to
strengthen his argument on this point,
quoted a paflage from Mr. JefFerfon's Ut
tfcr to Mr. MOl sis* theminiifer in France,
in the printed con efpondence, page 63,
in these words. " Were the merchant
vessels coming for our produce forbidden
to have any arms for their defence, every
ad v enturer who has a boat, or money e
nough to buy one, would make her a pri
vateer, our co ait would swarm with them,
foreign vessels must cease to come, our com
merce mujl be suppressed, our produce remain
on our hands, or at lea It that great portion
of it, which <we have not vessels to carry a
•way, our ploughs mujl be laid aside, and a
griculture fvfpended : This is a facrifice, no
treaty could ever contemplate, and which
we arc not disposed to make out of mere
complaisance to a falfe definition of the
term privateer."
He begged the committee to remark
that this related to a British (hip, and that
they were the principal foreign carriers of
our produce ; yet the tendency of the
gcr.tl, man\s propositions went to exclude
them from our ports.
(Speech to he continued.)
IN senate,
Friday, March 14.
The Vice-President communicated the
report froiii the Secretary for the depart
ment of war on the petition of Robert
Connelly, which was read.'
Ordered, That it lie on the table.
Mr. King from the committee appoint
ed to consider the bill, sent from the House
of Representatives for concurrence, enti
tled, " Ar. act to provide for the defence
of certain ports and harbors in the United
States," reported amendments) which be
ing adopted—
Ordered, That this bill pass to the third
reading.
The bill sent from the House of Re
presentatives for concurrence, entitled,
" an ast authorizing a loan of one milli
on of. dollai'6," was read the third time.
Whereupon,
Resolved, That this bill pass.
Ordered, That the Secretary acquaint
the House of Representatives with the
concurrence of the Senate in this bits.
The bill, sent from the House of Re
prefeotatives for concurrence, entitled " an
ast making further provision for the ex
pences attending the jnterconrfe of the
United States with foreign nations ; and
further to continue in force tht ast, cnti
tied, " an ast providing the means of in
tercotirfe between the United States and
foreign nations," Was read the fccond
am-.
Ordered, That this bill be referred to
Mr. King, Mr. Mortis, and Mr. Strong,
to confidei and report thereon to the Se-
nate,
Mr. King from the committee appoint
ed on this bill reported an amendment,
which being adopted.
Ordered, That this biH pass to a third
reading.
The bill, sent from the House of Re
presentatives for concurrence, entitled,
" an ast making appropriations for the
support of the military e(tabli(hment of
the United States, for the year one thou
sand feveu hundred and ninety-four," was
read the second time.
Ordered, That this bill be referred to
Mr. King, Mr. Vining and Mr. Gunn,
to consider and report thereon to the Se-
nate.
Mr. Vining reported from the commit
tee on enrolled bills, that they had exa
mined the bill, entitted, " an adi authori
zing a loan of one million of dollars"—-and
that it was duly enrolled.
The Senate adjourned Until 11 o'clock
on Monday morning.
Monday, Mai-tfh 17,
The Vice-Ptefident laid before the Se
nate 'the report of the Secretary for the'
department of war on the petitions of
Theodore Chartier and others; which was
Ordered, That it lie on the table.
Mr,-Bradley reported from the com
mittee-appointed t6 consider the petition
of Jabez Rogers, jun. that the prayer of
the petition be granted.
The bill sent frcrr. the Hcufe of Re
presentatives for concurrence, entitled,
" an ast to -provide for the defence of cer
tain ports and harbors in the United
States," was read the-third time.
Relolved, That this bill pass with a
mendmcnts.
Ordered, That the Secretary delire the
concurrent of the House of Representa
tives. in the amendments of this bill.,
A message from the House of Repre
sentatives by Mr. Beckley their clerk :
" Mr. President—The House of Re
presentatives agree to the amendments of
the Senate to the bill, entitled, " an ast
to provide for the detence.o£ certain ports
and harbors in the United States."
" The President of the United States
hath notified the Houfeof Representatives,
that he did on the 14th instant, approve
and sign " an ast making appropriations
for the support of government, for the
year one thousand seven hundred and nine
ty-four"—.
" The Speaker of the House of Repre
sentatives having signed an enrolled bill, I
am directed to bring it to the Senate for
the signature of the Vice-President"
And he withdrew.
The Vice-President signed the enrolled
bill, entitled, " an ast authorizing a loan
of one million of dollars," and it was de
livered to the committee on enrolled bills,
to be laid before the President of the Unit
ed States for his approbation.'
The bill, sent from the House of Re
presentatives for concurrence, entitled "an
ast to provide a naval armament"'
read the second time.
On motion,
Ordered, That this bill be referred to
Mefirs. Lang-don, Morris, Butler, Tay
lor, and Cabot, to connder and report
thereon to the Senate.
The bill, sent from the House of Re
presentatives for concurrence, entitled, "an
ast making further provision for the ex
pences attending the intercourse of the
United States with foreign nations ; and
further to continue in force the ast, enti
tled, " art ast providing the means of in
tercourse between the United States and
foreign nations," was read the third time.
Ordered, That
amendment.
this bill pass with an
Ordered, That the' Secretary desire the
concurrence of the House of Representa
tives in the amendment to this bill.
The Senate resumed the fecpn'd reading
of the bill, sent from the House of Repre
sentatives for concurrence, entitled, "an
ast to prohibit the carrying on the Have
trade from the United States to any fo
reign place or country."
On motion to postpone the bill to the
next session of Congrefs—lt passed in the
negative.
Ordered, That the further considera
tion of this bill be postponed.
Tlie Senate adjourned until 11 o'clock
to-morrow morning.
UNITED STATES.
NEW-YORK, March n,
MefTrs. Childs and Swaine,
Please to insert the following extrafl of a
lcttir from a gentleman in Halifax, (N.S.)
to his friend in this city, dated l'ebruary
28, 1-94.
'• Business here is very dull, and I fee no
profpeii of an increase. I Ihould suppose
there mutt be a stagnation of business your
way, owing to tile embarraflinents your* go
vernment is thrown into by" the European
powers—What efFea this will finally have
we are at a loss here to conjecture ; your po
litical situation is undoubtedly a critical one ;
I hope you will be enabled to steer clear of
the miseries of war, and at the fame time
preserve an honorable appearance.
" There appears to me to be a very pow
erful combination against the liberties of mart
kind ; and it is not at all surprising that the
system of American government Ihould be
an objefl of general did ike to the enemies of
France* The found of repubhcinifm is fuf
ficient to rouse the resentment of the Euro
pean powers; it threatens the very foiinda
tion of aristocracy ; it is their greatest dread ;
their power is built upon aristocracy, and de
rives its greatest force therefrotn ; and what
ever has a tendency in afty measure to leflen
that fort of power, mult materially be an ob
e6l of their hatred. At the fame time man
kind arc of such a restless disposition, they
cannot use moderation, the unbounded vio
lence of the people is such that .while we
View the oppreflion of the great with indig
nation, at the fame time we dread the fury
of an enraged multitude—it will be a great
blclfing if Divine Providence has so ordered
it, that you may still enjoy a continuation of
peace and good order—this is what earthly
happineli chiefly depends an*"
BALTIMORE, March 12
Last night between the hours of 8 and
9 o'cjock a fire broke out in the llore oc
cupied by Mr..Benjamin Lewis, in Market
street, between Tripolet's alley and Gay
ftreet which in a very Ihort time, commun
icated to the adjoining houfesofMr. My
ers, Mr. Bull, Mr. Sweeny, and Mr. Diff
enderffer, which with the geateft part of
their valuable contents were totally cofum
ed—the rapidity and violence with which
the flames spread, had at firft a very threat
eningappearance, but by the spirited exer
tions of the inhabitants it was extinguifli
ed in about three hours.
The damage fuftaincd is very confkJerable
at the lowed computation, is upwards of
10,000 pounds. " '
PHILADELPHIA,
MARCH 26.
From the Knoxville Gazette, Feb. 27.
On, Wednesday the 4th inft. James
Ruflell, Robert Shannon, and William
Cox, on their way from Nafhvilc to this
place, were ambuscaded on the Cumber
land mountain, 18 miles from South Weft
Point, by a party of Indians, confuting
of about twenty five, who fired on them,
and wounded Ruflell through the arm.—
RufTell and Shannon were coming from
Gen. Robertfon to Governor Blount with
public ditpatches. That these men were
not killed. mny be counted among mira
cles. The fails refpe&ing this transac
tion are as follow :
—was
As these men pafled Obid's river, the
preceding day, they discovered a fire,
which induced them to pu/h forward a
bout fourteen miles, when they turned
off the road, and laid all night without
fire, judging they would be followed by
Indians.
TJ»e next morning they kept the woods
four miles before they (truck the road,
and finding 110 ftgn of Indians, they piii 1 -
sued their rout in confidence that they
had not been discovered ; but they had
not proceeded above half a mile,' when
they found therrifelves in a well chosen
spot for an ambuscade, surrounded by. In
dians, the mofl distant of whom was. with*
in thirty feet—they all fired, "'and many
of them threw their tomahawks, without
doing any injury, except to
ball which struck him was turned in its
direflion-by. a large nietal button, or it
would have pafled through the moil vital
part of his body. Mr. Ruflell is now at
the block house at South Weft Point, un
der the care of a fyrgeon, and it is hoped
the wound will not prove mortal.
On the night of the-tpth inft. William
Robertfon was shot as he was fitting in
his house in Holfton, about 30 miles a
bove this place. Robertfon had fume
months past given information against a
set of counterfeiters and thieves in North
Carolina ; arid it is believed that some one
of this gang has added the murder of Ro
bertfon to their other attrocious crimes.
From the Kentucky Gazette of Feb. 22.
Extract of a letter from his Excellency
Major-General Anthony Wayne, to
his Excellency Majoi-Generaf Charles
Seott! dated Head-Quarters, Greene
vitte, Feb. roth,* 1794.
" The hostile Indians sent in a flag
some time 6 nee, proposing a ceflation of
arms, and requesting me to appoint the
time and place for holding a general trea
ty—
" 1 agreed to a ceflation for 30 days,
and then to appoint the time and place
for holding a general treaty, on condi
tion, that they would surrender up all
and every of the American prisoners in
their poifeflion, to the officer command
ing at Fort Recovery, on or before the
I Ith instant.
" Whether the enemy were influenced
by a ferioua wish for peace—Or whether
this dverture was an' infidyous manoeuvre,
to gain time to procure their provision,
and to remove their women and children
to a place of more security, time will soon
determine.
" For my own part, I think it rather
problematical, from certain circumstances.
attending this extraordinary embafly.
" I have the honor to be with fineere
esteem and rega d,
" Your most obedient
" Humble servant,
" ANTHONY WAYNE.
" The Honorable
" Maj. Gen. Charlej Scott."