%%m
'OF THE UNITED STATES.
Publijhed by Authority.
FIFTH CONGRESS
OF THE UNITED STATES.
AT THE FIRST SESSION,
Begun and held at the City of Philadelphia*
in the State of Pennsylvania* on Mon- »
day, the fifteenth day of May>
one thousand seven hundred
and ninety-seven.
An aft providing a Naval Armament.
BE it encßed by the Senate and House of
Reprefentati-jes rf the United States of Ameri
ca, in Congress assembled, That the Presi
dent of the United States be and he is here
by empowered should he deem it expedient
to cause the Frigates United States, Consti
tution, and Constellation, to be manned
ana employed.
And be it further enaSed, That there shall
be employed on beard each of the ships of
forty-four guns, one captain, four lieutenants,
two lieutenants of marines, one chaplain,
one furgeoh, and two furgeens mates ; and
in the ship of 36 guns, one captain, three
lieutenants, one lieutenant of marines, one
surgeon, and one surgeons mate.
And be it further enaSed, That there shall
be employed in each of the said ships, the
following warrant officers, who shall be ap
pointed by the President of the United
States, to wit : one failing master, one
purser, one boatswain, one gunner, one
fail-maker, one carpenter, and eight mid
shipmen ; and the following petty officers,
who lhall be appointed by the captains of
the ships refpeftively, in which they are to
"B£~envployed, viz. two masters mates, one
captains clerk, two boatfwain6 mates, one
cocklwain, one fail-makers mate, two gun
ners mates, one yeomanof the gun-room,nine
quarter gunners, (and for the two large
ships two additional quarter gunners) two
carpenters mates, one armourer, one steward
one, cooper, one master at arms, and one
cook.
And be it further enacted, that the crews of
each of the ships of forty-four gurts, shall
consist of one hundred and fifty seamen, one
hundred and three midshipmen and ordinary
feamfen, three ferjeants, two corporals, one
drum, one fife, and fifty marines ; jnd that
the crew of the ship of thiity-fix guns shall
consist of one hundred and thirty able sea
men and midshipmen ; ninety ordinary sea
men, two ferjeants, two corporals, one
drum, one fife, and forty marines, over and
above the officers herein before mentioned.
nd be it further anaSed, That the pay
and subsistence of the refpeftive commiffion
cd and warrant officers, bt as follows : A
captain, feventy-five dollars per month, and
fix rations perday , a lieutenant, forty dol
lars per month, and fix rations per day ; a
lieutenant of marines, thirty dollars per
month, aod two rations per day ; a chap
lain, forty dollars per month, and two ra
tions per day ; a failing master forty dollars
per month and two rations per day : a sur
geon, fifty dollars per month, and two ra
tions per day ; a surgeons mate thirty dol
lars per month, and two rations per day ; a
purser, forty dollars per month, and two ra
tions per day ; a boatswain, twenty dollars
per iponth, and two rations per day ; a gun
ner, twentv dollars per month, and two ra
tions per day ; a - fail-maker, twenty dollars
per month, and two rations per day ; a car
penter, twenty dollars per month, and, two
rations per day.
Andbe'ft f urtherenaSed, Thatthe pay to be
allowed to the petty officers, midshipmen,
feamcn, ordinary feamenaad marines, shall be
fixed by the President of the United States:
Provided, That the whole sum to be given for
thewhole pay aforefaid, shall not exceed fif
teen thousand dollars per month, and that
eachof the said persons shall be entitled to one
ration per day.
And be it further enaSed, That the ration
shall consist of as follows: Sunday, one
pound of bread, and an half of
beef, and half a pint of rice : Monday, one
pound of bread, one pound of pork, half a
pint of pease or beans, and four ounces of
cheese : Tuesday, one pound of bread, one
pound and an half of beef, and one pound
of potatoes, or turnips and pudding : Wed
nesday, one pound of bread, two ounces of
better, or in lieu thereof fix ounces of mo
-1 asses, four ounces of cheese, and half a pint
of rice : Thursday, one pound of bread, one
pound of pork, and half a pint of pease or
beans : Friday, one pound of bread, one
pound of fait fifh, two ounces of butter, or
one gill of oil, and one pound of potatoes :
Saturday, one pound of bread, one pound
of pork, half a pint of pease or beans, and
four ounces of cheese ; and there shall also
be allowed one half pint of distilled spirits
per day, or in lieu thereof one quart of beer
per d?.y, to each ration.
And be it further enaSed, That the offi
cers, non-commissioned officers, seamen, and
marines, belonging to the navy of the Uni
ted States, shall be governed by the rules
for the regulation of the navy heretofore
established by the resolution of Congress of
the twenty-eighth of November, one thou
sand, seven hundred and feventy-five, as far
as the fame may be applicable to the Con
stitution and laws of the United States, or
by Tikh rules and articles as may hereafter
bs established.
And be it further enoSed, That the Ap
pointment of the officers to the frigates
may be made by the President alone in the
recess of the Senate-} and their commiffi
dfcs, if so fhall continue in force
tul the advice and content of the Senate can
be had thereupon at their next meeting
which may happen thereafter/
And be it farther enaSed, That tKe Tea
men and marines (hall not be engaged to
serve ni» board the frigatesj for a period ex
ceeding one year ; but the President may
discharge the fame sooner if in his judg
ment their serVices may be dispensed with.
And be it further enabled, That if any of
ficer, non-commissioned officer j marine or
feamcn belonging to the tiavy of the Uni
ted States, 1 (hall be wounded or disabled,
while in the line of his duty in public ser
vice, he (hall be placed on the lift of the in
valids of the United States, at such rate of
pay, and under such regulations as shall be
directed by the President of the United
States : Provided always. That the rate
of compensation to be allowed for such
wounds or disabilities to a commifiioned or
warrant officer shall never exceed for the
highest disability half the monthly pay of
luch officer at the time of his being so disa
bled or wounded ; and that the rate of corti
penfation to non-commifiioned officers, ma
rines and seamen, (hall never exceed five dol
lars per month : ,indprovided also, That
all inferior disabilities shall entitle the person
so disabled to receive an allowance propor- 1
tionate to the highest disability.
And be it further enaSed, That the Presi
dent of the Uui'ted States be, and he is
hereby authorized, if circumftaoces (hoi)ld
hereafter arise, which in his opinion may
render it expedient to.increase the strength
of the several revenue cuttets, so that the
number of men employed do not exceed
thirty marines and seamen to each cutter ;
and cause the said revenue cutters to be em
ployed to defend the feacoaft, and repel any
hostility to their vessels and commerce, with
in their jurifdiftion, having due regard to
the duty of the said cutters, in the protec- '
tion of the revenue.
And be it further enaffed, That the com
pensations established by the firft feftion of
the aft passed on the sixth day of May, one
thousand seven hundred and ninety-fix, enti
tled " an Aft further provision re
lative to the revenue cutiers" be, and the
fame is hereby continued and confirmed,
on the terms and conditions of the said aft; I
to the mariners and marines, who are or may
be employed as aforefaid.
And be it further enaSed, That this aft '
shall continue in force for the term of one
year, and from thence to the end of the
then next session of Congress and noJonger.
JONATHAN DAYTON*
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
THOMAS JEFFERSON,
Vice-President of the United States, and
President of the Senate.
Approved July I, 1797.
JOHN ADAMS,
President of the United States.
Deposited among the Rolls in the Office of
the Department of State.
TIMOTHY.PICKERING,
Secretary of State.
An AH dire Sing the appointment of Agents, in
relation to theJixth article of the treaty of
amity, commerce and navigation, between
the United States and Great-Britain.
BE it enaSed by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of Ameri
ca, in Congress njfembled, That the President
of the United States be, and hereby is au
thorized, by and with the advice and con
sent of the Senate, to appoint a proper per
son to aft in behalf of the United States,
under the direftion of the Attorney-general,
in relation to such claims as may be made
against the United States, before the Com
missioners appointed to carry into efFeft the
sixth article of the treatyof amity, commerce
and navigation, between the United States
of America and his Britannic majesty. And
it shall be the duty of the Attorney-general,
to counsel such Agent, and to attend be
fore the said Commissioners, whenever any
questions of law, or faft, to be determined
by them, shall render his assistance necessary.
Seftion 2. And be it further enaSed, That
the Attorney-general be, and is hereby au
thorised to employ such agents, id different
parts of the United States, as the business
before the said Commissioners, in his opini
on, fhal! make necessary, to be paid accord
ing to their services, at such rate as the Presi
dent of the United States shall direst.
Seftion 3. And be it further enaSed, That
during the continuance of the service to be
performed under this aft, the Attorney
general shall be entitled to an additional
compensation of fix hundred dollars per an
num, and the person hereby direfted to be
appointed, to a compensation at the rate of
two thousand dollars per apnum.
Seftion 4. And be it further enaSed, That
for enabling the President of the United
States, to defray the expenses to be incur
red under, and by this aft, a sum not exceed
ing ten thousand dollars be, and hereby is
appropriated, to be paid out of any monies
not otherwise appropriated.
JONATHAN DAYTON,
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
THOS. JEFFERSON,
Vice-President of the United States, and
President of the Senate.
Approved, June 30th, 1797 :
JOHN ADAMS, ,
President of the United States.
Deposited among tbe Rolls in the Office of the
Dfpnr intent cf State
TIMOTHY PICKERING,
Secretary of State.
An 48 to ascertain the time for the next meeting
of Congress, and to repeal the AS heretofore
t plffid for that purpose.
BE it etiafled by the Senate and House of
Reprefntatives of the United States of Ameri
ca,• in Congress assembled, That after the end
of the present session, the next meeting of
Congress shall be on the second Monday of
November in year.
And he it further enaSed; that the aft inti
tuled " An'aftto niter the time for the
next' mating of Congress," passed on the
third day of March last, be, and the jame is
hereby repealed.
JONATHAN DAYTON,
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
THOMAS JEFFERSON,
Vice President of the United States, and
President of the Senate.
Approved, fitly, I, 1707 .•
JOHN ADAMS,
President of the United States.
Depoiited among the Rolls in the Office of
the Department of State.
TIMOTHY PICKERING,
Secretary as Stat;.
CONGRESS.
HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES,
Saturday, July.
Mr. N. FatFMAN obtained leave of obfence
for tho re.minder of the feflion.
Mr. R> ed reported the bill fixing the time of
the next meeting of Congress, which was ac
cordingly figrted by the Speaker.
Mr. Brookes thought the preterit naturaliza
tion law allowed foreigners too soon to become
citizens of the United States: he wished the law
therefore to be revised, and proposed the follow
ing refoluticn: %
Rel'olved, That a committee be appointed to
prepare and report a hill to amend the a<ft eftab
lifhirig an uniform rule of naturalization. Or
dered to lie en the table.
The bill for continuing proeefsTrt the circuit
court in the state cf North Carolina, was read
the third time ; and was about to be pafied,
when the question on palling was about to be
taken;
Mr, J. Williams wished to know what was
the caul'e of the'negledl: of the Circuit Court
Judges, which gave occasion for this bill.
Mr. Blount said, that he had received a let
ter from Georgetown, Sout': Carolina, inform
ing him, that the cause of the omission wa« that
Jydge Chafe's hurfe bad tired.
The bill was pa (Ted.
The amendments of the#enateto the bill for
continuing in force.feveral afls and parts of a<9s,
were taken up, one of them negatived, and ano
ther amended. The Senate afterwards sent the
bill down with the amendments concurted in.
The House then took up the amendments re
ported by the committee of the whole to the bill
laying a (lamp tax, when the amendment being
under consideration, imposing a tax of twenty
dollars (inftt ad of twenty cents, as dated in our
paper of Saturday ) on certificates of Naturaliza
tion.
Mr. Sw a,n WICK laid, this tax would operate,
in some degree,, as a poll tax, and he thought
20 dollars too confidersble afum for this purpose.
Mr. W. Smith said Jie sum could not be al
tered but by recommitting the bill.
Mr. Gallatin believed the sum might be
deereafed, though it could not.be increufed in
the House.' '
The Speaker confirmed the opinion that it
would be in order to leflcn the sum,
Mr. Swan wick, then moved that the twenty
dollars be reduced to four. In a subsequent part
of the bill, soar dollars were charged as a (lamp
upon any letters patent, and if this were thought
fufficient for a thing of this kind which proba
bly proved very lucrative to the party, he tho't
it would be quite enough foe a foreigner ro pay,
wljen he took upon hinifelf all the rights of a
citizen. This tax might operate upon persons
who might not have twenty dollars in the world.
When they spoke the other day on the fubjeff
of rich moniod corporations, it was hoped they
Ihould be moderate in the tax irnpofed upon
them ; he trufled they Ihould not be less so when
the peir emigrant was concerned.
Mr. Sewall hoped the amendment would
not be mad« Evtrv foreigner who came to
this country, had a full opportunity of getting a
living without enjoying the lights of a citizen ;
and he knew nut why he (hould become a citi
zen, if he did not think (he privilege worth 20
dollars, and was willing to pay it.
Mr. Gordon gave it as a rcafon for not di
miiiifhing this fom, that foreigners might live
were five years, without being omiged te serve
any public offices, such is eonltable, &c.
' Mr ..Brookes did not think the sum exceflive.
He would not have th« right of citizenlhip made
too common. He had no objeiiion to the ad
mitting of foreigners into this country, hut there
were foreigners came here, fugitives fremjuflice,
and others, who never would be of any advan
tage to any country. These, for the final! sum
of 10 dollars, might become citizens —he would
not have them admitted for less, as it would be
neceflary te have some fecurily for the attach
ment of persons to the government of this coun
try ; and such men as would be of advantage to
the country would not think the sum too large.
Mr. Gallatin denied that the argument of
the gent'eman frotn New-York would apply, as
a person's paying a sum of money, would be no
proof that he was well aflefted to the govern*
ment. A conviil er a highwayman might
bly pay te dollars with greater ease than the
wortiiieft of men.
Mr. G. said he objefled to the sum of twenty
dollars, because it would opei'ate in a very im
proper manner. A Tingle man might, in a
(hort time, save the money neceflary to purehafe
his citizenship ; but he knew a great uumber of
persons, who cime to this country with large
families, very valuable emigrants, and upon
whom we had more security for their good be
haviour than upon single men, upon whom this
tax would fall very heavy.
He objefled to the tax also as iv related to the
children of those persons.""He knew a great num
ber of emigrant families, with many children,
whose heads werenot'at prcfent citizens of this
country; and these children, if their fathers
should not be able, or Ihould neglefl, to become
a citizen, though they may have received their
education here, ind formed the ftrongelt attach
ment to the government and country, yet, be
fore they can become citizens, they wi l<ach of
them have to pay 20 dollars. This would be
extremely hard, and it would not only be hard,
bet it might become dangerous to the ptace of
the country ; besides that the property ef every
person not being a citizen would want that se
curity which it woyld otherwise have. Nor did
he conceive it would be perfectly fafe to have
one fourtbi if not one third part of the inhabi
tants of a country living as foreigners, in its bo-
Cora. These men, speaking the fame language,
and having the fame manners, after they had
been in the country ten or fifteen years, would
lock upon the refufal to admit thera to the com
mon tight of citizens, except upon the payment
ef 30 dollars, as unjufi and oppreflive. If so
large a sum was charged, Mr. G said, provision
(hould be made, in favour of the children of such
fathers as Ihould not themfclves have been citi
zenr- As four dollars might, perhaps,he thought
too small a sum, he (hould move to strike out the
twenty, and to leave the sum blank
Mr. obferved, that it had
been urged in favor of this large sum, that
foreigners would not be obliged to become
citizens, as they might get a living in the
country without doing so. But was it not
of advantage yhe allied, that foreigners fliould
become c:ti«as, and not that a great part
of the people of our country (hould be living
among!! us, without owing allegiance to
' our government ? But'it faid these em!
! grants might be highwaymen, or men of bad
chara&er > but did not the naturalization
law require, that every person applying to
be made a citizen, should produce two wit
nefles to l'peafc ro their moral character :
And surely after a r'efidence of five years,
and a guard of kind, there could not be
any reason for such arguments. It (hould
seem, from what was said, on this Occasion,
that twenty dollars was to be the price upon
which we were willing to admit the vvorft of
charafters to the privilege of citizen (hip.
But it was said, that if this tax were not
laid, the rights of citizenship would become
too common. This was a doctrine contra
ry to aliy thing he had heard before on the
fubjeft. Since the year 1776 it had been
uniformly the language of this country, that
we had, in weftern world, opened an
asylum for emigrants from every country.
This was our language: " Come and join us
in the ble flings we enjoy in a country large
and fertile, and under a government founded
upon the principles of liberty and justice."
Were the inhabitants of this country all
born in it ? Certainly not ; a great majority
were foreigners ; even in the government it
felf were very many foreigners. And (hould
they, because they came a little sooner, or
had better fortune than others, fay to their
less fortunate brethren, " you (hall not be
admitted to the privilege of citizenship but
on the payment of twenty dollars, though
we received it without money and without
price ?" It was said a man might soon earn
20 dollars to pay for this privilege ; but sup
posing he could soon earn 50 dollars, he did
, not think that a good reason for laying this
tax.
The gentleman from NengHampfliire had
alledged as a reason for this high tax, that
foreigners were excused, before they became
citizens, from (haring in the burdensome
offices of the community ; but he thought
this was a rcafon for admitting foreigners
earlier, in order to (hare such offices with
our citizens. For it would be a curious
thing, if there (hould be occasion for the
services of these men in defending the coin
try, if they (hould refufe to turn out, oe
caufe they had been refufed adifi'iTion to the
participation of its immunities.
In a country like ours, he said, it was ex
tremely impolitic to throw obftru&ions in
the way of emigrations. He was desirous
that every attention (hould be paid to the
moral character of emigrants before they
were admitted as citizens, but he trusted
they (hould not degrade the country in the
eyes of foreign nations by putting so high a
tax upon the privilege of citizenship. It
would ill suit the high tone which had been
held abroad of the liberty of this country ;
nor did he think their constituents would be
well pleased with such a tax.
If they compared this tax with other
parts of the bill, it would be found much
heavier than any other. A lawyer was to
pay 1 o dollars upon the entrance of his lu
crative profeffion ; whilst a poor foreigner
was to pay 20 to be admitted as a citizen.
In doing this, gentlemen seemed desirous
only of having rich emigrants as citizens,
whilst the poor wanderer, flying from the
hearth tax of Ireland, or from the oppressi
ons of other countries, who would be vastly
ufeful in the cultivation of our land, and in
every ufeful labour, would be in a great mea
sure excluded from their rights in society. •
Mr. Harper enquired if it would be in
order to llrike out the whole provision I
Being told it would not, he said he should
then be in favor of the present motion, and
if it were carried, vote against the whole.
He did not think the lubjett had any con
nexion with the present bill ; nor was he
of opinion that to lay a tax of this kind
would be a means of securing to us better
citizens, than if there were no tax. He
would have citizenship given without price,
but he would require a longer residence to
be neceflary than was required by the pre
sent naturalization law.
He did not agree with the'gentleman last
up, on the propriety of inviting emigrations
from all parts of the world. There was a
moment of enthusiasm in this country, when
this was thought to be right, when \be were
not fatistied with giving to emigrants every
blefling which we had earned with our blood
and treasure, but admitted them instantly
into the rights of citizenship. An experi
ence of ten or fifteen years, he said, had
convinced us we were wrong. They had
done something to prevent the evil in future;
but he thought they should do more. He
should be willing that no man (hould become
a"citizen of this country but by birth : he
would have all foreigners freely admitted,
and he would admit their children to have
a right to citizenship. He believed this
would be a proper policy for this and every
other country.
Mr. Swanwick withdrew lift motion.
Mr. Macon opposed the tax? altogether,
as tending to injure the poor and industrious
part of the emigrants to this country, which
he looked upon as the most valuable.
Mr. Goodrich did not think it was in
ordA- to discuss the propriety or impropriety
of encouraging emigration. The only ques
tion before them was, whether or not the
certificate of citizenship was a proper objeft
of taxation. He thought it was. It was
not a sale of citizenship, as had been repre
sented, but a stamp tipc n this kind of paper.
He thought the argument of the gentleman
from Pennsylvania, that if a father neglected
to become a citizen, all his children, before
they could be citizens, would have each to
pay 20 dollars 5, would be a tie upon parental
affe&ion, for a father to do what his chil
dren would be so much- benefited by.
Mr. Vendible did not know that it Was
neceflary to take a certificate when a person
was naturalized, and therefore the duty
might be evaded.
Mr. Craik doubted not, if this tax were
laid, that if persons were not now obliged
to ta:cc a certificate, such an obligation
would be laid upon them. He voted in Hi
of 20 dollars ; but, on reflection, he thouJM
the sum too large. He believed the
proper for taxation, and should only
the fubjeA in that light. It would .fl
operate, he said, on men coming into tlfl
country only, but upon many persons alrea.W
in it. He had been frequently witness 9
applications from men to become cit(zenM
who had been i{i the Country from the yc.H
1783.. Many of these, fmce the paffirig I
the general law, had been fl
tural.ized under the general date laws; anlß
if it were determined that this naturalization ]
was not effectual, they v ould have the ceh> I
mony again to go through under the law oU
the Unitid States. It was very unfoundß
policy, and he questioned the cbnfiftency oM
it, to mrke property a rule for a man's be-1
coming a citizen. One of the rights of J
citizen was #oting at an election, and it ifl
was neceffai y he' mould be poffefltd of a ceil
tificate of this kind b«fore his vote could bl
admitted, it would be the fame thing as tl
require him to be possessed of a certain pofl
tion of property before he had a right I
vote. In this view he thought the principlH
improper. He wished the gentleman froJB
Pennsylvania had not withdrawn his motion, 1
as he fhculd be in favor of voting for a fmaJl 1
sum.
Mr. Lyon w?s opposed to this amendment
It appeared to him in Urious, cruel and impoh
ric. It was injurious, bccaufe we had dealt on;
a different kind of language heretofore* weba>
toil! the world, that there was in this country
S*ood i'pring of Liberty, and invited all to com:
and daink of it. We had told them the country
was rich and fertile, and invited ffacm ccmi
and taste of our fruits; and he did not think i
right now to turn found to them anrl fay
" You shall not be admitted as citizens urt'efs yoi
n treaty, offenfive and defenfive with the Mo
njrch of Britain, to prevent his fubjeifs fron
: aving him and coming hither. He was almof
led to fufpefl the thing was introduced oa th(
fucireflioi of a certain Foreign Minister.
The Speaker declared such fuggeftion®
to be wholly out of order.
Mr. Sewall said, tho' he wifned this
cpuntry to be an asylum for men of every
other who chose to come to it, yet he die
not wish to fee foreigners our Governors;
fold indeed, if they were, admitted as voter 3
at our elections, they in some degree, be
came the governors of pur country. He
wi flied, therefore, that a longer residence
Hmuld be necefTary, before a foreigner should
become a citizen. He liked this amend
ment, because it made it neceflary for a man
to have a little property before he could be
admitted. "This was looked upon as neces
sary in every other country. Nor did he
think the tax too large, as any man might
afford to pay this sum after he had beei> five
years in the country. They had seen men
to-day take the oath of allegiance and be
come citizens of the United States, and the
next again be :ome citizens of the French
by entering on board.their pri
vateers.
Mr. R. Williams said, there was fuf
ficient reason for disagreeing to this pro-io
fition, without considering the policy or im
policy of admitting foreigners to the right.l
cf citizenship. The objeft of (his bill, t:e
said, was to lay a tax upon property, -sr -
evidence of property, and he wished it t(, us l
confined to thgt objeft. This amendment a
was rather a tax upon liberty, than upon I
property, and therefore improper to be in-J
iroduced into it. As to what was said
the gentleman from Massachusetts on ijfl .
fubjeft of a foreigner being possessed of
property before lie, should be admitted aw a
citizen, such a consideration might be. a ge; d
one, introduced in its proper place, but r.ot
here. He trusted, therefore, the amend
ment would not ijevail. In place of 20
dollars, he lhould be unwilling to vote for a
cent for this object, since he believed th
principle to be wrong.
Mr T hatcher said, gentlemen viewed
only one fide of the qucftlofi : They eon
flan tly spoke of the 20 dc liars, which they
called an enormous sum ; but they said no
thing of the benefits which were to be re
ceived in return. They were to feceive for
that sum all the advantages which this coun
try had obtained by much treasure and
blood. He thought the doors of naturali
zation too wide. Too many foreigners em
igrated hither ; they were out of propor
tion to the natives ; for he wished.the Ame
rican interest always to prevail over all for
eign interest. He would much rather, there
fore, that the certificate was forty dollars
than twenty.
Mr. J. Williams did not think thjj
question was put upon its true ground. This
bill was intended to raise funds towards
paying off the national debt—the debt in
curred in fighting for our liberty and inde
pendence ; and shall those, said he, who
come to partake of these advantages, pay
nothing for it ? If the country was not
worth the tax imposed, foreigners would net t
come to it. If the tas were too high, it
might be lowered : o • if too low, made
higher. He was for having the law go into
effeft, as experience would enable them 10
make it more perfect. A#jy man who was
indtjftrious, he was certain, would never be
grudge the payment of 20 dollars for this
objeft-—he would rather glory in it. The
liberty of the country was rated very low
indeed, when it was not thought to be worth
twenty dollars.
Mrr Brookes was in favour of retaining
the clause. Twenty dollars could not be
said to be the price of naturalization, but
merely as a stamp upen the certificate j nor
was there any more impropriety in this,
than laying a duty upon the admifiion of
lawyers to exercise their profeffioi).
Mr. M'Dowell was against the amend
ment. He looked upon it as a departure
from the spirit of oar Government, and de
rogatory to us-as an enlightened nation.—
It had been remarked by gentleman, that
we had fought and-bkd for our liberties. It
was true, that we baa fought for liberty,
but, he trusted, we did not mean to confine
it to ourselves, I. • V 1! ,it out to others. |
On the cootprjr, vf other countries