Monday, May 18.
The House resolved itfelf into a committee of
1 whole on the second reading of the bill to
regulate the collection of the impost.
The object of this bill being a temporary ar
rangement, applying the revenue systems already
ant ; n t i ie several States to the purpol'es of the
Union—and in tho * e States where no such regu
lations existed, direding the adoption of the laws
of a neighboring State.
Mr.Lawrence, Mr. Huntingden, Mr. Jack
-O„Mr. WHiTii and Mr. Vining, severally ob
"eeted to the bill, as incompetent to the purposes
intended—as radically bad—as creating infur
inountable difficulties, owing to various rates and
modes of impost, and its collection in the several
States _lt would cause an interference with the
".conceived maxims of particular States, by ma
king the laws of one, the rule of conduct for
another— it would fantftion the receiving a depre
ciated paper medium, and other regulations of
some of-the States, which were inconftftent with
the Constitution.
It was therefore moved, that the committee
should rife, and the bill lie on the table —this
motion was Seconded, and carried in the af
firmative.
On motion of Mr. Parker, a committee was
appointed to bring in a Bill for laying a tax on
(laves imported into the United States, prior to
the year 1808.
On motion of Mr. Goodhue, a committee
was appointed to bring in a bill, providing for
the enumeration of the inhabitants of the Uni
ted States, agreeably to the Constitution.
~ The House, agreeably to the order of the day,
Jrefolved itfelf into a committee of the whole, on
the report of the joint committee refpecfting the
rules to be observed by the two Houfei for the
enrollment, attellation, publication and preser
vation of the acts of Congress, and regulating
the mode of presenting addrefles, &c. to The
President of the United S/ates —and having
difculled and amended several paragraphs, the
committee rose, and the Chairman having report
ed progress, the House adjourned.
Tuesday, May 19.
A meflage was read from the Senate, inform
ing that they had appointed Mr. Lee a commit
tee, to join with a committee on the part of the
House, to present to The President, the en
grofled bill, regulating the taking certain oaths.
The House voted a concurrence, and Mr. Parker,
and Mr. Floyd were appointed.
In conimittee of the whole on the State of the
Union, Mr. Trumeuli. in the chair.
Mr. Boudi not, according to .previous notice,
introduced arefolve in which the firlt objedt was
the eftablilhmentof an office of Finance, agree
ably to the Constitution ; the fuperintendance
and direction of which should be committed to
an officer, to be entitled " The Secretary of Fi
nance for the United States."
Mr. Benson proposed a resolve as an amend
ment, that it Jhould firft be determined how ma
ny departments there lhould be, and proposed a
resolution, that there should be three, viz.
The Department of Foreign Affairs,
The Department of the Treasury, and
The War Department —
To these it was proposed by Mr. ViNiNG,tc
addafourtli, viz. The Secretary of the United
States for the Domestic Department.
After some conversation upon the amendment,
Mr. Boodinot withdrew his proposition for the
present, after which Mr. Madison proposed a
resolution, which Mr. Benson consented should
fupercede that introduced by him—it was to this
effect—That to aid the Supreme Executive in
the discharge of his important trust, there should
be three subordinate departments eftablifhed,viz.
The Secretary of the United States for the
Department of Foreign Affairs.
.The Secretary of the United States for the De
partment of the Treasury.
The Secretary of the United States for the
War Department.
rherefpeiftive heads of these departments to
denominated by The President, aijdappoint
ed by him with the advice and consent of the Se
nate, and to be removed by The President
alone— The addition of the Dciusflic Department,
"as again proposed.
The quelfion whether there lhould be three
departments palled unanimously in the affirma
tive.
( 'twas theft proposed to strike out the words
with the advice and consent of the Senate," as
an unnecefiary clause—This was voted in the
affirmative—The last clause " to be removed by
Pr.-fident," occalioned a very long and inte
resting debate which we have not Voom this day
toinfert, but alketch of which shall appear in our
next. It wasthenmoved, that " with the advice
a ' consent of the Senate" should be added after
I? Wor d " President," —in the last clause ;
I ns was negatived, and the vcte being taken 011
tie v, hole as amended, it palled in the affirmative,
second article, viz. " Secretary of the
Med Slates for the "department of the Treafu
r). was the next in order : when it was moved
that the farther consideration of the resolve,
Ihould be postponed—This being seconded the
committee rose, and the Chairman reported pro
gress. / i
The joint committee appointed to determine
upon the fubjeft of news-papers, and to receive
proposals for executing the public printing, re
ported in part to this effect—That it was ex
pedient to diminish the number of papers which
it had been customary to have handed in to the
members of Congrels, and therefore, that eve
ry member be furnifhed with one paper only, at
the public charge, each member to take such pa
per as he may think proper i'his report to
lie on the table. Jdjoumed.
NEW-YORK, MAY 20, 1789.
Monday last the Senate of the United States, with The Vice-
President at their head, went in a body, in carriages, from their
Chamber of Congress, to the House ot The President, where
the Vice-President read and presented to him the following AD
DRESS, in answer to his Speech, delivered to both Houses ol
Congress.
The Address of the Senate to the President of the United States, sin
anj'zver to his Speech to both Houses of Congress.
S I K,
WE,the Senate oftheUnited States, return you our fincerethanks
fur your excellent Speech, delivered to both Houses of Congress ;
congratulate you on the complete organization of the Federal Go
vernment, and felicitateourfelves, and our fellow-citizens, on vour
elevation to the office of President—an office, highly important by
the powers conft'.tutionally annexed to it, and extreme!v honora
ble from the manner in which the appointment is made. The
unanimous luHiage of the elective body in your favor, is peculiar
ly expreffivc ot the gratitude, confidence and affe£tion, of the citi
zens of America, and is the higheil testimonial at once of youi
merit, and of their esteem. We are fcnfible, Sir, that nothing but
the voice ot your fellow citizens, could have called you from a re
treat, cholen with the fondeft piedile&ion, endeared by habit,
and confecrat. d to the repose of declining years ; we rejoice,
and with us, all America, that, in obedience to the call oF our
common country, you have returned once more to public life.
In you all parties confide, in you all interests unite, arid we have
no doubt, that your part services, great as they have been, will
he equalled by your future exertions; and that your prudence and
sagacity as a Statesman will tend to avert the dangers to which we
were exposed, to give liability to the present government, and
digrtity and splendor to that country, which yourlkill and valoi
as a Soldier, so eminently contributed to raise to independence
and empire.
When w;e contemplate the coincidence of circumstances, and
wonderful combination of causes, which gradually prepared the
people ot this country for independence ; when we contemplate
the rife, prog tfs and termination of the late war, which gave
them a name among the nations of the earth, we are with you,
unavoidably led, to acknowledge and adore the great Arbiter ot
the univerf . by whom empires rife and fall. A review of the
mapy signal instances of divine mterpolition in favour of this coun
try claims our most pious gratitude. And permit us, Sir, to ob
fervc, that among the great events which have led to the formati
on and yitabl ihment of a Fed>l U Government, we eltcem youi
acceptance of the office of Picfidtnt as one oi the moil propitious
and impol taut.
In the execution of the trust reposed in us, we (hall endeavour
to puriaj that enlarged and liberal policy, to which your fpecch
so happily directs. We arc conscious t,nat the profpciity of each
State is infep?i ably connefttd with the welfare of all, and that
in promotmg the latter, we (hall effe&ually advance the former.
In full perluaiion of this truth, it (hall be cur invariable aim, to
divelt ourselves of local prejudices and attachments, and to view
the great aiTernblage of communities and interests committed to
our charge with an equal eye. We feel, Sir, the force, and ac
knowledge the niftnefs of the observation, that the foundation of
our national policy should be laid in private morality. If indi
viduals be not influenced by moral principles, it is in vain to look
public virtue; it is, therefore, the duty of Legislators to en
forct, both by precept and example, the utility as well as the ne
ccfTity 0/ aftridf adherence to the rules of distributive justice. We
you to be aflured, that the Senate will at all times chcerfully
co-operate in every measure, which may the Union,
conduce to the happiness, or secure and perpetuate the liberties
of this great Confederated Republic.
We commend you, Sis, to the prote£lion c?f Almighty "God,
•arneftly beseeching him lonj* to preserve a liie so valuable and
iear to the people of the United States and that your admin -
Iration may be prosperous to the nation and glorious to yourfelf.
In Senate, May 16th, 1789.
Signed by order,
JOHN ADAMS, j
To which the President was pleafcd to make the following reply—•
Gent lemen,
I THANK you for your address, in which the most affection
ate fentimcnts are expressed in the most obliging terms. The co
incidence of circumstances which led to this auspicious c rifts, the
confidence reposed in me by my fellow-citizens, and the assistance
I may expe£t from couufels which will be di&ated by an enlar
ged and liberal policy, seem to preface 3 more proiperous lffue to
my administration, than a diffidence of my abilities had taught
me to anticipate. 1 now feelmyfelf inexpreflibly /.appy in a be
lief, that Heaven, which has done lo much tor ourintant nation,
wilLnot withdraw its providential influence belr-re our political
felicity (hall have been completed; and in a conviction that the
Senate will at all times co-operate in every mealure which may
tend to promote the welfare of this Confederated Republic.
Thus fupportcd by a firm trust in the great Arbiter of the uni
verse, aided by the colle&ed wisdom of the Union, and implo
ring the divine benedi£tion on our joint exertions in the lervice of
our country, I readily engage with you in the arduous but plea
fins task of attempting to make a nation happy.
G. WASHINGTON.
It has been observed, that foreigners, who were never in Ame
rica, have been puzzled to localize the several parts of the Union,
and to aflign to each their proper name :—Hence States have been
called Towns—and Towns denominated Provinces, in the foreign
newspapers.—A Corrcfpondent queries—Whether equal confufion
will not take place refpe&ing the term President, which is ap
plied to the Vice-Pieiident when fp-aking of him in his Senator
ial character—and ir.- the fame unqualified manner is also applied
to the Supreme Magistrate of the North-American Empire.
The Patriot of America, must view with the utmost pleaiure,
the rifin* greatness of his country. Glorious indeed ! is the yrof
peft she now presents to view. Industry seems to have taken up
a residence among us, and with vigour to pulh forward the arts
and sciences : manufa&ures flouriih—agriculture thrives, and li
terature prevails in every rank.
In the English House of commons, March 13th, The House,
upon motion for that purpose, went into a committee " to con
sider of the trade between the fubjefts of his Majefly's dominions
and the inhabitants of the termors belonging to the United States
i>f America.
Lxtrafl. of a letter f rom London, dated March 9.
" The friends of your country are very anxious to know the,
operations ol your federal system, in order to be able to oppose
the general opinion that prevails, of your people being iftnpatieni:
under good government, and unwilling to be controuled by legis
lative authority. 0
"The elettionof General Washington to the Presidential
Chair, and the expe£ted choice of Mr. Adams as Vice-President,
will have an auspicious tendency. Europe as well as America,
concur in the praises due t > that great and good man, and are
well convinced, that nothing which can degrade your national
character, or diminish your national confcquence, will ever
meet with his assent.
"Mr. Adams, bv being employed in the diplomatic line in
England and Holland, must. have hod the best opportunities of mak
ing observations on the politics f Europe, as well as 011 the inter
n 1 fyltems of polity and public credit, which have a ggrandized
these nations, and rendt red them foconlpicuous for their resources.
Such knowledge must be of eminent service to you, 111 your ar
rangements of Finance.
" I am happy to observe, that our opinions on the of th •
United States are already elTentially changed—they are 110 longer
treated with that supercilious contempt, which their former m
fufficiency of government, and dilunion of fcntiments, gave too
much reason to juftify.
" Your situation and resources entitle you to hold a high rank
amonit the powers of the world. If your government is well
adminiitered, you will soon feel your consequence."
It is a very general idea, that the wisdom of
America at this important Epoch, will be disco
vered to the greatest advantage, by turning her
attention to those objects, which are obviously
within her Attainment, rather than to fubje&sof
experiment, in the preient ftateof her finances.
The commercial interests of thisGREAT CON
bEDERATED REPUBLIC are many and impor
tant, but complex to the highest degree, especi
ally in their present situation.
Their extention is circumscribed only by the
bounds of this lower creation : Are not the hardy
lons of the Eastern States now exploring the po
lar Regions of the North ? while others, the
" Mighty Hunters" of the Monsters of the Deep,
are compelling those of the South—and the In
dian Seas are ranged fromlile to Isle by enter
prising adventurers, from Georgia to Ns-jj-Hamp-
Jhire.
The Commerce of the several States is complex
—but this complexity does not involve incompa
tibility—our enemies have aflerted it, but their
interest was conne&ed with the currency of the
falfehood : The lie has been so often tc!d, that
it began to afl'ume the semblance of Truth.—•
However, nature having done every thing for us,
in point of climate, foil, and produce, to consti
tute a most perfect dpmeftic Commerce, nothing
remains, but to avail ourselves of these advanta~
ges, to prove that the interelt ofthe Union isONE
The operation of the National Government will
naturally open and expand the views of Ameri
ca : She has yet to learn how extensive are her re
sources—their competency to her wants, and to
all the purposes of refined enjoyment. •
The late War afforded an inadequate opportu
nity for these purpofcs : The repelling the enc
my, a great and powerful enemy, pofl'elling all
the advantages resulting from speaking the fame
language—having connections in all parts of ths
country, and being indefatigable in availing
themselves of these circumstances, to weaken and
divide, required that the whole foice of our ex
ertions fliould be centered to one point : The
discoveries we then tnade vfpeifting our Resour
ces, were incidental; but now. this must be the
great objcc r t of national concern : The Earth
the Sea—the Mountains—the Rivers—theForefts
—the Plains—and Climes of every Sun, invite A
merica to bfc wife—to be great—to be truly inde
pendent, happy, and glorious.
Our profpetfts as a people, turn upon the oper
ation of the New Government : Should its ad
ministration be entered upon with dignity, firm
nefs, a sacred regard to justice, and the rights of
the people, agreeably to the spirit of the consti
tution ; there can be no doubt of its answering
all the great purposes for which government was
instituted—and there can be no doubt of an ac
cordant disposition of the people—for they ful
ly realize, that " peace, liberty and fafety," with
all their attendant bleflSngs, depend upon just
and equal laws, faithfully, ftricftly and impar
tially executed.
The address of the German Lutheran Congre
gation of Philadelphia, affords a striking trail
of that Universal Sentiment of affection'to
wards the father of his country, which pervades
the bosoms of the various inhabitants who com
pose the great volume ps American citizens.
Errata in our last.
In the Jkctch of Thursday's Debate, the paragraph which begi/,,
" To counterbalance, &c." Jhould Jland thus—" To prevent any
discouragement to the Fisheries, ortothc exportation of provifionv,
irom the duty on Salt, it was voted, that a bounty of 5 cejits ea<Jlj„
should be allowed on the following Articles, which may be ex
ported to foreign markets, viz.
On dried Fish, pr. quintal,
Pickled Fish, pr. barrel,
Salted Provilions, pr. barrel.
In the JirJlclafs of Senators—for "John Elmer," read Jonathan
Elmer.
ARRIVALS.
At the Port of New-York.
Monday. Ship Francis, Power, Madeira. 44 days.
Ship Willfdn, M'Evers, Liverpool. 49 days.
Brig Barnard, Cape Francois. 20 days.
Brig Pearl, Pell, Newry, 63 days.
Tuefddy. Brig William, Stephenfon, Londonderry. 45 days.
Sloop Polly & Betfv, Folgier, Cape Francois. 14 d-ry^.