CONGRESS.
PHILADELPHIA
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
TUESDAY, November I.
ORDER OFTHE DAY — THE PRESIDtNT's SPEECH.
MR. SEDGWICK said that the lad feifion of
Congress, the House of Representatives by
the appointment of committees, to which almolt
every <*bje»st of difcuflion in the Prelident's Speech
was referred, so far monopolized the public bu-
Unefs, that during great part of the feilion, the
Senate had very little to attend to.
He thought it of importance that a ftmilar in
terference fhonld be avoided the present Session.
He then recapitulated the principal objects re
commended to the attention of Congress in the
Speech; and informed the House it had been inti
mated to him, that the Senate proposed to take in
to consideration the fubjeifts of the Mint, Weights
and Measures, Consuls, eleiftion of President and
Vice-Prefident,and the eltablifhinent of LandOfli
ces. The House therefore, if' they thought pro
per, might avoid a primary difcuflion of these
fubjeifts, and employ their deliberations on other
important parts of the speech. Some of these
the House had already provided for. by the ap
pointment of committees—others remained to be
attended to—among these, the reference in the
Speech to the excise law he thought of very ma
terial coniequence, and accordingly moved that
a committee should be appointed to take into
consideration, that part of the Preftdent's Speech
which relates to the carrying that law into exe
cution—and to report such circum!iances in the
law, as may, with confirtenty, be so altered as to
remove any well intentioned objections againfl it;
alto to ascertain and report whether there exists
a due proportion between the duties on foreign
spirits and those >>f domeUic manufacture.
Mr. Boudinot observed, that it (truck liiin as
an impropriety for the House to receive any
information from the Senate except through an
appointed medium ; this informal mode, if it
was allowed, would be a bad precedent and pro
ductive of great einbarraflment ; the difficulty
which has been mentioned might be avoided by
the appointment of a joint committee—which he
thought to be the moil eligible mode.
Mr. Sedgwick replied that he meant only to
convey to the House the information lie had re
ceived, which he supposed was of importance—
he had no intention of eltablifhing a precedent.
Mr. Lawrance called for the reading of the
Speech, which being read—committees were ap
pointed on the several articles as ftatcd in our
last.
Mr. Sedgwick's motion occasioned considerable
debate ; Mr. Steele moved an amendment bv in
ferring the Secretary of the Treasury in lieu'of a
Committee. 1 his officer he observed was more
competent than any other person to give informa
tion on the fubjeJt, as he had paid the molt mi
nute attention to the operation of the law preju
dices,he said, were entertained against: theSecreta-
J y, on account of his having originally drafted the
law—these prejudices hewifhed should be remov
ed, as he was well fitisfied that it was the wjfh of
the House, as well as ofthe Secretary that every
reasonable objection against the lawihould be re
moved.
The motion for a reference to the Secretary
was supported by Mr. White, Mr. Lawrance
M l "' r • Smith Mr " A " ies >
Mr. VVilliamfon.
Mr. Sedgwick contended for a Commi-tee •
he was supported by Mr. Vining, Mr. Parker'
Mr. Boudinot, and Mr. Goodhue j on this lide
.' h n e . < l ucftion h was urged that there wasa ma
lufelt impropriety and want of respect in refer
ring any part of the Present's Speech, or a Law
of the Union to the head ot any particular de
partment ; that the information to be derived
from the Secretary, would of course be received
by a committee, and by them be communicated
to the House.
P , r ! re,,t considerations
.hat ffiould arrest the particular attention of the
-egiflatuie, as they only wltc competent to de
ciding upon them. The motion has reference
to the rate of duties, and the House was cer
tainly the molt competent to judge of and clti
mate the public taxes. ° ' CKl '
After some further debate Mr. SecW.ck with
drew Jus proposition—and a motion by Mr Ames
for a reference to the Secretary of the Treafu, y
In^ ornla ''on refpeifting any difficulties in the
execution of the Law, was agreed to.
1 he business of Offices for the sale' of vacant
Lands within the Territory of the United States,
being considered as particularly connected with
revenue—a committee of the lioufe was appoint
ed to prepare and report a bill, or bills on that
fubjeet.
WEDNESDAY, November 2.
A number of petitions were read and referred.
Mr. Giles called up a memorial from the offi
cers of the Virginia line, and other papers rela
tive thereto, which were communicated by the
Prefiilent, to the late Congress, but not ac'ted up
on. The papers being read, he laid on the table
the following- refolutiou :
That so much of the melfage and communica
tion' from the Prefidenr of the United States to
both houses, 011 the 17th of January lalt, as re
lates to the bounty lands granted to the officers
and soldiers of the Virginia line 011 the continen
tal establishment, be referred to a feleft commit
tee, to examine the matter thereof, and report
the fame with their opinion thereon to the house.
On motion of Mr. Dayton, it was resolved, that
the Secretary of the Treasury be diredted to re
port to the House, whether any and what altera
tions in favor of the fpiiits which fliall be diftill
erl from articles of the growth or produce of the
United States, or from foreign articles within the
fame, can, in his opinion, be made in the excise
law, confidently with its main design, and with
the maintenance of the public faith.
Mr. Giles laid on the table a motion, that the
Secretary of the department of War, thould be
inftrutfted to before the House an accurate
Uateinent of all balances of pay which appear,
by the bouks of his office, to be due to the officers
and soldiers of the late army of the United States,
and which either remain unclaimed, or have been
claimed but not paid ; together with the reasons
for with-holding payment from those who may
have i efpec r tively entered their claims therefor.
Mr. Vining laid on the table a motion for the
appointment of a committee, to report a bill or
bills, to eiiablilli an uniform system of bankrupt
cy throughout the United States.
Mr. Dayton laid on the table a motion, that
the board of cominiflioners, for fettling the ac
counts between the United States and individual
States, be directed to report to the House the pro
gress ihey have made in such settlement ; and
iheir opinion as to the profpeift which the present
state of the business affords, of its speedy and fi
nal conclusion.
Mr. Smith then called for the order of the day,
pursuant to which,
Tlie House resolved itfelf into a committee of
tlie whole (Mr. Muhlenberg in thi chair) and
took up the bill for the enumeration of the in
habitants of the diltridt of South-Carolina.
Some gentlemen having exprelTed their appre
hensions, that, by the words of the bill, the inar
flial of ihe diftriet of South-Carolina might be
empowered to make a new enumeration of the
inhabitants, which was contrary to the sense of
the House, and would give that State an undue
advantage over the other States, an amendment
was moved and adopted by the committee, in the
following words, " Provided that in the said re
turn" [oj of t/je inhabitants of the
tliflrifl of S. Carolina] " such persons only shall
be included, as were inhabitants of the State at
the time prescribed for taking the census," &c.
Another amendment being also proposed and
adopted, the committee rose and reported the
bill as amended.
The House tlien proceeding to consider the
aniendincmsof the committee,fome remarks were
made, to.lhew that the one above quoted might
tend to violate the return, and was moreover an
unnecetlary precaution,as the proposition was not
for making the enumeration of the whole State
but of giving in the return of the enumeration
already made, and completing the census, bv
the addition of a very small diltrift, that was not
yet included in thegeneral return. The amend
ment was therefore rejected by the House, and
the bill was ordered to be engroOed.
Mr. Gerry from t!ie committee to whom
referred the memorial of the iheriffof Suffolk
county, in the State of MafFachufetts, made a re
port tending to grant to all persons, confined in
any State, under the authority of the United
States, the fame privileges and immunities, to
which they would be eniitled, if confined under
the authority of the State. Ordered to lie on
the table.
Mr Secretary Otis, by order of the Senate
ft' 6 C v C V PUfe 3 P edtio,i fro "> ihe diitil!
' Pr '*'" S i»
The committee appointed to consider and re
port on the petition of Susannah Fowle, „ la <] e ■,
report wh.ch was referred to the committee ap
pointed to prepare a bill for compe,,fating Z
lids, widows and orphans in certain cases.
Adjourned.
THURSDAY, November 3.
Mr. Page and Mr. Lee, members from Virei-
X d P a^ arCd ' We, C and took their feats
218
The bill to extend the time allowed hv 1
for compleaur.g the census of South Car„l '
was read the third time and palled. '
Mr. Giles' motion laid on the table v £ (le r( i
refpedhng the bounty-lands to the officers anil'
soldiers of the Virginia line, &c. « aS taken in,
conlideration, and after fonie variation mad
the instance of that gentleman, was adopted
Several petitions for compensations, neiiLn.
we| e presented, read and referred - 0 ,h
heads of departments. '
A perition froui Abraham Hunt was read w ,
ing to be reiniburfed certain lolles incurred f"
the town of Rofton by the Briiifh army_ a lfoth«
he may receive hall'-pay or commutation as a,
officer of the late army of the United States O
tl ' e ,?, uefti . on l ° re /? r said petition to the Secretary
01 War, it pafled in the negative.
A petition of David Cook was read, pravino-t
be placed on the pension-list— this was referrel
to riie committee appointed to bring i„ a bilj
allowing compensations to widows, orphans nd
disabled persons-, in certain cases.
Several petitions being presented for the r,
newal of loft certificates of public debt-Mr
Sedgwick observed that it would, in his opinion
be the 111 oft eligible method to take up the Tub!
jest at large—and he accordingly moved that a
committee/hould be appointed to prepare and
report a bill direding the mode in which evi
dences of the public debt of the United S;ate<
which have been, or may be loft or deftrovpl'
shall be renewed. c "royed f
The motion being amended by (Irikino-out the
words " or may be" was adopted, and" Meff'rj
Sedgwick, Giles and Dayton, appointed the com
mittee.
Two petitions from Capt. John Manly pre .
fented by Mr. Gerry, were lead and referred t 9
the Secretary at war.
Mr. Dayton's motion laid on the table yester
day, refpetfing the board of comuiiffioners ap.
pointed to fettle the accounts between the Uni
ted States and individual States was taken into
confiderarion, and adopted.
Mr. Ward, of the committe appointed for the
purpose, presented a report on the petition of
Francis and Isaac Chonte, the purport of which
was that the prayer of said petition cannot be
granted.
ORDER OF THE DAY —THE CENSUS.
In committee of the whole.
Mr. Muhlenberg in the chair.
The motion of Mr. Lawrance was again lead,
viz. [ hat until the next enumeration of the in
habitants of the United States, there shall be one
reprefentaiive for every thirty thousand peifons.
Mr. Sedgwick moved to insert the word four,
between thirty and thousand.
Mr. Dayton moved to ilrike out thirty before
tlioufand, and leave the blank to be filled up.
Mr. Livermore moved to insert forty thousand.
Mr. Clark observed, that it was well known
that great unealinefs prevailed among the people
in various parts of the Union, on account of the
salaries and coinpenfations to the officers of go
vernment— the expence of supporting the govern
ment was increasing—and it mult therefore be
contrary to the general willies of the people to
enlarge the representation, which would add to
the public burthen, without being productive of
any advantage.
He was in favor therefore of the motion for
fti iking out thirty, and would then move to infect
forty.
Mr. Williatnfon, after a few preliminary re
marks on the ieveral calculations that different
members had made, and applying the various re
sults to the population of the fniall Stares in par
ticular, observed, that futh a ratio fliould be 2-
dopted as would leave the feweft fractions, and
at the fame time do as much justice as pofllble to
those Slates. With refpec't to the general quel - -
tion, lie thought the people were divided in opi
nion— feme were in favour of a large reprefen
tatioH—others were opposed t.j a great addition
to the prefei.t number. The expence of fupport
mg the government is great—the peojjle realize
that in the nature of things it mult encreafe—this
consideration should lead to adopt a medium, and
if poflible to fix on a ratio that might give gene
ral fatisfadiion. At all events he wished that
Congress would reserve to itfelf the powerofen
creafing the number of Reprel'entatives, in cafe
the sentiments of the people should be in favor
of the measure. He observed that the l.oweft
number of Conftitnents which had been menti
oned was thirty thousand, and the lugbeft forty—
if gentlemen could not agree in either, he hopd
they would adopt the medium.
Mr. Lawrance objecfted to ftrikingout thirt'
1 iiis fubjetft, laid he, has been canvalTel
throughout America—innumerable are the pam
phlets and newspaper publications which have
appeared in all parts of the United States. T ,e
final lnef's of the representation was early objccld
to—and it was verv generally expected, that when
tlie amendments to the Conllitution took plaee,
that one Reprefcntative to every 30, cOO perfo« s
would be the ellabliflied ratio.