war, with all her slaves, backward in her refiftane td Great-
Britain ? View rhecomlu&ot her citi/.cns, their zeal and ardor in
thecaufeof liberty; their valor at Fort Sullivan. Are crimes
anore frequent in that country than in the other States ? Are there
more executions ? I believe there have been as few as in any part
of the continent, and tbofe which have taken place have been ge
nerallyof emigrant convifls or fugitive wheelbarrow men ; he
would be bold to airert that in no State on the continent was there
more order, sobriety and obedience to good government; more
indultry and frugality ; nor was there any trace of the influence
of slavery on the charader of her citizens.
The French so far from curbing and cramping the African trade
with needless regulations, give large premiums upon every ne
gro landed on their islands ; in some instances as much as 200 li
vres per head. Is that nation more debaftd than others? Are
J hey not a polished people, (enfible of the rights of mankind, and
by proper sentiments of humanity f The Spaniards en
tourage slavery ; they are people of the nicest honor, proverbially
io. The Romans and Greeks had Haves, and are not their glorious
achievements held up as incitements to gteat and magnanimous
a&ior.s pSparta teemed with slaves at the tune of her greatest fame
as a valiant republic. The absolute power of the Lacedemonians
over the Helotes is frequently spoken of by the ancient writers ;
they were not only the slaves of the commonwealth, but of every
individual, they could not be set at liberty, neither could they be
fold ; hence arose a faying, that a free man at Sparta was moll a free
man, and a slave molt a flavc.
The system of the Roman policy with regard to slavery was still
Tnore severe : Slaves were not even under the protection of the
>»ws ; they <vere considered as things, inter res. A mailer merely
*rom capr.ce might torture, dismember, and even murder his
•slave. If a slave did any damage exceeding his value, he was de
livered to the person injured, who did with him what he pleased.
Yet these slaves were of the fame color as their mailers, and equal
to them in mental faculties ; many of them were men of great
Jearning, philosophers, poets, &c. Much had been said of the cru
el treatment of slaves in the Weft-Indies and the Southern States;
with refpefl to the l?tter, he denied the fa£l from experience and
accurate information, and believed in his conscience that tht
slaves in South-Carolina were a happier people than the lower or
der of whites in many countries he had vifiteo. With regard to
the Weft-Indies, Lord Rodney and Admiral Barnngton had both
declared that they had spent some time in the Weft-Indies, and
that they had never heard of a negro being cruelly treated ; that
they had often spoken of their happiness in high terms, declaring
that they ihould rejoice exceedingly if the Englilh day-labourer
was half as happy.—Some have Caid that slavery was unnecessary :
so far from it that several essential manufa&ures depended on it.
Indigo, cochineal and various other dying mateiials, which were
the produce of the Weft-Indies could only be raised by slaves :
the great staple commodities of the South would be annihilate
without the labor of flaves.—lt was well known that when the
African slaves were brought to the coast for sale, it was customary
to put to deatth all those who were not fold ; the abolition of the
flavc trade would therefore cause the maflatre of the people.
The crucl mode of transportation was another motive to this
abolition ; but it was to be presumed that the merchants would so
far attend to their own interests as to prefervc the lives and the
health of the (laves on the paflaze—all voyages mud be attended
•with inconveniencies, and thofefrom Africa to America, not more
than others. As to their confinement on board, it was no more
than was necefTary; as to the fmallnefs of space alloted them, it
was more than was allowed to foldicrs in a camp ; for the mea
surement of cubical air breathed by the Africans compared with
/hat of foldiersin a camp, was in favor of the former as thirty lo
fevcntcen ; it was full as much as was allotted in ships of war to
seamen who by the laws of England were frequently on their re
turn to their families after a long and dangerous voyage, seized by
violence, hurried away by a press-gang, and forccd on another
•voyage more tedious and perilous than the firft to a hot and sickly
climate, where fcveral hundreds of them were flowed away in the
"hold of a vessel. In cases of disobedience the Captain had a right
for flight to inflict on them corporal punishment without
the intervention of a court martial, and in other cases they are pun
ifhableby very feverclaws, executed by martial courts, eftabliftied
for that purpose. The fame may be obfei ved of the foldicrs, who
were frequently flogged severely for trifling offences ; inflances
have been known of their being put under the care of a surgeon,
after receiving a small part of the intended flagellation, to rtfy
them for the residue.
Having thus removed the force of the observations which have
fccen advanced against the toleration of flavcry by a inifguided and
misinformed humanity, I shall only add, that 1 disapprove of the
-whole of the report; bccaufe it cither ftatcsfomc power fufficicnt
ly expressed in the constitution which is unneccflary, or it sets
forth some power which lam clear Congrcis don't polTefs. The
concluding paragraph is an extraordinary one. In what mode
are the memorialists to be informed of our humane dispositions ?
Are we to fend a special committee to inform them ? Or istheSpeak
er to write them a letter, or the Serjeant at Arms with the mace to
wait on them ? In short, Mr. Chairman, the whole of this busi
ness has been wrong from begining to end, and as one falfe step
generally leads toothers, so has the hasty commitment of these
memorials involved us in all this confufion and embarrassment.
I hope therefore if any kind of report is agreed to, it will be
Something like that proposed by my colleague.
SATURDAY, APRIL 10
The bill providing for the punishment of certain crimes against
the United States, was read the third time, and pafied to be
ena&ed.
The report of the Secretary of the Treasury on the memorial of
the Baron de Steuben, was read the second time, and made the
order of the day for next Mojiday week.
A meflage was received from the President of the United States,
by his Secretary, informing the houfc that the a£l tor the en
couragement of ufeful arts has received his assent.
The order of the clay on the bill to regulate trade and inter
course with the Indian tribes, being called for, the house went in
to a committee of the whole—the bill was read.
Mr. Scot offered a few general observations on the fubje&, and
•after pointing out the importance of competent regulations to se
cure the peace of the frontiers, and to irnprefs the minds of the
Indians with friendly sentiments towardsthe people of the Uttitcd
States, said, that to effect these important objetts great care &jid
information are necessary in order to forming an adequate fyf
tem —the bill did not come up to his ideas fully—he therefore
fiiggefted the propriety of fending the bill to the senate—who not
being cfowded with business just now, would have time to form
a more perfect plan, than the house has time to.
A motion was made that the committee should rife, but this
being objected to, the motion was withdrawn.
The firft paragraph in the bill provides for the appointment of
a fuperintendant who is to be a military officer.
It was moved that tiie clause which contains this reftrittion
Should be llruck out.
The motion was supported by the following observations : It
was said to infringe the power of\hc JPrcfident, and in that -iew
is unconstitutional—that it may coumerafl the essential interefls of
the people, by precluding the Prefideut from appointing perhaps
the rnoft proper character in the United States. That persons in
civil life may be found fully competent to the bufmels, many
such pofTefs a perfett knowledge ot Indian affairs. The military
duty of an officer is fufficient to engage his attention—but this'bill
will convert him into a mere trader and speculator. Further it
was said, that it blended the civil and military charatters which is
unconstitutional.
In objcft'on to the motion it was observed t'nat a mi1.,1..ry cii-i
---ra&er is the mod fuitablc, being amenable to a court martial, and
therefore the mod eafilv called to accdunt, that they will proba
bly have the greatest influence with the Indian?. As to the con
stitutionality of the quellion, it is evident that the Frefident and
Senate arc reftriflcd in their appointments ol officer! to leveral o
ther departments. The Attorney" General invilt be a perlon learn
ed in the law, or, in other words a lawyer, &c. and as it is not
to be expefked that any person would be contented to go and rc
fide in the Indian country, who is debarred Irom carrying on all
commerce as is contemplated by the bill, it follows tbat militar)
officers are the only proper charaflers to be appointed.
Mr. Scott propoftd a full substitute for the clause under debate
which induced a motion for the committee to rife and report pro
gress, which motion was cairied in the affirmativ-.
Mr. Fitzlimons then irfovcd that the committee of the whole
ffiould be discharged from any further conlideration of the bill,
and that it be recommitted to a Teleft committee—after considera
ble debate this motion was negatived.
Mr. Bcnfon proposed a resolution in lieu of th: offered yester
day by Mr. Smith of South-Carolina for appointing .1 committee
to ascertain the time when the President, Vicc-f rejident, Senate
and Representatives commenced their refpe&ive offices, £lc.
Mr. Livennore objefled to the appointmcn ot any committee,
he said every gentleman may fatisfy himfdf by looking at his rom
miffion. If we choose such a committee, it will be thought that
our dcf.gn is to piotrafl our existence as the long parliament did.
Other gentlemen alio obje&ed. .
Mr. Benfon and Mr. Smith of South-Carolina explained their
motives in bringing forward the motion, ditfeient fentim'nts were
entertained, some iuppofed the two years commenced in Decem
ber others in March. Some gentlemen's commifiions are dated
alter March. Various opinions are entertained on the fubjeit.
and to prevent confufion, it appears necessary that Congress lhould
decide the matter—no other'body is competent to it.
Mr. Burke and Mr. Williamfon fpakc against the motion,
Mr. Sedgwick was in favor of the resolution fur appointing a
committer.
Mr. Gerry moved a refolutiou a little different from the last.
The difcufiion was not finifhed when the house adjourned.
MONDAY, APRIL 12.
Thecommittee of conference 011 the disagree
ment between the two houses refpedlingan amend
ment proposed by the Senate, to the bill for the
remifiion offines, penalties and forfeitures in cer
tain cases, having come to no accommodation as
stated in our last. It was moved, that the house
ftiould adhere to their disagreement.
This motion occasioned some debate. The vote
beingtaken it was carried in the affirmative.
On motion of Mr. Lawrance, the House went
into a committee of the whole on the report of
the Secretary of the Treasury, for making provi
fion for the support of the public credit.
The proposition for the assumption of the State
debts was read.
Mr. Sherman observed that the making pro
vision for the support of the public credit, is an
objecfl of the greatest importance. He was sorry
that the committee appeared to be so much divi
ded on the fubjeft.
The friends of the government were very ge
nerally concerned in effe<flu3l provisions' being
made for the pay inentof the public debts—and the
people in genefal he coiKeived were very much
interested in the decilions that shall take place.
He then entered into aconfideration of the as
sumption of the State debts, and recapitulated
the mast important observations in favor of the
measure that had been made in the former dif
cufiion of this business. He noticed particularly
the objections that had been urged from the im
probability of the accounts between the United
States and individual States beinjr ever fettled.—
»
Hefaid if the accounts are never to be fettled, this
is as strong a reaf'on as can be urged in favor of
afluir>ingth6fe debts, which had been contracted
for the general defehce. He could conceive of
no difference between debts, all of which had been
contracted for the fame purposes. Iftheacoeunts
are not to be fettled, justice seems to require that
the debts Ihould be made a general charge, and
the whole mass paid out of the common stock.
But he could not agree to the idea that the ac
counts would never be fettled. He then advert
ed to the arrangements which had been made by
the Congress under the old Confederation—the
progress that had been made—and the pradUca
bility of finifhing the business. Heconcluded by
faying that he thought it wife and just—and that
it would meet the approbation of the public in ge ■
neralto afl'ume the liquidated debts of the States.
Mr. White observed, that he conceived gen
tlemen had taken up this business on wrong prin
ciples. He then Hated what he thought the pro
per grounds on which the fubjecfl ought to be dif
cufled. He adverted to the principles which he
had before advanced refp?d;ing a previous settle
ment of accounts. He juftified the conduct of
members in advocating the intereftof their seve
ral States—the general interest can perhaps be
promoted 110 other way. Virginia thinks it a
gainst her interest to afl'ume the debts. Maflachu
fetts thinks it her interest that they should be as
fumed-—here can be no charge of local ideas
without a recrimination.
He then adverted to certain obfcrvations which
had been made refpecfting the eastern States, re
ceding from the Union—He could not suppose
the eastern States would find their interest in se
parating : But he thought it as proper to attend
to what would be the effetf: in cafe the debts are
afl'umed. He mentioned the proposed duties as
exceptionable, and theexcife in particular would
be very unpopular. Some petitions have already
been presented. It has been said, that aflump
tion would facilitate the settlement of accounts,
he thought the contrary would be the confequencp
Individuals would then be at ease. Another ob
418
jeftion is that it will eucreafe ilie ]>ul>li c debt—
which will lead to sanguinary laws— One law al
ready palled is tinged with blood, merely on at
count of theprofpect ofencreafing the evi<l encei(
of debt—We have made forgery death—which is
contrary to the maxims ofour ancettbrs. I n
land it was considered only as a mifderneanor
till the enormous addition to their debts took
place. Upon the whole he thought th-aH'mnn
tion a liieafure that would not meet the approb's"
tion of a majority of the people—and on«lit not
to take place.
Several other gentlemen spake on the occasion
—and various motions were offered to modify the
proposition—but they were all rejected— and the
queltion for the afl'umption being put was nega
tived—thirtyone votingagainll— andtwenty nine
in favor of the proposition.
After the question relative to the afTumption
of the (late debts had pafled in the negative,
Mr. Sedgwick rofeandfaid, I now consider the
question of the aflumption as ultimately neiraiiv.
ed. We are then in my opinion in a ITtuation
molt solemn and serious. In the name of thepeo
pce of Mallachuletts, who have honored me with
a feat in this house—in whose behalf my col
leagues and myfelf have unitedin representing
their fervjee? and fufTerings, do I addrefsyou—We
have demanded jultice—we have implored the
compallion of the representatives ot the people of
America, to relieve from the prefl'ure of intole
rable burdens—burdens incurred in support of
your freedom and independence. Our demands
and our entreaties have both been ineffectual.
Feeling as I do, on this important occasion, I
(hall Hand juftified to myfelf, and I truss to the
candor of every other gentleman, in what lam
about to declare : During the war, the govern
ment of Maflachufetts, the corporations and the
people all united in (training every nerve in sup
port of the common cause. To the remembrance
of every friend ofhis country, I-appeal. Toyour
public officers, and to the men conversant in the
tranfacftions of that day of anxiety and distress, I
appeal, for the evidence of that noble and difin
terelted enthusiasm, of those exertions and ser
vices, which were then as important as was your
efcapefrom slavery. Exertions and services which
were then acknowledged ; and however they may
be now forgotten,, or disregarded without, be
lieve me they will long be remembered within
that llate. Is there a man who does not believe
the exertions of Mafl'achufetts, compared with her
ability, were at least equal to thole of any of the
states? This has not, and 1 presume will not be
denied; was she less frugal! It is not pretended.
Does it not then follow, irreliltably, that the ex
cess of her debt must have been contraded for
national purposes ? Is there any one who fuppotes
that what they denominate the national debt, can
be securely funded, without invading thole ob
jects ot revenue, which are now appropriated for
the support of public credit, in that Itate ? Can
it be believed that the government or the people
there will voluntarily submit to facrifice the in
terelts of 20,000 men who adventured their lives
and eitates in the common cause ? Shall the iivlt
operations of this government which I fondly
hoped would move on national ground, andre
gulate its conduift by enlarged and liberal poli
cy, be the impoverifhnient offuch, and so man/
honest, confiding citizens.
Independent of the aflumption, there is not,
in my opinion the least reason to believe a fettle.
ment of the accountsof the individual states with
Lhe United States will over take place. The of
fer of justice 011 that contingency, is therefore,
little more than pretence on one fide, and lean
afliire gentlemen is felt to be little less than mocK
ery on the other—all these things make a deep
impreflion, nor will they easily be erased from the j
memory. It only remains, that 1 express direct- |
ly the purpose for which I rofc, which was to
warn, solemnly warn, gentlemen of the dan
gerous consequences, in the progress oftliis b:
finefs, of invading those funds which are P' eo '' |
cupied by that Oate. Let them then proceed and
fee whether without such violent and utijnft /
vafioii, it will be pratfticable to procure the nece f
fary-objetfls of revenue.
The committee then rose.
Mr. Gerry proposed a refolotion, that that
part of the Secretary's Report relative to the State
debts, be referred to a committee to consist of' v
member from each State. , . t
This motion was laid on the table for further
consideration, agreeable to therules of the hou e.
Adjourned. '
TUESDAY, APRIL 13
Sundry petitions were read, and refene
the heads oi' departments ; Mr. Vining 0
Committee appointed to bring in a bill to ena
the Secretary of Stare to appoint an
Clerk in his office reported the draught or a '
which was read. • I
A nieffage was received from the Sena.-
forming the House that they adhere to t .£! r 'j r
posed amendmentto the bill, for the rcmi
mitigation of fifies penalties and forfeit™ esi
tain cases
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