11 Or to have sixty-six dollars and two thirds of a dollar funded
immediately, at a yearly interest of 6 percent; and thirty-three
dollars and one third of a dollar in an unfunded certificate, bear
ing an annual interest of fix per cent, payable at the option of the
holder, annually, in a funded certificate at a yearly interest of 6
per cent; or as soon as funds can be provided, in specie ; and that
the faith of Congress be pledged to fund as soon as poflible the un
funded certificate."
By this proportion, if Congrefi with for time to make their
arrangements, the creditor may either receive annually the inter
cft on the unfunded part of his debt in a funded certificate ; or,
if he prefers fpetie, he may wait till Congress can provide it. It
perhaps wtll befaid, this will increase thecapital ; but we have al
ready agreed to increale it by adding fifteen or twenty millions
of dollars due for interest, or that will be due before the periods
at whkh we are to fund the debt ; and as we have done this be
cause we cannot pay that interest, the fame reason exists for adopt
ing a fimilarmeafure with refpeft to the interest which may here
after accrue, and which we (hall not immediately provide to dis
charge. Within five years Mr. Gerrv supposed Congress would
be able to fund this unfunded part of the debt; and if no part
thereof (hould be received for lands, out the whole be subscribed
on the terms of this proportion, the capital of the debt would at
the end of five yeari be incrcafed but 5,393,124 dollars, and the
interest which would be paid during that period on the funded
certificates, to be ilfued for interest, would be but 808,920 dol
lars : in fucli an event there would be no irredeemable quality in.
any part of the debt, the disadvantages of which overbalanced in
the minds of the committee the advantages of reducing its capital,
as was evident from their vote yefteiday to lefleii the time of re
demption by increasing the capital.
The Secretary has justly reprobated every proposal that fhafl ap
ply to the neceflities, and not to the reason and interest of the cre
ditors. If the two propositions agreed to io not apply to the lat
ter, the neceflity of the one now offered to the committee must be
evident : if these propositions do apply, and arc acceptable to the
creditors, they will prefer them to this, which however will man
ifeft our desire to do them all poflible justice.
Mr. Gerry then said he was not so attached to the motion he
had made as not to give it up, if any gentleman would offer a bet
ter, to attain the definable object he aimed at. This he thought in
dispensable, because if we offered what we called an equivalent,
and not what the creditors (hould consider asl'ucb, the intended
loan would be acompulfory one, and, inflead ot supporting, would
tend to destroy the public credit.
Mr. Gerry's motion was seconded by Col. Bland, and laid on
the table. After the other propositions were palled, it was taken
up and debated, and as several gentlemen were much opposed to a
decision on such a proposition at so late an hour as three o'clock,
and at the end of the week, in the absence of a number of mem
bers it was withdrawn, that the committee might report, and
will probably be'brought forward in the House.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31.
the Manufacturers of Tobacco
in the cities of Philadelphia and New-York, rei
pe<fting an enhanced duty on manufactured To
bacco and Snuff were read.
The bill to regulate trade with the Indian
tribes was read the second time, and referred to
a committee of the whole houl'e, to be the order
of the day on Monday next.
The amendments of the Senate to the bill for
promoting the progrefi of ufeful arts were read.
Ameflagewas received from the Senate,inform
ing the House that they have palled an art to pre
vent the exportation of goods, not duly infpe<fted
accoiding to tbe laws of theleveral States.
In committee of the whole. The proposi
tion for the afliimption of the State debts under
consideration.
The debate was continued ; but no decision
took place, previous to the riling of the commit
tee.
Mr. Sedgwick of the committee, to whom was
re committed the bill to regulete theintercourfe
between the United States and foreign nations,
brought in a new bill, which was read the firft
time.
The Committee also reported the following re
solution, which was laid on the table.
Rel'olved, That the Secretary of State, be di
rected to report to the house, whether, in his o
pinion, it is expedient that the foreign and domes
tic branches of bufinels, in his department, should
be kept diftincfl ; and whether it is neceilary that
a chief clerk ihould be appointed for each.
THURSDAY, APRIL t.
The bill to regulate the intercourse between
the United States and foreign nations, was read
thefecond time, and referred to a committee of
the whole House, to be taken into consideration
on Thursday next.
Mr. Gilman of the joint committee of both hou
ses, appointed to examine the enrolled bills, re
ported, that the committee had examined the
bill for accepting the celfion of the claims of N.
Carolina to a certain diftricft therein described ,
also the bill to prevent the exportation of golds,
not duly infpecffed according to the laws of the
several States—and found them duly enrolled.
The Speaker affixed his signature to the above
bills.
Sundry petitions prefentedby Mr. Huntington,
and Mr. Lawrance were read, and referred to the
heads of departments.
The resolution, laid on the\ table yesterday,
refpecfting the Department of the Secretary of
State was taken up.
Some conversation ensued on this resolution lo
far as tlie idea of creating two departments was
contemplated by the resolution, it was, objedted
to—the mode of introducing the fubjecft before
the Honfe was said to be unparliamentary that
after a great deal of debate refpecling the ar
rangement of this department, a law had palled
for its organization—that the Secretary is empow
ered by the law to employ as many clerks as he
shall thinkproper—and in arranging the bnlinefs
if he finds it neceflary, that the falavy ot acleik,
liars
>end
one
► not
itive
7$ Of
i to
an
crc-
Adjourned.
to wliofe particular infpe<ftion,, particular parts
of the business is assigned, should be encreafed,
he will make a representation to the legislature
accordingly. '
Mr. Sedgwick observed, that nothing was fur
ther from his thoughts than creating two diftindt
departments—the committee had supposed that
a reference of this fubjed: to the Secretary of
State was a natural and eligible step; but how
ever, as gentlemen appeared to entertain -differ
ent feritimentsonthe business, he would with
draw the refolutibn.
In committee of the whole.- The propofi
tionfor the afl'umption of the State debts was de
bated this day, till after thre"e o'clock, when the
committee rose, without taking any vote on the
question.
A meflage was received from the President of
the United States by his Secretary—with the ra
tification by South-Carolina of the amendments
proposed by Congress to the constitution of the
United States. Adjourned.
FRIDAY, APRIL 2.
The member? of ihe Houlc atTembled this day attheufual hour
-but on account of its being Good Friday, adjourned till to
norrow, without doing bufinels.
PREMIUMS
Proposed by the Philadelphia Society, for promoting
Agriculture, for the year 1790.
[Continued from our laft.J
For the best information, the result of adlual
experience, for preventing damage to crops by
infers ; especially the Hellian fly, the wheat-fly,
or fly-weevil, the pea-bug, and the corn clinch
bug or fly,—a gold medal ; a silver medal for the
second best. To be produced by the 20th of De
cember, 1 790.
For an account of a vegetable food that may
be easily procured and preserved, and that bell
increases milk in cows and ewes, in March and
April, founded on experiment,—a gold medal ;
for the feond best, —a silver medal. Tobepro
duced by the tenth of January, 1791.
For the greareft quantity of ground, not less
than one acre, well fenced,producinglocuft trees,
growing in 1790, from feedfown after April sth,
1785 ; the trees to be of the fort used for polls
nnd trunnels, and not fewer than 1500 per acre,
—a gold medal—for thefecond, afilver medal.—
To be claimed in December, 1790.
The society believing that very important ad
vantages would be derived from the general use
of oxen, inltead ofliorfes, in husbandry and other
services ; and being desirous of facilitating their
introduction into all tliefe States —perluaded also
that the comparative value of oxen and cowsmuft
very much depend on the qualities of their fires
and dams ; and that by a careful attention to the
fubjedt, an improved breed may be obtained ;
they propose a gold medal for the best eflay, the
result of experience, on the breeding, feeding,
and management of cattle, for the purpose of ren
dering thein most profitable for the dairy, and
for beef, and molt docile aud ufeful for the
draught ; and for the next belt, a silver medal.—
To be produced by the iftof January, 1791.
N. B.—Among other things the eflay should
noticethe different breeds of cattle, and their com
parative qualities ; as their sizes, itrength, facility
in fattening, quantity of milk, &c.
NEW-YORK, APRIL 5.
We are informed that there will soon be pub
lished, an history of this, and the preceding ses
sion of Congress ; and that the objetf: of this his
tory will be to point out the 1110 ft intercftingquef
tions that have been debated, and to make iuch
remarks on the proceedings at large as wilHhew
the general complexion of public business. This
history will be rendered Angularly entertaining,
by furniihing a biographical account of the most
diftinguilhed characters in Congress ; and by in
veftigatingthe views and principles which appear
to have governed the debates.
A CORRESPONDENT.
To doubt the competency of the United States 1
to pay the interest of all their debts, is to
doubt a fa<ft which exists with better evidence for
its support, than any fa<st that can be cited with
refpeift to any civilized country upon earth.
It is to doubt of the ability of this people to
support its government. It is to doubt in a cafe,
where doubt is deftrutfion. It is to doubt the
existence of the body politic. It is to doubt the
wisdom of the great body of the people in adop
ting the constitution. It is to doubt the continu
ance of peace and domestic tranquility—in short
it is to doubt the existence of every principle of
honor and honesty, among the citizens of the
union. , . .
If such are the consequences of doubting only
in this cafe, what may not be expetfted should it
be positively aliened that the states are not wjl
lingto do justice to their creditors, and that their
funds are inadequate to paying their debts ? It
is to despair of the Commonwealth. It is to de-
407
VI.
VII
VIII
IX.
Clare a national bankruptcy. It is to advertise to
all the world that we are a nation of rogues. It is
to cut up our profpedts by the roots. It is to di
vert ourselves of allhopes of future credit ; either
at home or abroad. , It is to facrifice the interelts
of the most meritorious class of our citizens. It
operates as a premium for delinquency. It is re
warding thole who never put forth a finger in the
service and defence of the country. It is entire
ly crushing thole who have taken upon them the
burthens of patriotifin, and have thereby eman
cipated their country. It involves a dillolmion of
the social compact, and is proclaiming to the
world, " that there is rottennels in the State of
Denmark."
A correspondent observes that the zeal and in
dustry with which some persons endeavor to ex
cite a spirit ofjealoufy and hoftilitjfc, between the
general and state governments, are equally in
aufpicions to both—and altho the pretenders to
political merit, are many, yet a surplusage of
honesty and abilities, was never yet complained,
of in any country whatever. To deprive the
people of an opportunity to avail theinfelves of
the abilities of their best men, whatever appear
ance the measure may afl'ume, it will be found
injurious to their molt eflential interests.
Poflefling as the United States do, the eflen
tials of sovereignty, is it not degrading to the
highest degree, that the American Flag Ihould
not be unfurled upon terms of perfedl equality
in all quarters of the globe ? Poflefling such inex
haustible resources for fliip-building, is it not
mortifying that our produce, and raw materials
ftiould be exported from our shores, principally
in foreign bottoms ? What fir anger would not think
htmfdf in a Br'ttijb Port, when counting the Britijb
Flags in our Harbors ?
A Correspondent observes that facts prove the
fallacy of an opinion which has been induftri
otrfly difleminated by some persons, who are sup
posed not to be friendly to the New Government;
which is, that the reftdence of Cohgrefs In any
of our great commercial cities, would concenter
an influence in such place, that would tend to
destroy the equilibrium of the union—for it ap->
pears by authentic documents publiilied to the
world, that Philadelphia supports her superiori
ty to New-York in exports and imports, in the
amount of her import, and the number of her
Ihipping.
EXTRACT
Few, if any situations in life afford a lnore ex*
tensive field for diffufing good to the community
andmankind, than that in which an ingenious
and judicious Editor of a Newspaper is placed.
Knowledge being the feed of political, domeltic,
and moral happiness, hislabors inflrudtmillions,
and descend to future generations —he culls from
all authors and ages, from the living and dead
wisdom of the world. Newspapers are the book
of experience, they contain the most ufeful and
important information for all ranks and conditi
ons of men : And it is generally the cafe that a
total indifference,to this source of entertainment,
and inftrudtion is connected with great insensi
bility, great ignorance,or consummate vanity. I
have known some characters who piqued them
selves on this indifference—and who at the fame
time precipitated themselves into the most absurd
situations, for want of that knowledge which this
medium would have supplied.
for the gazette of the united states.
FABLE,
ONCE on a time, as authors tell.
The freftiets made a river swell ;
The River, as the story goes,
All the surrounding banks overflows ;
The only neighboring spot of high-land,
Was soon converted to an island,
Thence, from their holes and burrows routed)
A motly tribe for fafety scouted—
There common danger leagu'd in peace,
Dogs, cats and rats, and fox and geese ;
Who, while the flood around them rose,
Forgot they ever had been foes : —
But when the ground was clear of rain—
Were cats and rats, and dogs again ;
All found their fafety in their flight,
" And bid civilities good night."
Thus 'tis with States—when dangers nigh
" Unite, zee live—divide, we die"—
The North and South in concert Join,
And public good's the grand design—
But when peace comes on downy wing,
And poets halcyon ages sing ! —
Those States coop'd up in legislature,
(The example don't exist in nature)
Opposing interests abound,
And there the heal charge goes found.
" Aristides" cametoo late for this days paper-—and as his
fubjett has been decided on, we think it would be unseasonable;
but Oiould be very happy to enrich the Gazette by future com
munications.
Jult published, by
CAREY, STEWART, AND COMPANY,
No. 111, of the Vllth volume of
The American M U S E U M,
OR , *
UNIVERSAL MAGAZINE,
And to be fold by THOMAS ALLEN, No. 13, Queen -St r eet,
where fubforiptions are received, 1 Pol, and halt pr. an.
ARRIVALS SINCE OUR LAST. NEW YORK.
Brig St. George, Oporto,
Sloop Cynthia, Rogers, St. Martin».