•ternplated,in prefereneeto direA taxes—and then urged the ill policy of rendering the law odious, by fixing a stigma on the officers appointed to execute it. Mr. Jackson replied to the oMervations against his motion: He said the experience of Great- Britain shewed the propriety of the prohibition. He read a fecftion from a law palled in the reign of William and Mary, on this fnbjedl. A law was found neceflary in that country to prevent the interference of the excise officers in elections, though the excise law then in existence, was on ly for 10 years, and that now before us is a per petual law—for it is to exifl, till the whole of the State debts are rubbed off. He denied that it was a disfranchifeinent of the citizens ; they will have the fame right to vote at elections as other citizens; itonly goes to defining an offence, •which may be of pernicious consequence ; did I consider it in that light, said he, as depriving the citizens of the rights of fuffrage, I would be the last in this house to vote for it. He adverted particularly to the dangerous influence that some future Prefulents would acquire, by virtue of the powet which he willpoflefs of removing these of ficers. He read some claules from the British excise law, to (hew its resemblance to the law now under consideration ; he added some stric tures on the bill, and regretted that it had not been recommitted ; but to render it less odious and mischievous he strongly urged the necessity of the feifiion he had proposed. Mr. Benfon said tlitfre appeared to him to be an absurdity to fay a man shall forfeit an office, which he holds during pleasure. Mr. Gerry objected to the motion, because he thought it did not go far enough—it ought to extend to all other revenue officers. He gave a fliort account of thenature of civil government ; no form laid he is stationary, they are always verging either to democracy and anarchy, or to aristocracy and despotism ; from hence he drew an influence favorable to a provision which fliould tend to abate and leflen the influence of the ex ecutive power in certain cases. Mr. Ames obje<fled to the motion, he said the circumstances of this country and Great-Britain, were not similar : That country is without a constitution—the United States are blefled with one, which defines the rights of electors and the ele<fted—rights of which they cannot be deprived ; the law which the gentleman referred to, was not palled till the abuses it was intended to re medy had arisen to an enormous height ; if ever there fliouldbe a necessity for a similar law, which he by no means expedied, it will then be time enough to make the regulation—but this clause will muzzle the mouths of freemen, and take n*vojr tii» use of their reason. Mr. Blood worth replied to Mr. Ames; he observed that corruptions had taker, place ; ele&ions have been influenced, and human nature being the fame, the fame evils are to be expected ; he thought it would be bell: to prevent the evil if poflible by ena<fting a law ill season, and not wait till the mifchief is done. Mr. Seney was in favor of the clause, he tho't it would be afalutaryprovifion,and no infringe ment of the rights of the people, as it would be optional to accept the officers or not, with this reltri<flion. Mr. Stone was in favor of the motion—he ob served that it was a painful consideration that a number of citizens ihould be disfranchized, and deprived of their reason and speech, but this is a dilemma said he, to which we are reduced by means of this excise law; we must either deprive the excise officers of this privilege of interfering or give up the freedom of eledlions. Mr. Vining controverted the oft repeated ob servation, that there was an analogy between the two countries, Great-Britain and America. He urged an acceleration of the bill—delays he thought did not produce conviction, they only serve to enflame ; he hoped the clause would not be agreed to, nor the bill recommitted. Mr. Lawrance said he was sorry that there were so many impediments thrown in the way of this bill—he could wilhthat the clause might be deferred —and made the fubjecft of a feparatedif cuffion—he obje<sted to it as not extensive enough «—it ought to include all the officers of the go •vernment ; at present he Ihould wave any fur ther remarks, but hoped the motion would not be agreed to at this time—but wished that the bill might be finifhed. Mr. Sedgwick opposed the motion, he said the natural tendency would be to render the law odious—to deprive the government of thefervi ces of the bell inen in our country :—let me a(k gentlemen said he, if they, or any of their hon. connexions,, would accept of an appointment un der this law, with such an exceptionable c;laufe in it? He observed on the total difference in the eircumftances of this country, from those of Great- Britain ; and alked, fliall we transplant the cor rupt maxims of that country to this i I hope we fiiall not. Mr. Gerry replied to the several objections which had been offered against the motion : It will be too late, said he, when the evil takes place, to apply the remedy : The President will then have it in his power to influence the elections in such manner as to procure a legislature that would not consent to a law for applying a remedy. Mr. Ame* reprobated the motion in very point ed terms, as impolitic in retpedi to the law—as repugnant to the Constitution, and as degrading to human nature ; besides, he observed, that it was nugatory in itfelf, because it goes to deprive the citizens of an unalienable right, which you cannot take from them, nor can they dived them selves of. Mr. Jackson made a short reply to Mr. Ames : He observed, that he had always supposed that the Englilh nation poflefled a Constitution—and that the violation of the freedom of elections was the greatelt infringement on that conftitu- tion Mr. Sherman observed that this motion went to create a positive offence ; he said he could not conceive any reason why this offence (hould be chai gable on one description of officers only— he thought it ought to go through, and include every class—He replied to the several objections arising from the influence of the President—and observed that fixing such a lligma would oblige the Prelident to oppoint mean and ordinary cha racters, characters fit to make tools of—for per sons of credit, and refpedlability will not accept of appointments under such a difqualification.— Thequeftion was determined in the negative— the ayes and noes being as follow : Ayes. Messrs. AJhe, Baldwin, Bloodworth, Brown, Burke, Floyd, Gerry, Grout, Hathorne, Heifter, Jackfon,Livermore, Matthews, Moore, Parker, Ren fdlaer, Seney, Sylvester, Stone-, Tucker, White.—2l. Meffrt. Amei, Benfon. Boudinet, Bourne, Cad wallader, Carroll, Clymer, Fitzjimons, Fojler, Gale, Gilman, Goodhue, Griffin, Giles, Hartley, Hunting ton, Laiurance, Lee, Leonard, Madison, Muhlenberg, Schureman, Scott, Sedgwick, Sevier, Sherman, Sin nick/on, Smith (M.) Smith (S. C.J Steele, Sturges, Thatcher, Trumbull, Fining, Wadfworth, William/on Wynkuop. 37. SATURDAY, Feb. J The petition of James Norris,late lieutenant in Col. Prodlor's regiment, was read and refer red to the Secretary at War. Mr. Lawrence presented thememorial and pe tition of Abraham Skinner late commiflary of prisoners, praying repayment of monies advanc ed, and compensation for services, which was read and referred to the Secretary of the Trea sury. Also the petition of Isaac Vincent, praying the benefit of a pension, was read and referred to the Secretary at War. A committee was appointed to bring in a bill tocontinuein force an acft, entitled, an art to re gulate procefles in the federal courts, and Mr. Sedgwick, Mr. Sturges, and Mr. Contce, ap pointed. On motion of Mr. Lawrance the report of the Secretary of the Treasury, for eftablilhing a mint, was ordered to be communicated to the Senate. Agreeable to the order of the day, the bill, to incorporate the fubferibers to the bank of the United States, was again taken up, and on the question forpaffingthe bill, a debate ensued and continued until the adjournment. Monday, Eeb. 7. A letter from the Secretary of State, inclosing a report upon the memorial of Andrew Brown,of the city of Philadelphia, printer, was read and laid on the table. The report is as follows : The Secretary of State, to whom was referred the memorial of Andrew Brown, printer, of Phi ladelphia, has had the/ame under his confiderati -011, and thereupon makes the following II t P O R T , The memorialist states that he has in contem plation to publish a corredl edition of the laws, treaties, and resolutions ofthe United States,and prays that such measures may be adopted for giving a public authentication to his work, as may ensure its reception throughout the United States. The Secretary of state observes, that there ex ists, at present but a single edition of the Laws of rhe United Stares, to wit, the one printed by Childsand.Swaine : that this edition isauthentic, the proof-fheets thereof having been carefully collated by sworn clerks, with the original rolls in his office, and rendered literally conformable therewith. That the firft volume of this edition can now rarely be found, the copies originally printed being mostly disposed of. That it is desirable that copies of the Laws fliould be so multiplied throughout the ftates,and in fucli cheap forms, as that every citizen of the United States may be able to procure them. That it is important also, that such publications be rendered authentic, by a collation of the proof fheets with the original rolls, by sworn clerks, when they are printed at the feat of govern ment, or in its neighborhood, and by a collation of the whole work when printed at a distance, 734 NOES and a certified corre&ion of its typographycal errors annexed to each volume That this, however, if done at the public ex pence, would occasion an inconvenient augmen tation of the number of clerks, as the ast of col- Jation requires the presence of three clerks, oue to hold the roll, a second a printed copy already authentitated, and the third the proof-iheet. That it would be more reasonable that persons of confidence lhould be employed, at the expence of the Editor, to be named and sworn as clerks for the fpecia! occasion. Thar, in this way, he is of opinion it will be advantageous to the public to permit that the Laws to be printed by the memorialist, be colla ted with, and corrected by the original rolls,and that a certificate thereof, by the Secretary of State, be annexed to the Edition. Thomjs Jefferson, Secretary of State. February sth, 1791. Mr. Leonard presented the memorial of the merchants of New-Bedford, in theftate of Mafla chufets, piaying the eftablifhnient of a post-road from Boston, to that place. Mr. White, from the committee appointed for that purpose, reported a bill to amend an aft,en titled an ast, to promote the progress of ufeful arts, which was read thefirft time. On motion of Mr. Heifter, the memorial of a number of public creditors, who are holders of loan-office certificates received for loans of paper money was referred to a felei.l: committee of five; Mefl'rs Sherman,Gerry, Heifter, Benfon and Gale. Agreeable to the order of the day, the bill to incorporate the subscribers to the Bank of the United States, was again taken up in the house and on the question fliall this bill pass, the debates on the conftutiouality of the bill were renewed, and continued until an adjournment was called for. Adjourned until 10 o'clock to morrow. TUESDAY, Feb. 8 The committee on enrolled bills reported the A<ft declaring the aflent of Congress to a certain a<fl of the State of Maryland, as duly enrolled. The bill to amend the a<ft to promote the pro gress of ufeful arts, was read the second time, and referred to a committee of the whole house: Ordered that one hundred copies be printed. The Memorial of the Marine Society ofßofton, 011 motion of Mr. Gerry, was referred to the Se cretary oftheTreafury, to report thereon, at the next feflion. Mr. Tucker, of the committee appointed for the purpose, reported a bill for determining the next meeting of Congrels—w-hieh was «a<ithe firft and second time, and ordered to be engrofled for a third reading to-morrow : A blank is lefc in the Bill for the day. A meflage was received from the Senate by Mr. Otis, their Secretary, informing the house, that they have palled the bill making appropriation* for the fnpport of government, tor the year 1791 —and for other purposes. The Bank Bill was further difcufled—Mr. Viu ing and Mr. Gerry spoke in its favour, and Mr. Madison against it: He concluded his speech by moving the previous question, which the speaker pqt in the following words—lhall the main ques tion be now put ? The ayes and noes being de manded, there were 35 in the affirmative, and 20 in the negative. On the question, (hall this bill pass ? the ayea and noes were as follow : Messrs. Ames, Benfon, Boudinot, Bourne, Cai wallader, Clymer, Fitzfmons, Floyd, Foster, Cerry, Cilman, Goodhue, Hartley,'Hathorne, HeiJJer, Hun tington, Lawrance, Leonard, Livermore, P. Muh lenburg, Partridge, Ranfellaer, Schurevian, Scot, Sedgwick, Seney, Sevier, Sherman, Sylvester, Sin nickfon, Smith (M.) Smith (S. C.) Steele, Sturges, Thatcher, Tru?nbull, Vining, Wadfworth, IVynkoop —39- NOES. jrfejfrs. AJhe, Baldwin, Bloodworth, Brown, Burke, Carroll, Contee, Gale, Grout, Giles, Jack son, Lee, Madison, Matthews, Moore, Parker, Stone, Tucker, White, Williamfon —20. Sundry petitions were read and referred, and then the House Adjourned till 10 o'clock to-t/iorrow.. ALBANY, Jan. 26. A correspondent of this city observes, that the late choice of Aaron Burr, Esq. to fill the office of Senator of the United States, is a mod pointed insult on the citizens of the northern part of this (late. If a rotation be deemed proper, we have no objection, but we conceive it, in the highest degree, illiberal and unjust, that a second Sena tor fhonld be taken, out of the southern diftrift, to fill the vacancy of one from the northward : and the more so, as the advantage J was evidently taken of our not having that number of repre sentatives which, it appears by the late cenfus,we are entitled to. This tranfaCfcion will, however, serve to open our eyes to our true interest, induce us to drop all party diftincSions, and firmly to unite in the general support of our rights and privileges in representation, as well as on eve* ry other public queftion,by which the honor and advantage of this quarter of theftate may be feded. ' AYES.
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