FOR THE 'GAZETTE OF THE UNITED STATES. CONGRESS. TT was a prudent caution of the Egyptians, to poflpone the giving a character tijl after the death of the party. During a man's life his con du<ft might change, and falfify the praise or'cen fure bellowed upon it. But death, which fixes an unalterable stamp, extinguilhes the paiiions which have flattered, or abused, the living man. To morrow the fir ft Congress will terminate its poli tical life. Its whole condudi is before the public ; fubjeiflto fuchadecilion, as truth will pronounce lipon it. Other public men have found the path of their duty as beaten as the highway. Administration running in the fame channel for ages, has worne it deep and wide : Congress had a new path to tread ; the conflitution, by fencing ic up on ei ther fide, has made it a narrow one ; and such was the state of the times, and of parties, that they found it covered with thorns. • During the two years, Congress has, beeri en gaged in business about 16 months. The book of it's laws will fliew that it has been diligently en gaged. Perhaps no body of men has ever at tended more punctually at the daily hours of meeting, or continued more closely occupied du ring the fitting. The whole number has gene rally voted. This however is an inferior kind of merit. The great point which afFedts the re putation of the body is, whether it's measures have been wife and salutary. The firft care of Congress, was to organize the great departments of government. The merit of the measure inay be tried by supposing a dif ferent organization. If instead of a Secretary of the Treasury, the business of finance had been intrusted to a Treasury Board, of three or five persons, let their good sense and integrity be e ver lo it in ay be doubted whether sn uniform felf cor.fiftent plan would have been recommended or adopted. It is proper to try the merit of the firft Congress, either by the differ ence of the state of tilings, when it began, and when it finifhed it's period, or by comparing what Congress has done, with the manner of doing the like things in the state legislatures. Leaving it to the mind of every reader to purfuethele ideas as far as he may think proper, it may be remark ed, that Congress has so organized the great de partments, as to secure an orderly, efficient and uniform adininiftratiou of the government. -The President with his usual prudence and discernment has appointed able men to fill them ; who are stimulated, by every motive, to a diligent and active employment x>f their eminent talents. The people will know where to bestow praise, and on whom the blame should fall. This is the ad vantage of eftablifliing heads of departments. Provision is also made for a friendly intercourse with foreign nations, by providing forMiniilers. In the judicial department as much has been done, as circumstances would admit. Judges of eminent virtue and learning preside in the fe deral courts. But the very narrow limits of the judicial power of the United States, renders this one of the most difficult branches of leglflation. Coutts mud be ellabliflied, and provision made to administer justice to men, almost at hojne,and yet the business is very inconsiderable. This is not the fault of.Congreft. If any thing is to be regretted, it is, that a different arrangement had not been nfade of the judicial power by the con- fticution The measures of Congress have given a great Jpring to trade. The difference of tonnage and of import on goods, if imported in American veflels and the favours to the trade to India and China have greatly increased thefhipping,as well as the foreign trade. The coasting trade, no longer fubjetft to State regulations is evidently gaining strength. It has increased the tonnage and sea men—it is already a young lion, and will afford 111 a few years such naval ltreiigtli, as to be a terror to our enemies, The duties 011 foreign manufactures are a di rect bounty upon our own. The increase of manu factures since Congress firft: imposed the duties, is not certainly known. But every one who has lived in the country the last two years, knows that it is very extraordinary. Our exports have increased to upwards of 20 millions of dollars.— Many art of opinion, that our manufactures have risen to an equal amount. Future controversies between the States are ren dered improbable, by the proviflou for an equi table fettlemenc of the accounts, which the war had swelled into a mass, so rmidable by its mag nitude, and more so by its confufion. This very difficult and necelTary talk has been accomplifli ed, tho it had been despaired of by many. The States have been eased of their debts, which would have crushed some of them by their weight. But the revenue of the whole country, under one system of management, will enable the United States to provide for them, almost without feeling the burden. JVloderate taxes on luxuries have made the reveuue chest overflow with wealth. The advantages of the funding system, are not to be enumerated. America, at this moment, is in a situation equally novel and refpeftable.— It is in a condition for felf-defence, which can not be too much admired. With an orderly go vernment, an ample revenue, and almost unlim ited credit and resources, it polTefles a strength, which itftood in need of during the war. Popu lar governments' fuffer more by the unsteadiness of their measures, than by the corruption of their rulers. It is thefirft time that a permanent sys tem has been adopted in our country for support ing credit. The people already enjoy the fruits of it. The new capital is every where flying to the aid of manufactures, trade and agriculture. The Bank is an institution which our extensive and wealthy country ought not to be without. It will aflift us to extend our intercourse from North to South, and we shall like one another better, as we know one another more. After every pacific mealure had failed ofeffett with the Indians, protection is afforded to the frontiers—Our frontier fellow-citizens, tho dif- tant, are not neglected It would be tedious to comment at large on the several very important ac r ts of the firft Congress. A mere Ikerch is intended. A great deal has been done, and truth seems toanthorife us to fay, that no very dangerous mistakes have been committed in the two years. America, which was in the Jhads before, seems now to Hand in the fmi-Jbtne. Its profpetfs are the brightest that any nation on earth enjoys : All that is wanting to realize them is steadiness. If the next Congress should make 110 violent alteration of meafures,our hopes can scarcely meet with disappointment. Tho great questions have called forth strong paflions in Congress, it is a most grateful thing to fee the harmony and mutual goodunderftand ing, which subsist at the end of the two years of its being. Opposition seems to have left no ftin<r behind it. The Members will separate with an high degree of personal regard and esteem.— State prejudices and prepofl'efliont lose a great part of their influence 011 the mind, when those who at firft felt them, find themselves obliged to acknowledge, on numberless occasions, the can dor, patriotism, and high fenle of reditude and honor, which diftiriguifh their opponents. The ties of brotherhood and-mutual affeeftion, which are to bind America together, ought to grow stronger every day. Hon. Jo H N B. A S H E, Jo H nSt E E LE and N AT H A NIEL Macon, are elertcd Members of the second House of Representatives of the United States for the State of North-Carolina. 766 CONGRESS. IN SENATE, Feb. 25. OK motion, That the following relolutionbe entered into, to wit : Resolved, That it be a ftapding rule, that the doors of the Senate chamber remain open, whilit the Senate ftiall be fitting in a legislative capaci ty, except on fuel) occasions asin their judgment may require fecreey, and that this rule (hall com mence and be in force 011 the firft day of the next feflionof Congress The yeas and nays were required by one fifth, of the Senators present. Mejfrs. Butler, Fojier, Cunn, Hawkins, King t Lee, Mac lay, Monroe. 9. Mtjfrs. Baffett, Carroll, Dalton, Dickinfon, Ellf worth, Elmer, Few, Henry, John/on, JobnJlon, Izard Langdon, Morris, Read, Stanton, Strong, Win gate. 17. So it pafled in the negative. A mellage was received from the President of the United States, informing the Senate that he had this day approved aud signed the bill, enti tled, " All aift to incorporate the subscribers to the bank of the United States," and the bill, en titled, " An ac r t regulating the number of Repre sentatives to becholen by the States of Kentucky and Vermont." The bill entitled, " An adl fixing the time for the next annual meeting of Congress," was read the second time, and ordered, that it pass to the third reading. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SATURDAY, Feb. 26. A meflage front the Senate, by Mr..Otis their Secretary, in formed thehoufe that they have pafled the bill fupplenientary to (lie act incorporating the subscribers to the Bank of the United States. A second meflage from the Senate, informed that they have palled a bill in amendment to the adt for fixing the temporary and permanent feaq of government of the United States, to which they reqneft the concurrence of this house ; which bill was read a firlt time, and laid on the table. Mr. Sedgwick from the committee, to whom was'refeiTed the report of the Secretary of the Treasury, on the petition of CpmfortSands, and others, brought in a report which was read and laid on the table. Mr. Trumbull from the committee, appointed for the purpose, reported a bill in addition to an a<ft entitled, " an act for eitablifhing the lalaries of the executive officers of government, with their assistants and clerks, which was received and read a fir ft and second time, and referredto a commit tee of the whole house, on Monday next. The petition of Elias Hafket Derby, praying re lief in the payment of duties on goods imported from India and China, was read and referred to the Secretary of the Treasury. Information was received from the Members of the Philosophical Society, that an etilogiuni as a tribute to the memory of their late Prefideut, Docftor Benjamin Franklin, will be delivered on Tuefdaynext, at the German church, at which rhey requell the attendance of the members of this house. i lie house, agreeable to the order of the day, proceeded to the consideration of the reports on sundry petitions. The report of the committee on the petition of Capt. Seth Harding was taken up for a second leadiug ; and on the queifion to agree to the fame, it pafled in the negative. Reports upon a number of other petitions were agreed to by the house. A report from the Secretary at War, on the pe tition o. Capt. David Cook was agreed to by the house, and a committee appointed to bring in a bill conformable thereto— After which thegallery doors were flint, MONDAY, Feb. 28. The bill to amend the ast, for establishing the temporary and permanent l'eat of government, received from the Senate, was read the second time, and ordered for a third reading to-mor- row A meflage from the Senate by Mr. Secretary Otis, informed the house that the Senate concur in their vote, by which, the report of the joint committee of conference 011 the fubje»ft of <lifa greement between the two houses, in refpet't to the 6111. fertion of the bill, laying duties on di stilled spirits, was adopted—He'alfo informed the house that the Senate have pafled the bill for fixing the time of the next annual meeting ot C'ongrefs. Another message informed the house that the YEAS NAYS,
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