CONGRESS.
1 PHILADELPHIA.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
FRIDAY, December 23
IN COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE.
On the Poft-Office Bill.
the Bth Jeßion, vihich had been poflpo/ied, and "which
regulates the rates of pojlage, was taken into con/i
---deration.
MR. FITZSIMONS offered a Iketch of rates
of portage, by way of amendment, differ
ent from that reported in the bill, and the rates
now paid—his plan was a general reduction of
the rates.
Mr. Goodhue said, he did not believe that the
revenue from the poft-office, any more than that
from the impott, would be increased by establish
ing an high rate of poltage.
He was pleased with the /ketch offered—and
wi/hed it might be agreed to as an amendment—
he had no doubt of its the revenue of
the department.
Mr. Livermore was in favor of the original
rates reported in the bill—he conceived tlr.it the
reduced rates would be so low, as materially to
injure the income of the department. He said,
that he did not conceive why the rate of portage
for 100 miles, in one part of the United States,
fhotild be greater than for 100 miles in auothe
part—he referred to the diminished rates for
great distances.
Mr. Williamfon was in favor of reducing the
rates—He observed, that though our experience
in this business was not great, yet it wasfufficient
to /hew that a reduction of the rates of postage
tended to increase the income of the department.
And the experience of European countries was
incontroverti'bly in favor of the idea of a reduc
tion.
Mr. Baldwijt replied to Mr. Livermore, and
observed that the amendment recognized the
fame principle in refpecfl to great diftances,which
is contained in the bill as reported.
On motion of Mr. Williamfon, the amendment
was altered, so that the rate of portage for a An
gle letter to the greatest distance, lhoulcl not ex
ceed 25 cents.
Mt. Fitzfinions' amendment was then adopted
The fevftion which makes it death for persons
employed in the pod-office department to rob the
mail, occaltoned considerable debate—the words,
" shall fuffer death," were struck out, and it was
then moved to insert imprisonment for life, or
for a term which the court may think proper—
This motion occasioned further debate, on its be
ing moved to amend it, by linking out imprison
ment for life—
Mr. Murray entered into a general considera
tion of the fubjetfl—He was clearly of opinion
that if the punifliment was not lofsoflife, it
ought to be the next in point of severity—He en
larged on the enormity of the crime, and infered
that a person who was so depraved as to be guil
ty of it, ought to be forever deprived of the pow
er of injuring society again—He adverted to the
principles advanced by Montesquieu, Beccaria,
and others, who had wrote so ably on crimes and
punifliments ; but with all their refinements, he
said, they were obliged to acknowledge that as
there were grades in guilt, so there should be de
grees of punifliment. He adverted to the regu
lations of Pennsylvania, he said their gaol was
more properly a school of morality, than a place
of punifhmetit—lt may reform, but it will never
deter the abandoned from the perpetration of
crimes—lt might answer, he observed, the pre
sent (late of society in the commonwealth, but he
doubted whether it would not invite to the com
million of crimes, and accelerate the period when
they niuft have recourse to a more severe system
of jurisprudence. He concluded by faying, that
as imprisonment for life was the next severest
punifliment to loss of life, he should v o re against
the last amendment.
Mr. Hartley defended the system of punish
ment and reformation adopted by Pennsylvania
—He said, experience was in its favor—The gen
tlenian has carried our ideas to European coun
tries, but lie thought that examples from our own
country were more in point—He objected gene
rally to sanguinary punilhments; and the puni(h
ment now proposed he thought would be too se
vere, if generally incurred for the crime under
consideration.
MONDAY, December 26.
jDebate on the PoJhOffice Bill continued.
_ On the fobjetfl of newspapers, Mr. Williamfon
l'uggefted the propriety of their being so packed
that they may be easily infpeifted by the Poll
matters—that there lhould be fepfir&te accounts,
and a separate mail or portmanteau for them—
and that the rate of postage {hould be in propor
tion to the distance they are carried— those sent
100 and not exceeding 200 miles, i cent—thole
200 and not exceeding 300 miles, 1 cent —
those above 350 miles, cent. He moved to
(hike out the 23d feiStion, and to infertthe above
as a fublliiute.
Mr. Clark proposed to amend the clanfe by a
proviso—that the papers {hall be dried.
Mr. Fitzfimotis doubted whether it would be
proper to agree to the amendment—he was of
opinion that the consequence would be, very few
papers would be sent by the mail. He efnqnired
who-is to pay the poftage?—The Printers will
not pay it—they are fufficiently out of pocket by
distant fubferibers. Is it to be defrayed by the
lubfcribers weekly ?—there is no coin of. the de
scription mentioned. "He observed that difficul
ties would result from the mode which is neces
sarily adopted for great part of the year of (end
ing the mail on horseback. Should the papers
encreafe, as is supposed, it would be impotiible to
fend them. There were difficulties in thebuiintfs;
the Printers had been called on to declare what
would be convenient and agreeable to them—
but there was so little concert among them that
they bad not given any intimation to the depart
ment of what would please them.
Mr. Williamfoii replied to Mr. Fitzfimons, and
obviated fotne of the difficulties he luggefted.—
He observed that a certain weight ought to be
fpecified, which the Postmaster ought not to ex
ceed when the mail is sent on horseback.
Mr. Clark said he thought the molt eligible
method would be to make the Printers account
able for the postage—this, he said, had been pro
posed by a Printer, who, he said, printed a lar
ger number of papers than any other Printer in
ihe United States. This, he thought, would Am
plify the bulinefj, and prevent trouble in the
different polt-offices.
Mr. Bourne objected to different rates ps port
age for newspapers. He believed it was not cuf
toinary with the post-riders. He observed that
newspapers contained general information, and
ought to come to the subscribers in all parts of
the Union on the fame terms—the £ cent would
indemnify for .the charge. He moved that such
parts of the motion as proposes a different rate,
should be (truck out.
Mr. Boudinot said that he believed the gentle
man was mistaken in refpecft to expence of car
riage to a great distance.—He further observed,
that the rates being the fame to all parts of the
Union, would operate asabounty to the Printers
at the feat of government; for it was well known
that the Printers at the southward could not af
ford to fell their papers at the fame rate with
chose at the northward.
Mr. Williamfon enlarged on these ideas.
Mr. Steele laid that the amendment of his col
league, instead of giving facility to the circula
tion of newfpapeirs, tended only to give a dou
ceur to the Primers of particular (tares. He
could have wished that the privilege of franking
had been (truck out, and the supposed amount
thereof applied to defray the expellee of trans
porting the newlpapers—it would conduce to
opening a larger channel of information, and
would in an eaty way bring intelligence to the
door of every citizen in the United States. He
preferred the bill without the amendment, as
more competent to the great object.
Mr. Parker observed that every law ought to
be founded on a principle of equality—and on
this idea, fuppol'ed the portage ought to be aug
mented in fume proportion according to the dif-
tance.
Mr. Hillhoufe advocated an increase of the
portage. He (aid the rates proposed were not
competent to discharging the expence.
Mr. Williamfon (aid that the half cent for a
great distance would not defray the expence—
he had authority for the assertion — and if the
late is reduced, it will operate to discourage the
private rtages, and all communication 011 those
roads Supported by private subscriptions, will be
cut off.
Mr. Hartley was in favor of one rate—He ob
served that the rates demanded by private polls
was so hign, as to amount to an interdiction of
the papers almort entirely.
Mr. Barnwell was in favorof Mr.Williamfon's
motion ; an half cent, he said, would notbefuf.
ficient to defray the expences.—He enlarged on
the bad policy of giving a monopoly to the prin
ters at the feat of government—country papers
are impoitant on many accounts, and ought to
be encouraged. He said it was the opinion of
the port-mailer general, that, a half cent was not
afufficient portage.
Mr. Bourne's motion for ltrifciiig out was ne
gatived.
On motion of Mr. Hillhoufe, the portage for
100 miles was raised from an half to a whole
cent, and one cent and an half for any greater
distance.
Mr. Clark moved to add this clause, " to be
paid by the printers fending the fame, at the ex-
302
piration of every three momhs"~ttu& was
carried The fetflion was further amended b\
faying that the newspapers fbal! be under cover
opened at one end—the port-matters to receive
50 per Cent of the postage.
The residue of Mr. Williamfon's amendment
was agreed to. '
Mr. Liverniore moved that the proviso, which
empowers the contraiftiMS to carry newspapers,
should beftruck out. '
Mr. Page obfer veil, that in difpofmg of this
business, rlie uimoft c;.ution ought ro be ufeii
left some infringement of the liberty oftlieprefs
should be the consequence.—We have f;jbjecled
the printers of papers to a certain tax for fend
ing their papers by the mail ; and now it is pro
posed to cut them off from all opportunity of
making their own contracts—He thought the bu
siness ought to be Amplified as much pofiible
—and the printers left to themselves to difyofe
of their publications as they think proper, inde
pendent of the mail.
Mr. Barnwell supported the motion, he fai.l
that bv retaining the clause, t he pott-office would
be fubjerted to innumerable impolitions.
The proviso was Itruck out—and another nro
pofed by Mr. Boudinot, to the fame pnrpofe,with
an addition, fubjetfying papers sent by contract,
to the infpe&ion of the poflr-mafters.
This motion was objected to, as it would ope
rate against the revenue of the pod-office.
Mr. Boudinot observed, that in forming the
contracts, the contractors always agreed for a
less consideration, on account of the advantage
derived from carrying newspapers.
This motion was alio disagreed to.
The committee then rose and reported the bill
with amendments to rhe House.
MONDAY, January 16,
The meflage from the President of the United
States, relative to the fituarion of the Western
Frontirs, being the Order of the Day, after read
ing petitions, the House went into a committee
of the whole, and the galleries were cleared.
TUESDAY, January 17.
A bill to reimburse ceitain extra cxpences in
curred by the late commissioners for treating of
peace with the Creek Indians, was read the firft
tune
A representation and memorial of Christopher
Junior, and Charles Marshal, Hating that they
have established a chemical laboratory ir. the ci
ty of Philadelphia, for the manufacture of Jinl-
Armoniac, Glauber Salts, &c. and praying the
p tronage of Congress, by laying extra duties on
those articles imported from abroad—was read
and 13icl on the table.
Several petitions for pensions and com petifati
ons were read,and refered to the Secretary of war.
A petition of Henry Lee was read, prayingthe
renewal of a certificate of public debt, which
bad been deftroyed—referred to tlie Secretary
of the Treafiiry.
Mr. Murray moved that the petition of John
F. Amelnng should betaken up in order to its
being referred to the Secretary of the Treofury.
Mr. White objected to going into the discussi
on of any business of a private nature, while pub
lic concerns of the fir ft importance demand the
immediate attention of the House.
i he queflion being put for taking up the pe
tition, it was negatived.
Mr. Dayton laid the following refolntion, in
Aibftance, on the table, that the President of the
United States be requested to cauf'e to be laid be
fore ihe House copies of the official communica
tions which have taken place between the Su
preme Executive of the State of Pennsylvania,
and the Secretary of War, relative to a plan of
military operations—also such documents as may
have been received refpecfting an invasion of the
frontiers of this State.
The order of the day on the President's mes
sage refpeifting the wellern frontiers, being cal
led for, the galleries were (hut.
BOSTON, January 2.
Capt. Clap, in the brig Lion, arrived at Port
land 011 Saturday, the 24th ult. from Por!-au-
Prince, and intorms, that on the 22d of Novem
ber, that place was fee on fire by the Mulattoes,
and almofl entirely dellroyed.
Immediately aher the town was deftroyed,the
Whites (on the idea that the Blacks were accef
lory to its deftruiftion) formed the horrid dejign
of putting to death all the Negro and Mulatto
women and children, who remained in the town.
And this design, to the eternal infamy of the per
petrators, was put immediately into execution.
An indiscriminate llaughter took place ; and not
one who couid be found during that, cay whe
ther innocent or guilty, but was inft n:3i'.epufly
butchered, either by a bullet through the head,
or a bayonet into their bowels.
Capt. Clap lefc Port-au Prince the 2Jth of No
vember ; at which time the tow; was fliil- sur
rounded by the Mulattoes and Negroes. The
Whites were greatly dilciuraged, and were dif
po fed to njake peace on any terms.