It had been urged that if government fnculd intcrpofe in <he present cafe, an interposition would be authorised in any cafe "Avhatever,where the (lock, might fluctuate ; the principle would ap ply as well to a fall of 60 or 70 per cent, as to a fall of 600 or 700 percent. He could riot admit this inference. A diftmdion was essential between an extreme cafe and a cafe ihort ol it. The line was difficult to be drawn; but it no more incumbent on him, than on his opponents, to draw ir. They themselves could not deny that a certain extremity of the evil would have juftified the interpolation. Suppoie that the distress of the alienating credit ors had been ten times as great as it was ; that instead of 2, 3 or 4s. in the pound, they had received a farthing only in the pound ; and that the certificates lay now in the hands ot the purchasers :n that ftatc, or even at a It-fs value : was there a member who would l ife up aud fay. that the purchasers oujjht to be patd the entire no minal sum, and the original fufferer be entitled to no indemnifi cation whatever'? Gentlemen had triumphed in the want of a precedent to the mealure. No government, it was said, had interposed to redress iluftuations in its pub ic paper. But where was the government that had funded its debts under the circuinftances of the American debt ? If no government had done so, there could be no precedent either for or againil the measure, because the occasion itfclf was unprecedented, And if 110 limilar occasion had before existed in any country, the precedent to be fct would at least be harmlefj, bccaufc no Gmilar occasion would be likely to happen in this. If gentlemen perfided, however, in d; inanding precedents, he was happy in being able to gratify them with two, which, though not exactly paiallel, were on that account of the greater force, since the interpolations of government had taken place where the emer gency could less require them. The firft was the cafe of the Canada bills. During the war, which ended in 1763, and which was attended with a revolution in the government of Canada, the supplies obtained tor the French army in that province were paid for in bills of exchange and cer tificates. This paper depreciated, and was bought up chiefly by British merchants. The sum and the depreciation weie so conli- as to bee ra; a fubjeft of negociation between France and Great Britain at the peace. The negociation produced a particu lar article; by which it was agreed bv France that the paper ought to be redeemed, and admitted by Great Britain that it should be redeemed at a liquidated value. In the year 1766 this article was accordingly carried into cifeft by ministers from the two courts, who reduced the paper in the hands of the Britiih holders, in some instances, as much as 75 percent, below its nominal value. It wasftatcd, indeed, by the reporters of the cafe, that the holders of the paper had themfclves concurred in the liquidation ; but it was not probable that the concurrence was voluntary. If it Was voluntary, it shews that they themfclves were sensible of the equi ty of the facrifice. The oiher cafe was of still greater weight,as it had no relation to war or to treaty, and took place in the nation which has been held up as a model with refpeft to public credit. In the year 1713, the civil lift of Great Britain had fallen into arrears to the amount of 500,0001. Ihe creditors who had furniihed supplies to the go vernment had, instead of money, received debentures only from the refpettive offices. These had depreciated. Iu that Hate, they afligned in some instances ; in others,covenanted to bealfigned. When the parliament appropriated funds for fatisfying these arrears they infeited an express p> ovifion in the ast, that the creditors who had been obliged by the default of government to difpofeof their paper at a lof>, might redeem it from the aflignees. by repaying the a&ual price with an interest of 6per cent, and that all agree ments and covenants to aflign should be absolutely void. Here then was an intcrpoftiion on the very principle, that a government ought to red re'b the wrongs, sustained by its default, and on an occasion trvial when compared with that under consideration ; yet it does not appear that the public credit of the nation was in jured by it. The brft source of confidcncc in a government was the apparent honesty of its * :?ws. The proportion on the table could not pof libly be ascribed to anv other motive than this, bccaufe the public w?s not to gain a farthing by it. The next source was ari experi enced punctuality in the payments due from the government. For this iupport to public credit, he relied on what had been ex perienced by a part of the foreign creditors ; on the provilion to be made for the residue ; and the pun&uality which he flattered himfelf would be pbferved in all future pavments of the domestic creditors. He was more apprehensive of injury to public credit from such modifications of the intercftof the puDlic debt, as some gentlemen fecmed to have in view. In these the public would be the gainer, and the plea of inability the more alarming ; because it was so eafv to be set up, so difficult to be disproved, and confe qi ntly for which the temptations would be alluring. The impra&icabihty of the measure was the remaining ground on which it had hren attacked. He did not deny that it would be attended with difficulties, and that perfect justice would not be done ; but tliefe were not the qucftions. It was fufficient that a gricvious injufiice would be lefiened, and that the difficulties might be surmounted. What he had in vieW was that, for the con venient v of claimants, some authority fliould be provided and pro perly d'ftrihuted thro' the union, in order to investigate and alcer tain the claims ;and that for the security of the public,the burden of proof fnonld be thrown on the claimants. A scrutiny on this pi, in, aided by original settlements in the books of the army de partment, andthellate comtnifiioncrs, and other office-documents, -would be i remedy at once for all the difficulties darted with re gard to fi&itiout names, certificates iflued as money by commifla j ies and quarter-mailers, due bills, &c. Tor some particular cases special provisions might be rcquifite. The cafe of loan-office certificates, alienated at early periods, be fore thev were depreciated fell under this description. Legacies might be another. He should have no objection to some special regulation, as 10 the payments of debts in certificates to persons wyhin die British lines, said to have been authorised by the laws of New-York ; though he presumed few such payments had been made, and that of t.hefe few the greater part had by this time pas sed fixtcn the creditors into other hands. There might be a few "OthprcaTes equally entitled to some particular attention in the de ta.lsof the proviiion. * As to the merchants who had compounded for their debts in certificates, or persons who had exchanged bonds for them, it could not be doubted that the tranfaftions had refer ence to the market value of the paper, and therefore had nothing peculiar in them. The ex pence incident to such a plan of invefligation ought to form no difficulty. It-bears no proportion to the cxpence already in curred by commiflioners, Bcc. for effecting a less proportion of juflicc. Rather than justice Ihould not be done, the cxpeoce might betaken out of the portion to the original futterers The danger of frauds and perjuries had been woiked up into a formidable objection. Ifthefe Fiad always been equally alarming, no provision could have ever made for the dilcharge of pub lic debts. He rcmirjded the committee of the frauds and perju ries for which a door had been opened by the final fettlemcnts, Ac. of the frauds and perjuries infeparabie from the colle&ion of impost and excifcs: yet these were all submitted to as neceifarv evils, because juflicc could not be done wiihout them. Thefrauds and rv-rjunes incident to this fupplementarv provision forjuftice, must b? very inconsiderable in number; and itill more so, when compared cither with the object to be attained, or \»ith 1 lie like c vils alicady encountered in pursuit of a like object. Great ingenuity and information had been exerted, by "-r.tle tnrn on the other fide, in raising difficulties : He was fine that, after an adoption of the proportion, the fume exertion would be used in removing them, and with such aid the idea of impractica bility would vani/h. Mr. Lee : The genil 'men, he said, who had argued the proportion of colleague, ft em'to hav«-relbrted to thofc rules which arc found neccfTarv to regulate the intcrcolu fc between man and man in civil society, without regarding the great law ot poli tic il afiociations, which had for its obje&the fafcty and happmefs of every individual in the community. The end of government was certainly to accommodate all, and not to aggrandize a tew ; and every class of citizens ought to be regarded in the diltribution of national iuflice. And nothing is more common in the hillory ot the molt virtuous and renown d republics, when brought into calamitous circum fiances, than to fee this great law fupercedingthe forms eflablifhed to regulate civil intercourf . Without fach ex errifes of power, justice could not have been done, nor the nation preserved. And in such a situation, no wife people will ever be bound by the ordinary maxims of government . So that he had no doubt of the right of the government to interfere on theprefciU oc casion. Healfo thought, that in all the deliberation 1 ; of the House, the nature of our government should be attended to. It was the go vernment of the people, and nothing like a coercive principle was e found in it : Iu order therefore to render the adminiltralion lutary and honorable, our measures should be calculated to ni». c popular approbation. Paying taxes was a ierious thing. Ana . induce a free people to pay taxes they mult be convinced of the neceflity and equity of them. And if the proportion on the table was calculated to reconcile the public mind to the requinte degree of taxation, every class of the public creditors would pro bably be finally benefited by its adoption. If, on the contrary, our measures should appear irreconcileahle to the popular idea ot equity and right, is it probable that they would meet with that hearty support from the community, which, under our govern ment, is eirential to a prosperous administration ot it. The gene ral opinion of the people lhould have its due weight in all our de liberations; and he believed that the calm and uubiaffed expres sion of the public mind, would be always found the b ft index of that which wasjuft and politic. For his own oart, he declared, that he had always been convinced of the equity of Aich an ar rangemeut as that proposed by his colleague; but that he had considered doubts with regard to the pra£hcability of such a plan, which were not vet al ogether removed. But this appeared to him by no means a fufficient reason to prevent us from recognizing the principle. This would be a declaration to the world, and to our conrtituents, that we did not disregard the great principles of natural equi;y; and if hereafter, on further mveftigation, the plan should be found impracticable, this would be a fufficient juftfica tion to us lor rclinquifhing it. He concluded with observing, that he had been unexpectedly induced to appear on the floor, ana had hastily exprefled ideas which were the ebullitions of the moment, and hoped that in fu ture, the debate would be conduced without intimating, in the most remote degree,thatany gentleman was influenced bv unworthy motives. For his own part, when he entered the house, he consi dered himfelf as entering into a fan&uary ; and that every motive or passion, which had not for its objett the public good, should be leftbehind. He did not doubt that every gentleman took his feat here with similar impressions ; and exprefTed a hope, that, the final refultof their deliberations would be that which would con tribute most to the national honor and advantage. • (To be continued.) P?" Our readers will plea/i to incorporate the following correction in the Jpeech of the Hon. Mr. P\oi, inserted in our laji. Mr. Page endeavored to [hew, that Mr. Madrfon's motion did not deserve the harsh ttprejfions ujed againjl it by Mr. Amet ; that so Jar from being an in famous, unjust proportion, he thought his colleague might havef'id, that fhouldCongrejs adopt it, thtv might, with a fafe confcience.Jiand before the tribunal, not merely ofafuperior order oj beings, but before the Great fudge ojthe whole Earth. Mr. Page Jjrdnothing like threatning his opponents zvith divine jufticc : He only endeavored to modoatc their zeal, and to Jujlify his colleague's motion. MONDAY, MARCH i Mr. Sumptcr took his feat this day. A meflage was received from the President of the United States, by the Secretary for the Department of War, with sundry com munications relating to the prcfent situation, and profpefts of the Western Frontiers in refpeft to the Indian Tribes. Mr. Scot prefentcd a petition from sundry inhabitants of Penn sylvania, holders of old paper money—this petition was lengthy,- and entered into a particular difcuflion of the fubjecl, stated th pretenlions of those who are creditors of the United States in con fequenceof holding this money, especially such as had been com pelled to receive it by virtue of tender laws, and laying great fbefs on Mre fpccific promise impreflVd on the face of the bills.—Laid on the table. Sunday petitions and memorials were read and referred, The bill for securing to Francis Bailey, the exclusive right oi using certain inventions in Typography, was read the second time and ordered to be engrossed for a third reading to-moriow. A resolution of the AfTembly of the State of South Carolina, refpe&ing the eftablifhtnent of a military guard at Fort Johnfton, was read a second time, and ordered to lie on the table. In committcc of the whole, on the.report of the Secretary oi theTrealury. ♦ The proportion forafTuming the State debfs, and the amend incnts proposed thereto, under confidcration. Mr. Madison withdrew the motion he made on Friday : He then moved one to the following cfTcft : That the amount of the debts a&ually paid by any State to its creditors since the day of (hall be credited and paid to such State on the fame terms as shall be provided in the cafe of individuals. Mr. Ames offered the following rcfolutions. which he desired might be laid on the table, to be taken up after the proportions under confederation had been decided on. Refoivcd, that effe&ual provision be made for the settlement oi accounts between the United States and individual States. Resolved, that in the said settlement, the States refpe&ively be charged with tl>c advances to them severally made by the United States, liquidated to specie value, with interest thereon at the rate of fix per cent, per annum, and that they be also charged with the amount of their refpettive debts (which with the consent of the creditors (hall have been assumed by the United States) with the interest thereon to the time frotn which interest (hall be payable by the United States. Resolved, that in the said settlement the said States refpeffcively be credited with all monies paid and fupplics furnifhed to or for, and debts incurred on account of the United States, and in gene ral with all expenditures whatsoever towards general or particu lar defence during the late war between the United States and Great Britain, with interefl thereon at the rate of fix per cent, per annum. Resolved, that the said settlement be made under the dire&ion of commiflioners whose authority shall continue until the said settlement (hall be effe&ed. and whose decisions shall be final and conclusive upon the United States, and upon the several States. Rcfolved, that in cafe a ratio for adjulhng the contributions of the refpc&ive States lliall not be prescribed by Congress duringthe present session, the said commjflioners (hall have full power to fettle fiich ratio, and shall also have power to determine in all other refpechthe principles of the said settlement in conformity to these resolutions. Resolved, that the several States may exhibit their claims against the United States until the day of next, but not after wards ; and that the iaid commiflioners shall, as soon as may be after the said day, proceed to a final adjustment of the said ac counts, whether tlte whole of the claims of the le.fpe&ive States f! all have been then exhibited or not. Xo c! <»?•*.* '.«?*» '1 V-. 370 TUESDAY, MARCH 2 The bill to secure to Francis Bailey tli* exel si ft ve right to his inventions in typography, was brought in engrofl'ed, read the third time, and pafled to be enacfted. A report from the Secretary of the Treasury, containing an estimate of the appropriations ne ctflary for the year 1790 was read—oll motion of Mr. Page it was ordered that this report be print ed for the use of the House. Ic was then moved that a committee of wavs and means lhould be appointed, and that this re port should be referred to that committee. This motion occalioncd a confiderablc debate— in the course of it, Mr. White moved the follow ing, in (übltance, viz. That the Secretary of the Treasury lhould be directed ro ascertain the re founies that may be applied to the payment of the State debts, should they be afl'umed by the United States. The motion on this queflion af ter considerable difcuiiion was put, when the House was equally divided—and the Speaker gave the catting vote in favor of the motion. The report of the Secretary of the Treasury relative to appropriations was referred to the committee on appropriations. Mr. Ames presented a memorial from the ma nufacturers of cordage in the town of Boston. A petition of Abraham Skinner late Commifl'ary General of prisoners, was read and laid on the table. A memorial ofGeorge Scriba,i» behalf ofhim felf and others, containing a proposal for purclia ling a tratft of land in the western territory, of not less than 3 or more than 4 millions of acres —at the rate of 20 cents per acre, was read arid referred to the Secretary of the Treasury. Mr. Stone introduced the following resolution, which was adopted, viz. That the Secretary of the Treasury be directed to lay before the House the amount of the impost and tonnage received in the several States, from the commencement of the collection to the 31ft December last. In committee of the whole House, on the re port of the Secretary of the Treasury—the as sumption of the State debts under confederation Mr. Madison's amendments co the original propo sition being read, the debate was renewed—His last proportion, viz. That the amount of the debts actually paid by any State to its creditors since rhe day of {hall be credited and paid to such State on the fame terms as shall be provided in the cafe of individuals—Mr. Smith (S. C.) moved should be amended, by inferring the words principal and iutireft —which after some debate was carried in the affirmative. The question on this amendment, as thus a inended, being taken, was negatived. . 1 The committee then rose—and the House ad- ■ - FROM THE CONNECTICUT JOURNAL. MESS'RS PRINTERS. THE writer, who, in your last paper, attempt ed to ridicule the pompous account of the Weltern Territory,has dealt so much bet ween jest and earned, thai one is in the event at a lols for his object. - ' Your readers may be pleased with a fine pic. ture, even though it have no original in nature, but when the proportions are horrid and impol ilble, they rnuft be disgusting—These anecdotes might figure among the Arabian Night's Enter tainment—but among us can never be entitled to a fymptoni of credibility. When Dives was in torment, lie kindly sent to lis brethren to lhift their course—happy for us, i the desperate settlers of the Georgian Terri tory were as humanely disposed. To people acquainted with new countries I need only observe, that with all poflible advantages from nature, the firft settlers inuft have a Ben jamin's mess of the curse of Adam, before they can receive the fruit of their labours. Deprived of the blessings of neighbourhood and social intercourse, at a diitance from markets, in constant fear from savages, they may pick straw berries larger than thole of Chili—may reflect that in the latitude of their lands lie many de lightful countries on the other Continent—Their imagination may represent, Age resuming Youth —all the Seasons resolved into one eternal Spring —the waters of a modern Bethefda, healing-with a prefer christian rapidityrr-the most painful dis orders flying at the firft draught—rivers clear as chryftal stocked \vith all kind of fifli—ihey may conceive of trees reaching far above the atmof phere,vmh diameters like the planet Mars—these bearing (pontaneoufly, all manner of fruits, in abundance, transcending calculation —A second and much improved edition of Eden may please their mendacious fancies, but call these poor wretched beings to their bitter, barren reality. Alas ! " The apprehension of the good gives but " the greater feelings to the worse ; —_ " WhocanJiolda fire in his hand by think-' '* ing on the frofty Caucasus ? or cloy the " hungry edge of appetite by bare imagi " nation of a feaft—" These t aging accounts have been foifted into public notice by the emissaries of land jobbers
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