That in every inftanec of credit, at Icaft one quarter part of the confederation shall be paid down, and security, other than the land iifelf, shall be required for the residue, And that no title (Hall be given for any tractor part of a purchase beyond the quantity for -which the confederation shall be e&ually paid. That the residue of tie tra& or trails set apart for the fubfetibers to the proposed loan, which (hall not have been located within two years after the fame shall have been set apart, may then be fold on the fame terms as any other laud. That the commiflioners of each subordinate office shall have the management of all tales, and the ifTuing of warrants for all loca tion? in the tra&s to be i#t apart for the accommodation ot indivi dual settlers, fubjeft to the niperintendency of the commiflioners of the general land-ojfue,who may also commit to them the manage ment of any other (alesoi locations which it may be found expe dient to place under their diretlion. That there shall be a surveyor-general, who shall have power to appoint a deputy surveyor general in each of the weflern govern ments, and a competent number of deputy surveyors to execute in pcrfon all warrants to them directed by the surveyor general or deputy furvcyor-gent rals within certain diftrifts to be afligned to them rcfpettively. That the furvevor-general shall alio have in charge all the duties committed to the geographer-general by the several resolutions and ordinances of Congref's. That all warrants at the general land-office shall be signed by the commiflioners, or such one of them as they may nominate "for that purpose, and shall be dire&ed to the surveyor-general. That all warrants issued at a fuboidinate office, shall be signed by the commiflion«i3 of such office, or by such one of them as they may nominate f< r tnat purpose, and lhall be dire&ed to the de puty surveyor-general within the government That the priority of locations upon warrants shall be determined by the times of the applications to the deputy-surveyors : and in cafe of two applica tions for the fame land at one time, the priority may be deter mined by Jot. That theTreafurer of the United States shall be the receiver of all payments for sales made at the general land-office,and may also receive deposits money or securities for purchases intended to be made at the subordinate offices, his receipts or certificates fcr which shall he teceived in payment at those offices. That the secretary of each of the western government, shall be the receiver of all payments arising from tales at the office of such government. That controversies concerning rights to patent* or grants of land, shall be determined by the commissioners of that office, un der whose immediate aireftion or jurifdiftion the locations in Tefpcft to which they may arise shall have been made. That the completion of all contra&s and sales heretofore made, shall be under the dire&ion of the commitlimicrs of tht general land-office. That the commissioners of the general land-Office, furvevor ge neral, deputy surveyors general, and the commiflloners of the land office in each of the western governments, (hall not purchase, nor shall others purchase for them in trust, any public lands. That the secretaries of the western governments shall give secu rity for the faithful execution of their duty, as receivers of the land-office. That all patents shall be signed by the President of the United States, or by the Vice-President or other officer of government act ing as President, and shall be recorded in the office either of the surveyor-general, or ot the clerk of the fuprcme court ot the Uni ted States. That all surveys of land shall be at the expenceof the purchasers 01 grantees. That the fees shall not exceed certain rates to be fpecificd in the law, affording equitable compensations for the fervicesef the sur veyors, and eltablifhing reasonable and cuflomary charges lor pa tents and other office papers, for the benefit of the United States. That the commiffioncrs of the general land-office, (hall, as soon as may be, from tune to time, cause all the rules and regulations which they may cftabhfh to be publifhcd in one gazette, at least in each state, and in each of the western governments where there is a gazette, for the information ot the citizens of the United States. Regulations like these will define and fix the mod edential par ticulars which can regard the disposal of the western land*, and where they leave any thing to discretion, will indicate the general principles or policy intended by the legislature to be observed, for a conformity to which the commiflioners will, of course, be icfponfible. They will at the fame time leave room for accom modating to circwmftances which cannot beforehand be accurate ly appreciated, and for varying the course of proceeding as expe rience shall suggest to be proper, and will avoid the danger of those obftrufiions and embarrailmeuis in the execution, which would be to be apprehended from an endeavour at greater precision and more cxzCi detail. All which is humhl\ [übmillci-, ALEXANDER HAMILTON, Secretary oj the Tieajury CONGRESS. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FRIDAY, JULY 23^ Debats on the Amendment of the Senate to the Fund- itig Billy to affttme a part of the State Debts. MR. JACKSON moved that the amendment of the Senate reipcdting the AfTumption of the State debts, should be dif- agrted to. In fuppoitofhis motion he said, it is with great relu&ance I rile again on the question before tiic house. A measure which has not only agitated this legiilature, but has more or lefcconvulfeii the whole people ot the United States. It has elated speculators and state irckets, wh'ilft it has tieprtficd three fourths of the ho nest part of the community. It has held out alluring profpe&s and fortunes to the one, whiift it has blasted and withered the just cxpe&ations of the other. It has, in short, been the centre pin ot visionary projectors and intereftcd men, whilst its future effe&s have been viewed with horror by difmterefted minds. To give a history of th:s important qucftion, for important, however wicked, it certainly is, would be to tax Congress with the mofi extreme inconsistencies; repeatedly hasthe question been decided, and repeatedly negatived, and as the principle was firft originated without reference, the fameftubborn disposition is man lfeft, notwithstanding the repeated determinations of the house. The forms of Proteus have been affumcd, and the forms of Pro true have been iet'ca.ced here, but a new fhapc is not still wanting tc aid riie pcrfeverance of the East. The Senate of the United States, a power not know 11 to, nor chosen by, the people, have to load the citizens ot the United States with an enor mous debt. I will rot appeal to the paflions; but I rail on the house, as the representatives of the people, as the guardians of their liber ties, to refill this encroachment on their conftiluents rights, they "vw U1 expeit it, a..d if the principle is eftublifhcd: at present, there is no knowing to what lengths it may be carried in future. As well might the Senate under color of an amendment, have iulcrted the whme funding system, in an appropriation bill, as have infer cd this new principle in the law before the house. It may be ad vanced, that it is no money bill, tkat there are no ways and means, no taxes or burthens imposed on the people. To intcreiled men, and perlons wpo would not look beyond the furface, this reafon nig might appear just; but I would ask if the taxes and burth ns, the ways and means mud not follow—pafs this principle in the law, and the public faith is bound ; neglett to provide for it, and you lay the government open to mfult. But, Sir, fettiug,this encroachment of the Senate from our view for the prcfent moment, I have no objection to conlider the ques tion on its own merits. Nothing which I have yet heard has con vinced me of its propriety. The accumulation of an immense debt ought to be founded in more than perfcverance for i's basis ; it ought to have jullicc for its ground work, and policy for its lu* perftrufture. The question of justice h3* been subservient to both fides of the house ; but the great rules, the leading features of justice have not been answered, if they have been attempted. Where, I again de mand is the justice of compelling a (late which has taxed her citi zens for the finking her debt, to pay another proportion not of her own, but the debts of other States, which have made no exertions whatever ? If this AfTumption had taken place at the eonclufion of the war, the principle would have been more jnft than at prcfent, because none of the States had made exertions to relieve themselves from debt, and they were nearer on an equality, but even then it would not hjve been on peifefl terms of luftice, the situations of the state, and the xr charges, were not the fame. But fir, supposing the accounts fettled at the elofe of the war ; how would ihe expences of the war have been proportioned, not agreeably to the present ratio of representation, will be allowed me, how then ? Why, by of existing requisitions or near ly so, and Georgia, would have paid the one ninetieth part of the whole debt, whereas at pufent, the is bound for the one twenty second. But now, fir, even the ratio of representation is to be overleaped by the present of the AfTumption, and by a calculation of the quota, (he will pay upwards of 600,000 dollars more than (he will be benefited by. New-Hampshire and Geor gia ought to receive, if a just quota was allowed as the 65th part of the 21,000,000, 992,307 dollarseach—they are, by the system before the house to receive but 306,000 dollarseach, which makes a deficiency of 692.307 dollars and lome cents of their proportion of the amount which is to benefit other States, and the c i izens ot New-Hampfh«re and Georgia are to pay it. Can this house ex pect that they will quietly submit to it. If the citizens of New- Hampfhirc are disposed to be easy under the imposition, I do not believe the citizens of the state 9f Georgia will be contented.— Let us examine some of the other States. Maflachufetts is to re ceive of the sum 4,000,000 ; her just quota of the sum would be *,646.153 dollars or thereabouts, enjoying an excess in her favor of 1,353,846 dollars. South Carolina has still a greater excefs,flic is to receive 4,000,000 ; her quota of the sum would be 1,653,846 dollars and some cents ; thecxcefs in her favor will be 2,3461,53 dollars. North Carolina has an excess of 746.153 dollars, where (he has not asked it, and when the State and her representatives are averse to the mcafure. What, fir, I will ask, is this for ? Is it by way of gift, or douceur ? I know her representatives to be too honest, too ftcady to their trust, to be bribed. Georgia and New-Hampftiire are however not the only states whiah will fuf fer, New-Yolk and Maryland will likewile be injured. The former is to reccive 1,200.000 ; herjuft qnota would be 1,904,615 dollars, there will be a deficiency therefore of 784,615 dollars. The deficiency of Maryland is much greater, ftie is to receive but 800,000, and the deficiency from the amount of her just quota will be 1,184.615 dollars. One state (Pennsylvania) has a million allowed her above the amount of her debt. So that some of the ftatts are to be double, and some treble taxed, for the benefit of others. I will here. Sir, appeal to the fame moral sense with the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Ames) to the fame rettitnde of the heart, and Lwill confidently demand from him, if yt»u can impose this burthen on the States, and call it equality, if you can, adopt the AflTumption and call it justice. I consider the state which made exertions, as I mentioned on a former day, to have paid off so much of its proportion of these debts, whether called the debts of the States, or the debss of the Union. II state debts, the state ought to pay the debts of other ftatcs ; if they are the debts of tl.e Union, then has the state which has exerted ltfelf and paid off its own debt, contributed to its pro poitiou,and ought not to pay a second time. A gentleman Irom Conncftirut has analized the argument in favor of the measure. As I think them of as much weight as any that have been advanced, I will notice a Jew of them, as well as my small ability will permit. That gentleman's fitft argument is, that the debts were contracted on behalf and for the benefit of the United States, and that therefore justice requires they ftiould beaffumcd. On this principle, the gentleman has endeavored to prove that the debts are of the fame nature, and in fa£t the debts of the Un'ted States. The very term, however, which he uses, of date debts, must convince htm they are so ; his explanation with a gentleman from M jflachufctts (Mr. Gerry.) why they were not mfrrted in the conflitution, has cqnvinced me that they were not as the debts of the Union bythe Convention. That Con vention met, and the Constitution was formed, for the redoration of public credit, and if the (late debts were a part of the debt of the Union, provision would have been made for ihem. But, fir, if the convention had 110 power to insert them in the conflitution, whence all our powers are derived : Neither, Sir, have we a pow er under that Constitution to provide for the payment of them : Neither arethofe debts of the fame nature-with that of the United States. The fame fcrutinizingeye hath not pervaded the refpec nve dates. Some dates in expe&ation of being the paymaderj themselves, have dealt with a rigid parsimony, others ha\e been as extravagantly liberal. Some have allowed regiments of olfi ceisto their militia without men, whtlll others have'reducejl their officers to a grinding situation. Some have allowed large boun ties and pay, as has been the cafe with some of the States who complain mod, whilst others have scarcely allowed bounty or pay at all. Many of the chargcs of individual states would be rejettcd, whilst others which the dates have rejeficd would be al lowed. The difference is verv great, and as cleai as the day, and none but intereftcd individuals can prevent difeerntng it. 7'o be, continued. WEDNESDAY, JULY 28. THE bill for the relief of disabled soldiers and {eamen, and other perrons lately in the service of the United States, was palled. A bill to fatisfy the claims of Thomas Barclay was reported, read the firft and second time, and ordered to be engrofled for a third reading. A bill to continue the adl for the temporary eftablifliment of the Poft-Office, was read the firft and second time. The house took into consideration the amend ments of the Senate to the Collection Bill, and agreed to the fame. THURSDAY, JULY 29. The bill for the temporary establishment of the Polc-Ouice, and the bill to compensate the fer 542 vices ofThomas Barclay,were-read t&e third time and pafied. Mr, Steele of the committee appointed amine into thff proceedings of the fevtral SMtti on the fubjed* of the Amendments proposed bywH CongreJ's to the Conllitution of the United reported, in fubltance as follow— - New-Hampshire ami New-Yoik accepted all tl.e articles but thelecond. Pennsylvania palled over in silence the lirfl ami fecoud articles—and accepted the reft. Delaware postponed thefirfV article. Mary land, South and North Carolina, and Rhode-((land, ratified the whole.—So that it hp. pears the fir It article has been agreed to by fix States—the lecond by five—and all the others bv eight. A report on the memorial of Mrs- Greene, wi dow cf the late Major Gen. Greene, was read. A petition of Joseph Miller of Philadelphia was read, Hating that he has established a Manu factory of Gunpowder in the State ofPennfyl. vania, in which, by proper encouragement, a (ufficient quantity of that article may be manu factured lor the use of the United States—and praying the patronage of Congress. Mr. Vining moved that the motion of Mr.Blood worth for leave ro bring in a Bill to repeal the sth feiftion ot the Residence Law, should be taken into consideration. Mr. Bloodworth wished the motion might be suspended. lie said that he did not mean to call it up to day—and therefore had not prepared himfelf toilate his reafims fully for introducing Mr. Vining observed, that the motion was in pollellion of the house, and any member had a right to call it up. Mr Lawrance contended that it was very ex traordinary that a motion brought forward by one gentleman should be called up by another, contrary to the wish of the member who made it. He thought it was contrary to the rules of the House. Some further altercation ensued, in which Mr. Vining, Mr. Gerry, Mr. Bloodworth, and Mr. Lee spoke. Mr. Bloodworth finally withdrew his motion for the present. A meflage was received from the Senate inform ing the house chat they have agreed to some, and dilagreed to others of the amendments proposed by the house to the amendments of the Senate to the Funding Bill. The house after some debate receded from their amendments, and agreed to those of the Senate. The bill has now pafled both houses. Thein terefl on Indents, and on one third of the State Debts is fixed at three pr. ccnt. pr. ann. The firic article of disagreement was in refpetfc to the time when interest lhall commence on the deferred pare of the principal— Ihe honfe pro posed leven years—the Senate adhered to ten. The motion for receding was opposed by Mes sieurs Lawrance, Gerry, Ames and Seney—and supported by Mr. Sedgwick, Fitzfimons, Sherman, Williamfon, Stone and Lee—and on the question Mr. Lawrance called for the Ayes and Noes, which are as follow— MeflTrs Alhe, Baldwin, Brown, Burke, Cadwal lader," Carroll, Clymer, Fitzfimons, Floyd, Gale, Goodhue, Griffin, Grout, Hartley, Heillci',Huger, Huntington, Lee, Leonard, Livermore. JVluhlen berg, Partridge, Scot, Sedgwick, Sherman, Sin nickfon, Smith, (S. C.) Stone, Thatcher, Tucker, Vining, Wynkoop, Willianifon. 33. NOES. Mefl'rs Ames, Benfon, Bloodwortli, Contee, Foster, Gerry, Gilman, Hathorne, Jack on, Lawrance, Madison, Mathews, Moore, Page, barker, Renfellaer, Schureman, £>eney, Sevier, Sylvelter, Smith (M.) Steele, Sturges, Sumpter, Trumbull, White 27. The next article of disagreement was the inter est on Indents—The house propoled four per cent. Ihe Senate adhered to their proposition for three. The motion for receding was deter mined by Ayes and Noes, as follow, viz. AYES. Mefl'rs Afhe, Baldwin, Brown, Burke, Cadwal lader, Carroll, Clymer, Fitzfimons, F'loyd, Gale, Goodhue, Grout, Hartley, Heifter, Huger, Hun tington, Lee, Leonard, Livermore, P. Muhlen berg, Partridge, Schureman, Scot, Sedgwick, Sherman, Sylvester, Sinnickfon, Smith, (S. C.) Stone, Thatcher, Tucker, \VilliamfonjWynkoop. 33; NOES. MellrsAmes, Benfoii, Bloodworth, Coles,Con tee, toller, Gerry, Gilman, Griffin, Hathorne, Jacklon, Lawrance, Madiion, Matthews, Moore, Page, Parker, Renfellaer, Seney, Sevier, Smith (M.) Steele, Sturges, Sumpter, Trumbull, Vining, White 21. Similar amendments followed of course in ref pecftto the aflumed part of tlie debt—which were agreed to.—Previousto which, Mr. Parker moved ihat the further confideratdon of theamendirients to the Funding Bill, should be deferred to the next feihon This motion was determined not to be ip order. Adjourned. AYES. * » • ' ' v 4
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