in convention the question was taken for ftiike
jng out the penalty, only 7 or 8 -members rose in
favor of it.—But he thought this proportion im
properly added to the firft amendment, and wiih
ed it might be withdrawn, till the question whe
ther the exemptions should be made by the states
or by the general government is determined.
Mr. Madison, replied to Mr. Smith, he said
that; he conceived his motion a proper amend
stent at this place—as the gentleman from Con
nec r ticut only moved that the exemptions made
by the feverul states should be faniftioned by the
general government :—but it is conceded that
this exemption is not made by the federal itates,
and therefore ought to be here fpecified. He
said he ftiopld acquiesce in an equivalent—iho
he would prefer a gratuitous exemption.
THURSDAY, Dec. 2?.
Tk: Amendments to tht Militia Bill under consider-
The fubje<st of exemptions was further difctif
fed this day.
Mr. Madison withdrew for the present his pro
position in favor of persons religiouily fcrupulaus
of bearing arms. The question then was, whe
ther the power of exempting fliould be exclusive
ly vefled in Congress, or be exercised partly by
the several States.
The question being called for, Mr. Stone moved
that it should be divided, and the queltion for
striking out the words " except as herein after
excepted," in order to admit the proposed a
lnendrnent,being pur, was negatived—the fubtli
tute was fuperce'ded of course.
Mr. Moore proposed as an amendment to the
firft fedtion, to add these words, "or with a good
rifle, a (hot bag, See." which was agreed to.
The amendments to the second session being
read, the debate cm exemptions was renewed.—
The amendment by which the particular States
are empowered to exempt from militia duty, the
legislative, executive, and judicial olficers ot the
rel'ptcftive States, was agreed to by a great ma
jority.
Mr. Madison then renewed his propofiiion in
favor of persons religiously scrupulous of bearing
arms, in a different form from that before offer
ed, and to the following effe<st : " That all per
sons religiously scrupulous of bearing arms, who
lhall make a declaration of the fame before a ci
vil magistrate, shall be excused from performing
militia duty ; but be liable to a penalty of
dollars, to be appropriated as the monies ariling
from the pofl-office are appropriated.
This amendment was seconded by Mr. Boudi
not, and objected to by Mr. Jackftm, and Mr.
Smith.
After some debate, Mr. Madison proposed that
it fhoiild lie on the table for coniidcration—and
the House adjourned.
MONDAY, Dec. 27
f Mr. Goodhue presented the petition of Isaac
Olgood, which was read', and referred to the
secretary of the treasury.
Mr. Burke's motion refpedling a bill for alter
ing! the time of the meeting of Congress, wasta- j
ken into confederation and negatived.
Several petitions, praying ccmpenfation for
services rendered during the late war, were
read, and referred to the secretary at war.
Mr. Firzfimons from the committee appointed;
for that purpose, reported a bill, to ascertain
how far the owners of Ihips or veflels fliall be li
able to the freighters ; read a firft time.
On motion, the house resolved itfplf into a
committer of the whole house, to confi
derationthe report of the secretary of the treasu
ry, on the means of making further provision for
the support of public credit.
Mr. Livermore took the chair, and the com
mittee agreed to the following resolutions, viz.
That an additional duty of 8 ccnts per gallon,
be laid and collected upon all distilled spirits of
common proof, and in like proportion for all o*
ther distilled spirits which (hall after the of
day of be imported into the United States.
Also, that fr«m and after the day of —
next, a duty of 11 cents per gallon be imposed
upon all spirits ofthe firft class of proof, dif>.illed
■within the United States, from sugar, molaflesor
©ther foreign materials—Also, a dutyiri like pro
portion on all other dalles of proof.
Also a duty of nine cents upon all fpirits,of the
firft class of proof, distilled within any city, town
or village within the United States, from mate
terials of the growth, or production of theUnni
ted States, also a duty iji like proportion on all
other clafles of proof. r •
That for each still employed in distilling ipi-
I rits in any other place than a city, town or vil
lage, there to be collected and paid, a yearly
f u , n o f. cents for every gallon,
English wine-meafur«, ofthe capacity of each
still, including its head.
After which the committee rose and the chair
man reported the resolutions, which were read
and agrtfed to by the house.
And a committee of five members was app 01 " 11
cd to prepare and bring i in a bill agreeable tp
ation.
laid resolutions. The committee appointed,
leflis. Sedgwick, Trumbull, La.vrance, Wyn
koop, and Mr. Smith of Maryland. J
The committee of the whole was then difl
charged trom fur'.Vierconfuleration offaid report I
Mi . t itzfimons moved, tliat a committee lby
appointed to bring in a bill 011 the other parts
of rhe report, tor altering the mode of collecting'
the duty 011 wines and teas, and to allow a loi>
ger time for collecting the fame, this motion
was referred to the foregoiug committee.
In committee of the whole. Mr. Livermore
in the chair. /
On the report of the Secretary of the Treafurjl
for the eftablifliment of Land-OtTices for the dif-\
pufalof the vacant lands belonging to the United
States. Af t er some difcudjon of the fubjedt, the
committee rose, and reported progress. t
A mellage was received from the Senate, in-j
forming, that the President of the United States
has this day approved and signed the a<ft, making
further provision for the debt of the United
States
On motion of Mr. Fitzfiinons, a committee of
three was appointed to prepare and bring in a,
bill,to enable the collector of the diftrivft of Penn
iylvania, to permit the landing of goods, at other'
places within this diftritft than the port et Phila
delphia, the river beingobftrucfted by ice. J
TUESDAY, Dec. 28.
The affreightage bill was read the fecondtimej
and referied to the committee of the whole. j
A memorial and remonstrance of the public'
creditors of the United States in the county of
Burlington, and town of Trenton, in New-Jet--'
fey, was read.
Mr. Lee. of the committee appointed for thel
purpose, reported a bill directing the mode in'
which the evidences of the debt of the United
States, which shall be Joft or destroyed, fliall be
renewed—which was read the firft time.
Mr. Lee also reported, from the committee on
the petition of William Robinson, that the cafe
would come within the cognizance of the bill now
reported. The committee was discharged from
any further consideration of the said petition—
and the petitioner had leave to withdraw the
fame.
The petition of John Philip De Haas was read,
and referred to the Secretary of War.
Mr. Fitzfimons reported a bill authorizing th<
unloading of goods, wares, and merchandize, ai
places, other than at the port of Philadelphia
read the firft apd second time—and referred to
the committee of the whole, to morrow.
111 committee of the whole Houle 011 the state
of the Uiiion. Mr. Boudinot in the cha'r.
The Report of the Secretary of the Treafary
on the fubjedis of a Land-Office, and the unap
propriated lands in the Wettern Territory under
confideracion. Further piogrefs was made ; but
the discussion not finiflied. Adjourned. /
ANNAPOLIS, (Maryland) Dec. 23. \
BY the HOUSE OF DELEGATES, DECEM^R
On motion, the question was put, That it «
the opinion of this house that the aftumption of
the State debts by the United States, is a measure
dangerous in its r.onfequences to the
of the several States ? The yeas and nays beingj
called for by Mr. Forreft, were, Affirmative
—Negative 26. _ J
On motion, the question was put, That it
the opinion of this house that the said aflump
tion is particularly injurious to this state ? Th®-
yeas and nays being called for by Mr. Forr eft,
were, Affirmative, 30 —Negative, 28.
The following question being propounded t<j
the house, viz. That it is the opinion of the
house that the said afl'umption is in 110 mannej:
anthorifed. by the constitution of the
States ? the previous question was called for arid,
put, That the said question be now put ? The,
yeas and nays being called for by Mr. Denwoocji
were, Affirmative, 26—Negative, 33.
Ordered, That the said resolutions, with tfl?
yeas and nays, together with the piopofi
tion, and the yeas and nays 011 the previous quel
tion relative to the fame, bepubliihed in the An
napolis, Baltimore, and Eafton newfpapeis.
Deceviber 21.
The following propohtion being propounded
to the house, viz. That the resolutions on the
propositions refpetJUng the affinnption of the ftatt
debts, and the subsequent proceedings thereon,
be and they are hereby rescinded and annullSwi
The' previous question was called for and put,
That the said question be now put ? The yeas
and nays being called for by Mr. Jorreft,
Affirmative, 26—Negative, 26. 1
The house being equally divided, it was de
clared in the affirmative by the honorable the
speaker. ' I
The main question was then put. The yeas
and nays being called for by Mr. Forreft,
Affirmative, 27—Negative 26.
PROVIDENCE, December it. \
On Saturday last thecircuit court of the United State, for
Island diftria was opened at the court-houfc in thta town. C
the following Monday, the court, consisting of chief jufhee Ja*
687
16, 1790,
and jufticr Cushi SB, of the Supreme court of the United State! >
and justice Marchant, of this diftiick court, proceeded to bu
"nels.
A «har-r was given to the grand jury by the chief jnftice full
of good lenf'c and leaning, though expreflcd in the moll plain and
familiar ityle.
A number of a&ions were commenced in this court; but thev
were cither fettled or continues, without a tiial on the merits of
any of them, cither before the court or jury. And on Tuelday
evening the court adjourned, to meet again according to Jaw.
At length have the mild beams of national juflice began to ir.ra~
diate this State, and opened a dawn of hope for better times.
All descriptions of people, who witnclTed the proceedings of
the court, difcovcrcd their entire approbation.
Philadelphia, Dec. 29.
OF FRANCE.
The following order was taken by the Nation*
al AHembly, on the bold protest of the Parlia
ment of Toulouse against their proceedings.
" Ocfrober 9, 1 790.
" On the report of the committee 011 the Con
stitution, the National AHembly DECREES, That
the members of the heretofore-couri of Parliament
of Touloufe,who palled the Relolves of the 25th
and 26th of Sept. last, lhall be impeached before
a Tribunal forthwith to be established, to take
cognizance of High Treason against the Nation.
And considering the nature of the Charges against
tliein, furthermore Decrees, That theKiNG lhall
be intreated to give the necellary orders for ap
prehending all the persons concerning; in fuid
Protefis."
A request has been made by the inhabitants of
LOUISIANA—a diftricft of South America, be
longing to the crown of Spain, to be taken under
the protection of, and to receive the benefit of
the laws of the National Aflembly of France.
Thefirft 400,000,000 of Aflignats, iflued by the
French National Aflembly, bore an intereil of"
five per cent. October 8, the Aflembly decreed
that the interest should cease, after the 16th of
that month. Some call this an ex pojl faflolaw.
The National Aflembly, in some of the French
papers, is denominated the Long Parliament.
They labour inceflantly, Sundays and all days—
but they fcem to be "weaving the web of Penelope—
u Who though (he stoutly did bestir her,
Her fioifKing was ne'er the nearer."
Every citizen of the United States is interested
in the rife of the public paper—whether a pro
prietor or not; for in proportion as its value ap
proaches to that of specie, an additional medium
is introduced, by which every person who has
any thing to do with trade, commerce, agricul
ture or manufactures, is benefited.
It is undoubtedly a fa&, that this country hal
never been in pofleflion of a fufficient quantity
of the precious metal to conftituce a competent
circulating medium, without the auxiliary of
paper money ; hence, before the revolution, tie
part of the then provinces, had their
particular emissions, funded on various princi
ples —to this circumstance may perhaps be cliief
'ly attributed the facility with which the im
emiffions of contiuental paper Aid into
circulation ; and though an unfunded debt is the
biuke of a country, because it will encreafe, and
r&caufe it will depreciate ; yet, an addition to
medium of the United States ofbanjc
paper, bottomed on substantial funds, such as,
through the favor of heaven, are now within out"
reach, will molt undoubtedly invigorate every
jlpwng of industry and enterprize that can pot-
Tthly beset in motion.
X PRICE CURRENT. PUBLIC SECURITIES.
FUNDED DEBT
6 pr. Cents 18/. pr. £
3 pr. Cents 9J-
Defered 6 pr. Cents gjl
UNFUNDED DEBT.
Final Settl. and other Certificates ijJ6. 16f. 80 do.
Indents 97-* 45 r> *
State debt* do,
-r-The purchases of public debt made yesterday
by the Treasurer of the United States, were at
)tlie following rates : Funded, 6 per cents a 12f.
Deferred, 6 per cents, and 3 per cents at 9f.
THE Subscribers jor this paper, in the city 0/New-York,
H-uUptftjully informed, that the charge oj the papers proving inconve
ient to Mr. Wetmorc, at the Pofl-OJice, the Editor has engaged Mr.
Jmuel Campbell, Book-feller, Hanover-Square, to receive them ani
upeiintend their delivery—by whom Subscriptions will be received. .
-Henry KUH L,
At No. 143, Second-Street, near Race-Street,
[-QY aiviee of his friends in New-York and Philadelphia, ba
I XJ opened an office for the purpose of buying and felling, on com__
mission, ihe different fpeciesof Slock, and of liquidated znd urditpn
\i«J«£paper in the market.
/ He will obtain such Certificates as are required by the/im<(ln£
law, for those who have unliquidated Securities ; and transfer stock
Urom and to the Treasury and the Offices of the Coram iflioners ot
I Loans, on moderate terras.
Having for leveral years past been employed in the Trealury of
the United States, he is well acquainted with iis operations and
forms; and flatters himfelf that on that score he has a decided ad
vantage in tranfafting business here. Heis fully impressed wiih
the truth of the adage that » dispatch is the foul of business, and
•>wi!l always make the interest of his employer* an object of tb«
fiVft importance.
1 ritiludeiphia, Dumber 2yth, 1790.
/
or 90 pr. cent.
or 45 do.
45 do '