CONGRESS. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. MONDAY, Jan. 24. The house resumed the confideratton of the amendments proposed to the new REVENUE BILL. MR. TUCKER proposed a clause to limit the duration of the bill : He urged this 1110 tion from the confiJeration of the security it ■would afford to the people, that the duties and burthens would not be continued after the ne ceflity of their being laid (hould cease : He ob served that a future house might agree to renew the law, or to originate a new one—nor did he conceive that the creditors of the United States •would be placed in a worse situation with this limitation than without it; for a house that would refufe to renew the a<£t, or originate anew one, on a principle of justice to the creditors, would not liefitate to repeal this law. Mr. Sherman observed, that a clause already agreed to, fupercedes the necessity of this amend ment: That clause expressly provides, that other duties or taxes, of equal value, may be substi tuted, in cafe the present ftiould prove burthen fome or inconvenient. Mr. Jackson Aipported the motion : He ob served that it was the indispensable duty of this lioufe to keep the purse firings in their hands— for his part he never would consent to a' perpe tual law, which in its operations might prove odious to the people—and he maintained that this law would be perpetual, inafinuch as it was to be commensurate with the debt of the United States— he urged the adoption of a limiting clause from a variety of considerations. Mr. Lawrance objetfled to the motion : He said it not only interfered with the a<fts already parted, making provision for the public debt, and which have express reference to part of the duties con templated by this bill ; but it also contravenes the clause which makes it optional with the United Staves, to substitute other taxes in lieu of those proposed to be raised by this bill. Mr. Gerry objeifted to the proposition of Mr. Tucker, on similar principles with Mr. Lawrancc : He added, that it would prove a violation of the public faith, inasmuch as it would make part of the provilion temporary, whereas the honor of the government is pledged to provide l hose funds that arc permanent. Mr. Gerry enlarged on the im portance and facrednefs of the public faith—it has been fufficiently trifled with—he hoped more consistency would mark the public councils in future. Mr. Giles said he thought the provifi°n pro posed, or something (imilar, so important, that he fliould think himfelf deficient in duty if he did not offer some obfervaiions on it. He denied the motion violated the funding system ; but if it did, he fliould prefer Aich violation to a viola tion of the conftir*" 10 "- He read a clause from the funding fyrtem, and said the terms " perma nent funds" meant established, fixed funds, such as Congress may hereafter deem necessary ; it can not m^ ll Congress are not at liberty to vary funds at pleasure, provided they are but -always made competent. Will gentlemen fay that the system is so sacred that it can never be touched ? He enquired, if in its operation any system is found to be contrary to the constitution, ought it to be held lacred ? He then adverted to the impression under which the constitution had been adopted, and said that if the people had then supposed that they subjected themselves by it to perpetual burthens, which could never be controuled by the representatives of the people, not one in a hundred would ever have con fentcd to its adoption. He asked, on what is the public faith founded ! Is it founded on the fifcal regulations of this house? Is it founded on the funding system ? I hope not: It is founded, fir, on the integrity of the United States, and their ability to pay their debts. He was afraid there was too great a sympathy with the public credi tors in the house—such a sympathy as did not properly combine with it the interests and feel ings of the people at a distance. He conftdered the power of regulating the resources of the United States, as at present htuated, properly lodged—and hetrufted it would not be delegated to any other body whatever. I hope, said he, we shall not arm the executive with the golden nerve of the United States. He considered the execu tive as possessing al 4Uy the neceflary powers— he wished they might not be extended—much less could he consent that the fnnding system fliould be superior to the constitution of the United States. Mr. Lawrance sdvertitig to the constitution, fpecified the powers thereby veiled in the legis lature of the United States, they are empowered to lay excises, impolls and other taxes. He wifii ed gentlemen would be explicit when they tax ed others with a design to violate the constitu tion—he had read the constitution, perhaps not so much as the gentleman from Virginia, still he had read it fnfticient to convince him that nothing in the funding system, nor in the bill now before the house, was contrary thereto. He then adverted to the proportion of limiting the present bill, and said that it mufl appear to be a palpable violation of the public faith as pledged by the funding system ; it goes to con verting not only the present fund into a tempo rary one, but also converts part of that which is now a permanent fund into a temporary. He then adverted to the observation which tended to affix a Itigmaof odium on the bill ; he remark ed 011 the fubje<ft of taxes generally, and said there never was such a thing as a popular tax, strictly speaking—still the people Submitted to them on principles of patriotism, and when it was said that the people are pleased with any particular mode of taxation, it only means that some are less exceptionable than others ; this he conceived to be the cafe in the present in- fiance, Mr. Jackson adverting to the bill said, that the clause which empowers Congress to substi tute new taxes in lieu of theexcife, plainly shews that this bill is not a permanent bill—the propo sition is therefore no violation of any principle in the bill, it is merely declaratory of what is fairly implied in the above clause. Mr. Heifter was in favor of the limitation. Mr. Bloodworth said he had seconded the mo tion with a view that if the bill fliould not prove agreeable to the people, other measures may be adopted. Suppose the people lhould notconfent to the law, is one part of the people to be march ed sgainft another ? It will be in vain for us to pass a law that shall be opposed to the popular pre judices ; gentlemen talk of the bill's being agree able to the people—his experience taught him very differently ; no system could be devised more odious to the people of the Southern States. Mr. Gerry further opposed the motion Mr. Tucker rose to obviate some of the objec tions which had been offered to his motion—if the operation of it went to repeal any part of the funding law, he was content to have it altered so as to avoid that consequence. He then enter ed into a particular reply, to the several objec tions which had been offered : He invalidated that which arose from the danger of trusting a future Congress, by inftaucing the situation of thedefered part of the debt which is left entire ly to the integrity of a future Congress ; that the public creditors do not consider the perpetuity of the law making pro'vifion for the public debt as of any superior consequence, is evident from the increasing value of the defered debt. Mr. Stone said the motion would counteract the clause in the funding fyftein which had ap propriated the duty on rum as a permanent fund ; he had been opposed to the United Stares pledg ing their faith for the payment of their debts, he was for a more dignified mode of procedure, but as the legislature had thought proper to pro vide a permanent fund in one instance, he tho't it proper they should do it in another—and with refpeft to excise, if that is the best poffib'.e re source for paying the interelt on the assumed debt, it ought lobe continued 011 the fame prin ciple till the objetft is obtained. Mr. Sherman offered a few observations against the motion. Mr. Seney spoke in its favor, and proposed a modification of it to avoid the objection of its interfering with tlie funding fyflem. The queltion was taken on the original motion and 1011, 30 to 19. WEDNESDAY, Feb. 9 Mr. Huntington, from the committee appoint ed for that purpose reported a bill, for encreaf ing the penalties contained in an ad: for the en couragement of learning, which was read a firft time A meflage was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Lear his secretary, no tifying that he has this day approved and signed an a (ft which originated in this house, entitled an adt' declaring theconfent of Congress to a certain adt of the (late of Maryland ; also communica ting sundry papers relative to the admission of the territory of Vermont as a member of the fe deral union, which were read and referred to a feledl committee, of three members, Meflrs. Law ranee, Boudinot and Carroll. Mr. Sedgwick from the committee appointed for that purpose, reported a bill to continue in force for a limited time the acT: regulating pro cefles in the federal courts ; which was read the firlt time. 738 Mr. Gerry preferred the the petition of Micha el Jackson, late a colonel in the Mafliichufetts line of the army, praying to be placed on the penlion lift, in consideration of d"liability occaii oned by public service, which was read and re ferred to the Secretary at War. Mr. Bourne gave notice of the following moti on, that a committee be appointed to prepare and bring in a bill, repealing so much of the a«si lay ing import and tonnage, as rates the rix dollar of Denmark, at 100 cents, which motion was laid on the table. On motion of Mr. Smith (S. C.) a committee of three was appointed to prepare and bring in a bill supplementary to an aifl for incorporating the subscribers to the Bank of the United States, Mr. Smith [S. C.] Williamfon and Mr. Stone are the said committee. Mr. Boudinot gave notice, that to-morrow he fhonld move, that i. committee be appointed to bring in a bill supplementary to an act for elta blifhingtlie treasury department. After which the galleries were cleared. THURSDAY, Feb. 10. The bill to ascertain the time for the com mencement of the next feflion of Congress, was brought in engrossed, read a third time, and laid on the table. Thebill to encreafe the penalties contained in an acft, entitled, an ac [ t for the encouragement of learning, was read a second time, and referred to a committee of the whole house on Monday next The bill to continue the atft, regulating pro cefles in the courts of the United States, \va3 read a second time, and ordered to be engrofled tor a third reading, Mr. Huntington prefentedthe petition of John "itch, remonstrating againll certain parrs ot the )ill, to amend the act, entitled, an art to promote [lie progress of ufefnl arts, which was read and laid oil the table. Mr. Smith, (S. C.) prefentcd the following pe tition, which was read and laid on the table. To the Hon. The Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, The petition of the [übfcribers, Maflers of American vejfeh, in the port of Charlejion, South-Carolina, intended for the carrying trade to Eu~ rope, humblyfheweth, THAT allured by the encouragement afforded by Congress in a former session, to the shipping of the United States of America, the owners of the vessels, commanded by your petitioners, were induced to engage their capitals in the carrying trade, from the southern States to Europe ; in pursuance of this plan they have greatly multiplied their (hipping, by building new vessels ; and others have been taken from the Weft-India and other branche? of trade, in which for some years past, they have been engaged with very indifferent success ; the aggregate constitutes a prodi gious navigation, of which we are concerned to add, that the port of Charleston at the present moment affords a melancholy proof. Duringthe lad season a very considerable number of American vessels were loaded at this port; but their freights were in general the lead acceptable, and at lower rates than were at the fame time obtained by foreign vrffcls : This preference could not be attribu ted to any inferiority in the American (hipping ; but tofome cir* cumftanccs that are incomprehensible to your petitioners; but which they trust the wisdom of Coogrefs will ascertain. In the present instance, your petitioners find themselves in this port, with (hipping nearly adequate to the transportation of the whole crop of this country ; and they beg leave to obfervc, that the season not yet being far advanced, many more vessels may rca~ fonably be expc&ed—and more than thirty are a&ually known to be coming. Thus situated, the majority of your petitioners find themfclves destitute of employment ; the influx of foreigners hav ing been as great, or greater than ever—and the usual partiality in their favor dill existing ; many of us fore fee the neceflTity of re turning to our refpeftive ports of equipment, or employment, al most as unpromising as remaining in port. Hut previous to dif peifing, we conceive it a duty we owe to our country, as well as to ourselves, to represent our situation to the supreme Legislature of the Union. In the fulled confidence that our petition will be favorably re ceived, and its objefl be thought to merit the confederation of Congress ; we have fttbfcribed our names, our refpe&ive vessels, and their tonnage—and as in duty bound, (hall ever pray. Signed by the Masters of 24 Ships, } 16 Brigs, Tonnage, 8118. 1 Schooner, ) Charlejlon, South-Carolina, Jan. 19, 1791. Mr. Boudinot's motion of yeflerday taken up, and a committee consisting of Mr. Boudinot, Mr. Fitzfimons, and Mr. Ames, was appointed to prepare and bring in a bill, supplementary to the at r t, establishing the Treasury Department. On motion ,a comm i ttee, con fitting of Mr. Bourne, Mr. Sherman, and Mr. Thatcher, was appointed to confide:- and report what alteration may be proper in the act, imposing duties on imports and tonnage, in respect to the rix dollar of Denmark, raied therein at 100 cents. The house then resolved itfelf into a commit tee of the whole, Mr. Boudinot in the chair, and took into consideration the bill authorizing the President of the United States to cause the debt due to foreign officers to be paid and discharged : The bill being gone through with, the commit tee rose and reported the fame without any amendment. The bill was agreed to by tiie house, and ordered to be engrofl'ed for a third reading. The house again rcfolved itfelf into a commit tee of the whole, Mr. Boudinot in the chair, and took into consideration the bill eilablifliing offices for granting lands within the territory of the United States. The committee agreed to sundry amendments—then rose, reported progress, and aiked leave to fit again. Mr. Smith, from the committee appointed for that purpose, reported a bill fupplcmeiuary to
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