CONGRESSIONAL AFFAIRS.
New-York, April if, 1789.
THE time appointed by the Congrels, under the
OLD CONFEDERATION, for the aflembling
of theSE n at ors and Representatives chosen to
adminilter the NEW CONSTITUTION, was the
fourth day of March lait; an unfavourable season
oi the year for journeying. Through unavoidable
delays, a quorum of the members did not arrive
in this ciry, till Monday the sixth inft. when being
allembled, the Hon. John Langdon, Esq. was
chosen Prefidenr pro tempore. The votes of the
Electors chosen by the several States were then
opened and counted, and were as follows, viz.
George Washington, 69
John Adams, 34
John Jay, "9
R. R. Harrison, 6
John Rutledce, 6
John Hancock, 4
Georce Clinton, 3
Samuel Huntington, 2
James Armstrong, i
John Milton, 2 '
Edward Telfair, i
Benjamin Lincoln, i
Upon which his Excellency GEORGE WASH
INGTON, Esq. was announced PRESIDENT, and
the Honourable JOHN ADAMS, Esq. VICE PRE
PRESIDEN7' of the United-States. This impor
tant business being compleaied the Legislature of
the United States, is thus arranged, viz.
GEORGE WASHINGTON, President,
JOHN ADAMS, Vice-President.
SENATORS.
ftew-Hampflure, J l»hn Langdon and Paine Win-
Mafiachufetts, I CaUh Strong zniTriftram Dal-
J ton.
Connecticut, j WiUi ™ ] ohn f°" and olhtr
J Elif'worth.
New Tc-f" I William Fatter-fin and John El
* J ' 3 incr.
~ r , 1 Robert Morris and William Ma-
Pennsylvania, j
_ , } George Read and Richard Baf-
Delaware, j J
Maryland j. Charles Carrot, and John Hen
...... 1 Richard Henry Lee and William
Virginia, [ Grayfon.
South-Carolina, Fierce gutter & Ralph Izard.
Georgia, William Few and Gun.
REPRESENTATIVES.
„ . Benjamin Weft, Samuel Liver-
P ur more and Nicholas Gilmari,
Fifhsr An:e<, George Partridge,
r George Thacher, George Leo-
Maflacliufett-., - nar J f Elbridge Gerry, Benja
min Goodhue, Jonathan Grout.
Jonathan Sturges, Roger Sher
man, Benjamin Huntington,
Connecticut, ■ Jonathan Trumbull, Jeremiah
W adfworth.
H John Lawrence, Egbert Benfon,
William Floyd, John Hathorn,
New-York, ■ Peter Sylveftcr, Jeremiah Van
Renfelaer.
i El'tas Boudinot, James Schure-
New-Terfey > ma'n,Thomas Sinniclfon, Lam
j hert Cadmallader.
1 Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg,
| Henry Wynkoip, Thomas Hart-
Pennsylvania, ley, Gtorge Clymer, Thomas
I Fitzfimons, Peter Muhlenberg,
J Daniel Heijler, Thomas Scott.
Delaware, John Fining.
Jojhua Seney, DanielCarro!,Ben-
Marylanl, > jamin Contee, George Gale, Wil
} Ham Smith, Michael J. Stone.
James Maddifon, Jofiah Parker,
j Richard B. Lee, Theodoric
Virginia, [> Bland, Isaac Coles, Alexander
| White, John Page, Andre-w
J Moore, Samuel Griffin.
~) General Sumpter, F.danus Burke,
South-Carolina, > Tho.T.Tucker, D. Huger, IVH
\ liaviSmith.
7 Abraham Baldwin, James Jack-
Georgia, J f tj , h C eorge Matthews.
The Hon. CHARLES THOMSON, Esq. was ap
pointed to inform the PRESIDENT, and Mr. ST( L
VANUS BOURNE, the VICE PRESIDENT, of
their respective elections. Those gentlemen fat
out 011 their embafly the 7th inft.
PROCEEDINGS of CONGRESS.
In the HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES of the
UNITED STATES.
Tuesday, Aprii. 1, 1789.
Resolved That the RULES and ORDERS following, te cJlaH'fhed
STANDING RULES and ORDERS of this Houf—to tat :
FIR ST.
TOUCHING THE DUTY OF THE SPEAKER.
HE shall take the chair every day at the hour to which the
house (ball have adjourned on the preceding day; ihall im
mediately call the mtmbers to order, and, on the appearance of a
quorum,' shall caulc the journal of the preceding day to be r^aj.
He shall preserve dccorum and order; may fpcak to points of
order in preference to other members, anting from his feat for
that purpose, and shall decide questions of order, fubjeft to an ap
peal to the house by any two members.
He shall rife to put a question, but may state it fitting.
Questions shall be diltin&ly put in this form, vir. "As many
as are of opinion that (as the question may be) fay aye:" And, af
ter the affirmative voice is expreflcd—" As many as are of a con
trary opinion, fay no."
It the ipeaker doubts, or a division be called for, the house shall
divide, those in the affirmative going to the right, and those in the
negative to the left of the chair: If the speaker still doubt, or a
count be required, the speaker shall name two members, one from
each fide, to tell the numbers in the affirmative, which being re
ported, he shall then name two others, one from each fide, to tell
those in the negative ; which being alio reported, he shall rife and
slate the decision to the houfe-.
The speaker shall appoint committees ; unless it be determined
by the house that the committee (hall consist of more than three
members, in which cafe the appointment lhall be by ballot of the
house.
In all cases of ballot by the house, the speaker shall vote ; in o
ther cases he shall not vote, unless the house be equally divided, 01
unless his vote, if given to the minority, will make the division b<
equal, and in cafc of such equal division, the question shall be loft
When the house adjourns, the members shall keep their feats un
til the speaker go forth ; and then the members shall follow.
Secondly.
OF DECORUM AND DEBATE.
When any member is about to speak in debate, or deliver an}
matter to the house, he shall rife from his feat and refpe&fully ad
dress himfelf to Mr. Speaker.
If any member, in speaking or otherwise transgress the rules o
the house, the speaker shall, or any member may call to order ; ir
which cafe the member called to order shall immediately fit down
unless permitted to explain, and the house shall, if appealed to
decide on the cafe, but without debate: If there be no appeal
the decision of the chair shall be fnbmitted to : If the decision b<
in favour of the member called to order, he shall be at liberty t(
proceed ; if otherwise, and the cafe require it, he shall be liable tc
the cenfur® of the house.
When two or more members happen to rife at once, the fpeake
shall name the member who is firll to speak.
No member shall speak more than twice to the fame queflior
without leave of the house; nor more than once until every mem
bcr choosing to speak, shall have spoken.
Whilst the speaker is putting any question, or addressing thi
house, none shall walk out of, or cross the house; nor either ii
such cafe, or when a member is speaking, fl ail entertain paivati
discourse, or read any printed book or paper; nor whilst a mem
ber is speaking, shall pass between him and the chair.
N'o member shall vote on any question, in the event of which
he is immediately and particularly interested ; or in any other caf
where he was not present when the question was put.
Every member who shall be in th« house, when a question i
put, shall vote on the one fide or the other, unless the house, so
special reasons, shall cxcufe him.
When a motion is made and seconded, it shall be stated by th<
speaker, or being in writing, it shall be handed to the chair, anc
read aloud by the clerk before debated.
Every motion shall be reduced to writing, if the speaker or an)
member desire it.
After a motion is stated by the speaker, or read by the clerk, i
shall be deemed to be in poffeflion of the house, but may be with
drawn at any time before decision or amendment.
When a question is under debate, no motion shall be received
unless to amend it, for the previous question, or to adjourn.
A motion to adjourn shall be always in order, and shall be de
cided without debate,
The previous question shall be in this form : " Shall the mair
question be now put." It shall only be admitted when demanded
by five members; and until it is decided shall preclude all amend
ment and further debate of the main question.
On a previous question no member shall speak more than once
without leave.
Any member may call for the division of a question, where th<
sense will admit of if.
A motion for commitment until it is decided, shall preclude al
amendment of the main question.
Motions and reports may be committed aI the pleasure of th<
house.
No new motion or propnfition shall be admitted under colour oj
amendment, as a fubftitutc for the motion or proposition under de
bate.
Committees confiftin* of more than three members, shall be
1 allotted for by the house; if upon such ballot the number required
lhall not be ele&ed by a majority of the votes given, the house shall
proceed to a second ballot, in which a plurality of votes lhall Dre
vail, and in cafc a greater number than are required to compole or
complete the committee shall have an equal number of votes, the
house lhall proceed to further ballot or ballots.
In all other cases of ballot than for committees, a majority of
the votes given shall be necefTary to an election, and when there
lh 1! not be such majority on the firft ballot, the ballot shall be re
peated until a majority be obtained.
In all cases where others than members of the house may be eli
gible, there shall be a previous nomination.
If a question depending be loft by adjournment of the houfe 4 and
revived on the succeeding day, no member who has spoken twice
on the day preceding lhall be permitted again to speak without
Ever y order, resolution or vote to which the concurrence of the
enate lhall be necefTary, shall be read to the house, and hid on the
table, on a day preceding that in which the fame lhall be moved,
unlets the house shall otherwise expressly allow. *
Petitions, memorials, and other papers addrefied to the house
lhall be presented through the speaker, or by a member in his
p ace, and lhall not be debated or decided on the day of their be
inghrll read, unless where the house lhall direst otherwise ; but
hall lie on the table to be taken up in the order they-were read.
Any hlteen members (including the speaker if there is one) shall
be authored to compel the attendance of absent members.
L pon calls of the house, or in taking the ayrs and not s on any
question, the names of the members itiall be called alphabetically.
Thirdly.
OF BILLS.
Every bits shall be introduced by motion for leave, or by an or
er ot the house on the report of a committee, and in either cafe a
committee to prepare the fame {hall be appointed. In cases of a
- nature "" e da V s not '« * lead shall be of the motion
ring in a bill ; and eviry such motion may be committed,
rvery bill lhall receive three several readings in the house prev -
ous to Its pafTage; and all bills shall be dispatched in order asthev
" n ' C - fS Wh " e thc hOU,e """ din ' a '"heroic,
dtr of the house °™ the famC da y without <P ccial °'"
firirn k' r , eadln S °f 3 bill (hall be for information, and if oppo
i ft detol, > 'hequeftiou (hall be, "Shall the bill be re-
LTativeH . °,iT n lon be . madc > or the question to reject it be
L'oon th f C . to lts f (cond reading without a question.
readTfor C " s ° f 3 b '"' the f P fakci lhall ft *<= as
OtiefUon m,tn ; en u ° r cn ß ,ofrment - a «d if committed, then a
of the Whole . c f whct f hcrt ° a committee, or to a committee
hcufe ChalM , t0 , a c r m " tCe of the whole houfr > the
tTcnerofLrfT ?Vt da >V But lf the bill ordered to
the hird » 4? a PP ( > lnt the day when it (hall be ,ead
house abi ™, f ' k com,n ' t ™ m . and a rc P or t thereof to the
All'b ii / , rc '* c O rr,ln| tted, or at any time before its paffare.
rou d'aid 13 U C "'- rofTcd bc :n a far
The ftvleof bills (hall be, " Bo it,ena£ed by the Se
nators and Reprefentativei of the United States in Congress affem"
When a bill shall pass it shall ■'be certified by the clerk, noting
the day of its pafling at the foot thereof. ' *
No bill amended by the Senate (hall be committed.
Fourthly.
OF COMMITTEES OF THE WHOLE. HOUSE.
It (hall be a (landing Order of theday, throughout the feflion f or
the house to resolve itfelf into a Committee of the whole houli
the (late of the Union. on
In forming a Committee of the whole House, the Speaker (hall
leave his chair, and a chairman to preside in Committee'lhall be ap.
pointed.
Upon bills committed to a committee of .the whole house the
bill (hall be firfl read throughout by the clerk, and then again'read
and debated by claules, leaving the preamble to be lall considered*•
the body of the bill (hall not be defaced or interlined; but all a
mendmcnts, noting the page and line, (hall be duly entered by the
clerk on a leparate paper as the fame (hall be agreed to bv the com
mittee, and so reported to the hoiife. After report the bill (hali
again be fubjeft to be debated and amended by claules before a
question to engross it be taken.
All amendments made to an original motion in committee (hall
be incorporated with the motion and so reported.
All amendments made to a report committed to a committee of
the whole (hall bo noted and reported as in the cafe of bills.
Allqueftions, whether in committee or in the house, (hall be
propounded in the order they were moved, except that in filling
up the blanks the largest sum and longed day (hall be Kill put.
The rules of proceeding in the house lhall be observed in com
mittec so far as they may be applicable, except that liraittmg the
times of speaking. Extract from the Journal,
JOHN BECKLEY, Clerk.
Wednesday, April 8, T7?9.
THIS day the Galleries of the Hon. House of Re
presentatives were opened. The members being
convened, the Hon. Chief JufHce MORRIS, of the
State ofNew-York, administered to the Speaker
and Members of the House, the Oath required by
the Constitution of the United States.
Upon motion of the Hon. Mr. Parker, of Vir
ginia, the House then resolved itfelf into a Com
mittee of the whole, to take the Rate of the Uni
on into consideration. This motion was agreed to,
the Hon. Mr. Page, of Virginia, took the
chair.
Mr. Maddison, of Virginia, after a few intro
ductory observations on the great fubjecfts of Fi
nance, and the deficiencies of the federal Trealury,
suggested the neceflity of immediately adopting
some meaf'ures upon the subject of National Re
venue. With this object in view, he produced ;t
Refohe, fpecifying certain articles upon which an
Import: was proposed to be laid. The plan was si
milar to that recommended by Congrels 1111733
and is as follows, viz.
[RESOUF.P, as the opinion of this conmittee, That the fvllouirg
Duties ought to be levied on goods, zuares, and merchandize, imported u.
to the United States, to wit.
On Rum, p r . gallon, C J a dollar.
On all otl*er Spiritous Liouors.
On MolaJJes.
0* Ma drria Wine.
On all other Wines. .
On cowmen Bohea Teas, br.fr*. < a
On all other Teas.
On Pepper.
On Broun Sugars*
On Loaf Sugars.
On all other Sugars.
On Cocoa and Qojfee.
On allothtr articles h c y cent, on their value at the time
and place of mutation.
That there ought % moreover, to be levied on all veff'ls in which goods,
wares or mtrchandfr s fJiall be imported, the duties following, viz.
n a vejjels quilt zutthin the United States« and belonging ukoltv te
citizens thereof,\ at the rate vf p er ton
On all vejjels belonging whelly to the fubjeßs of powers with whom the
United States havtjormed treaties, or Partly to the fubiefls of such tow
ers, and partly to(it.zens oj the fa, J Jlatesat the rate of '
Un al/vej/e/s belonging zuho/yi or p art to the fib e.ls of other pow
ers, at the rate of J J J r
Mr. BouDiNOT,ofNe\v Jer fey, and Col. White,
<>t Virginia, spoke in favour of the Resolve, from
the neceflity of a temporary Sy It em's being imme
diately adopted ; but as it was presumed, that gen-,
tlemen had not come prepared to discuss the sub
ject, an adjournment wa.; called for, when the
Speaker', Tefuming the chair, the House adjourned
till to-morrow.
Thursday, April 9, 1789.
The House having again resolved itfelf into a
Committee. Mr. Page took the chair.
\Vhen Mr. Sh erman, of Connecticut, proposed
resuming the Resolve submitted to the Committee
yeiterday, by filling up the blanks.
Mr. Goodhue fuggeilcd the propriety of again
reading the Resolve—which being done,
Mr. Lawrence, of New-York, observed, that
the immediate neceflity of a publick Revenue, to
answer the exigencies of the Union, was univer
f.illy acknowledged, and the mode of railing it by
Impost was generally supposed to be the best; but
that as the resolve, at present proposed, was de
signed as a temporary measure ; and it be:ng
requisite that some System fliould be speedily a-'
floored, so as to embrace the advantages that would
result from the Spring importations, it appeared to
him the most eligible plan to adopt a general idea
with re fpett to impost, and lay a pr. centum,
ad valorum, on articles indifcrimiuately, in prefer
ence to fpecifying particulars at various rates..
Mr. Fitzsimons, ofPennfylvania, inoppolit.ioi
to the Hon. Mr. Lawrenck, replied, that afpeci
fication of certain articles, with various rates of Im
post affixed to each, had been found to be more
productive, easier collected, and a more certain re
venue, than a pr. centum, alTefled in a general way;
that so far from wifliing to abandon the origin."
idea, he thought i: of so much importance to be