SATURDAY, Map. f h 3
The committee, to whom was referred, on the
2of February, the following motion :
" Resolved, That the Secretary of theTrea
fury caafe to be laid before the House a (tate
ment of the balances, if any, remaining unpaid,
which may have been due by individuals to the
United States, previous to the 4th day of March,
1789 ; and whether any and what steps havg been
taken to recover the fame; and also a (latement
of the sundry funis of public monies, which may
have been entrusted to individuals, previous to
the said 4th of March, 1789, and have not been
accounted for —made a report, which, after
(latino to the House the various circumstances
that hud (truck them in the examination of the
treasury books, they concluded by declaring as
their opinion, that it will be iinpolfible to obtain
the report of the state of accounts contemplated
in the above resolution, during the present fef
fion, without greatly retarding the current bu(i
nefs of the department ; and that it will be inex
pedient to take any resolution on the fubjecit
matter of the resolution referred to them.
Mr. Goodhue, from the committee appointed,
reported a •' bill for enrolling and licenling ships
and veflels employed in the coasting trade and
filheries, and for regulating the fame.
Mr. Findley presented nine petitions fronj the.
inhabitants of Chester county, in the state of
Pennsylvania, praying a revision of the Excise-
Law.
The House proceeded to the cortfideradori of
the amendments offered by the Senate, to the
" bill to ascertain and regulate the claims to half
pay and to invalid pensions."—Some theyagreed
to, and disagreed to others.
Mr. Secretary Lear delivered a mefTage from
the Prefulent of the United States, together with
* copy of the return made to him of the number
of the inhabitants within the diftrii't of South-
Carolina.
A report from tlie Secretary of the Treasury,
refpeifting compel' 1 ati 011 s to the commissioners of
loans, was read and referred to a felecft commit
tee, confiding of Meflrs. B. Bourne, Mercer,
and Tucker. Adjourned.
MONDAY, March j
A letter from the Secretary of.State, covering
certain arts of the government north-welt of the
river Ohio, was communicated by the Speaker,
and read—and on motion, referred to the com
mitter to wh~oip those before received were re-
ferred
' Mr. Grove, of the committee appointed for the
purpose, reported a bill providing for the finilh
ing the light houfjp on Bald-Head, at the month
of Cape-Fear River, which was read the fir(t and
second time, and made the order of the day on
Tuesday next
A report on the petition of the officers of the
levies late in the fervicte of thf United States-,
■was read, which was in favor of the prayer of the
petition
T|ie Hotife took into consideration the amend
menis-propofed by the committee of the whole to
the militia bill. Some of them were adopted,
others disagreed to—several new amendments
■were made, and* the bill ordered to be engroiled.
for a third reading.
A meflhge fram the Setiate informed the House,
that they have parted a bill providing for the re
lief of certain widows, invalids, orphans & other
persons, with amendments, in which they request
the concurrence of the House.
A nieflage was received from the Preiident of
the United States by Mr. Secretary Lear, com
municating to the Hoi<fe the translation of- a let
ter from the King of France, announcing his ac
ceptance of the Constitution of that kingdom.—
These were tead and laid on the table.
A meflagefrom the Senate informed the House,
that they lnlift on all the amendments proposed
by the Senate to the bill to ascertain and regulace
the claims to half pay and invalid penlions—and
propose a conference on the fubjetfsot difagiee
ment.
A" meflage from the President of the Uni;ed
States by Mr. Secretary Lear, informed ihe House,
that he had this day approved and signed a bill,
entitled, " An acS making further pi ovifion for
the defenceof theFrontievs ofthe United States "
A committee of conference was appointed on
the disagreement between theHoufeand Senate,
refpecling the bill to ascertain and regulate the
claims to half-pay and invalid penlions —Com-
mittee, Meflis. Livermore-, Murray.and Kitchell.
The amendments of he Senate to the bill pro
viding for the relief of certain widows, &x. were
read, and laid on the table. Adjourned.
TUESDAY, March 6.
Sundry petitions were re d and cf^rcd.
A representation from the legifhture of North-Carolina, was
read, rcfpe&ing certain lands ceded to the Indians in the Territo
ry Southwest of the Ohio. "
Mr. Parker Introduced the follow
was hid on the table—viz,
Resolved, That theSccretary of the Treasury be dirc&ed to re
port what money, 1! any, now remains in the treasury, of appro
priations made previous to the year 1791 — distinguishing what
funis remain of the rcfpettive appropriations.
ing resolution, which being
Willizmfon laid the following motion on tTie f : i'-!-
a committee be appointed to report a hill to am-.r-J
law, la tar as to permit the landing of fait at c.K .m -v..
belonging to (he fifheries—and to provide lor the alio
drawback on thcl'altufecl on provisions exoorted.
The militia bill was brought in, engrolfjd, and read the hird
time.
Mr.,Viningthen moved that the bill ftiould be re-committed—
This motion, alter dt bale, was negatived—2B to 27. The House
then proceeded to fill up the blanks—which being completed, the
ayes and noes were called on the palling the bill—and were ayes
31, noes 27. ■ f
Mr. Gerry reported a bill for reducing the rates of postage on
newfpapers—this*bill proposes a reduction of the postage to one
half the rates in the poft-office law.
A report was read from the Secretary of the Treasury, rcfpefU
ing the difficulties which have occurred in the execution of the
excise, &c. and 100 copies ordered to be printed. Adjourned
BOSTON, Feb. 22
LEGISLATURE OF MASSACHUSETTS.
House of Representatives, Feb. 21.
A Bill to incorporate Henry Knox, John Coffin
Jones, David Cobb, Benjamin Hichborn, and
Henry Jackson, Esquires, and such others as may
afibciate with them, for the pnrpofe of opening
a iiavrgable Canal from any part of Connecticut
Rivdr, to communicate with the town of Boston,
was read 3 firft time, and ordered for a second
reading to-morrow, at 4 o'clock, p. m.
FROM THE CONNECTICUT COURANT.
Meflleurs .Printers,
TAM a man of nature—my ideas arenot twified
A by the sophistry of government-makers ; yet
lam for government, and here is my plan. I
have followed naturp, ai}d that sense which na
ture has implan ted in every mail. I would have
a government, but it should not govern me—that
is my fir ft article. My second is, I would govern
itv And thirdly, I and .my government would
govern every .body else according tomy pleafnre.
Here is a plan of three parts, as it (l)ould be and
which follows i.ature ; whereas every other
scheme thwarts it, and may be truly said to be
against nature. lam clear again it an Excise,
therefore I would not submit my property to any
aut-hority.—As to my person, hands off. Ami
to be dragged about in the militia ? or in the
wars ? or to answer mycreditors (worfethan In
dians) in the law courts ? No. lam a freeman
—and shall government, a creature I have made
and pulled to pieces twenty times, lord it over
nie ? No, Meflieurs Printers, I give the world
notice that I will fill the full till go
vernment h'aul in its horns, knd regulate its mea
sures by my three articles of natural law. I will
rail against the debt—the army—the war—the
bank-—the Excise—the P I—the heads of de
apartments. I will cry out re-pobli-can-ifm and
the rights of man, by which 1 dont mean the iaivs%f
the land, nor equal government ; but a govern
ment agreeable to my three articles. 1 will hold
forth loudly about republican virtue and equa
lity—l will inveigh mightily against public faith
— when I am tired of going on foot I will get up
and ride on consolidation. The state govern
ments shall be so wife, so pure, so free, so modest
.and so much in danger, that I will advise the
small states to take away power from Congress
and give it to the large states. Congress and the
public officers shall be painted like devils, except
there should be fotlnd any of them who are among
us who write in the newspapers, like Caius, &c.
these I will praise in poetry and prose. In my
next I will lend you a new song, in which foine
of my heroes are celebrated, to the tune of Oh
my kitty, my deary. WHISKY.
Philadelphia, March 7.
ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS,
It is hardly poflible to conceive that a more
favorable opportunity than the pre fen t will ever
occur of eftablilhing free schools in this com
monwealth. The public Treasury is full and
flowing; j so that pecuniary aid can be immedi
ately afforded if neceflary, to as great anamount
as may be expetSed at any future period. But
it is pvefumed that disbursements from the pub
lic Treasury will not be neceflary. It may be
queltioned whether on the plan of County Schools
appropriations of this kind, would be equitable
or just. The income of the State applied to dis
charge its debts, support the government, and
for other general purposes, so far as it goes, will
fupercede the neeefluy of taxation for those ob
jects : the way then appears to be fairly open
for an universal tax to support an univerfalplan
of education, so far as to comprehemi reading,
WRITING, GRAMMAR alld ARITHMETIC.
It ought to be taken for granted by all legisla
tive bodies that the people will be pleased with
nieafures which reason and experience shew will
conduce to their interest—but, the public senti
ment is, and mull continue to be in favor of a
general difFufion of knowledge—this they know
cannot be obtained without expence ; and the
supposition ought not to be made that they would
not chearfully incur it, much less fupercede an
experiment in the cafe. .?
359
The cftabiifisment of county schools or aca
demies, will not be of universal utility they
will benefit the more wealthy part of the com
munity—and by the accommodation they afford
to this cjafs, willlelfen the number of those who
feel interested in a more general plan—and,in the
fame proportion, procraltinate the period when
a fv Item for the poor as-well as the rich, shall be
adopted.
It is an imputation on the good sense of the
people, to ftippofe that they 1 would not with chear
fulnefs pay a tax for the support of learning
tor it mult occur to them that the rich wiil pay
more than their proportion, when they consider
that the major part of children are the inheri
tance of the poor anxl middling clafles of citizens.
The plan of education here Contemplated is,
that every person who pays a tax, however finnli,
shall have an equal right to the benefit nS this free
and universal institution.
The wealthy are interested peculiarly iri this
work of benevolence ; for the knowledge of the
people is x\\e ficurity of tranquility underajuft
government—without knowledge, they cannot
appreciate the value and importance of govern
ment—and hence the poflcflions of the rich,
among an ignorant people, are held by a very pre
carious tenure—unless the people are slaves.
The poor and middling clafles are deeply in
terested in this public provision for the education
of their children—For it is tantalizing to fay that
there shall be no diftiniftions of ranks, or exclii
five privileges—and that the avenues to the poll*
of honor and profit under the state and general
governments, /hall be accessible to all, without
diftintSion, who poflefs talents and virtue—while
the paths of learning are not, and cannot be trod
den by the poor.
There is a double security to the liberties of
the people derived from their being well.inform
ed— The firfl: is, it leads legislators to lie cautiou*
in ena<fting laws, led they infringe on the rights
of man—and secondly, it enables the people to
discern the more speedily those errors ordefigns
of an adminiftratioti which have an unfavorable
afpedl on the public interest and happiness. ,
Some old fable tells us, that Jupiter wasfo much
teazed by the prayers of mankind, that at length
he resolved to grant them whatever (hey asked.
But the spirit of discontent was so far from being,
allayed by it, that it broke out in murmurs more
than ever. If this tale were of modern date, we
should believe the author had intended a fling
at us. 1
Some time ago, before the new government
was put in motion, all the cry was—we are a poor
diftrefled nation—there is 110 money, &c. The
revenue and finances are put into order, credit is
revived, and money is plenty—and now the cry
is louder than ever.—We are too rich tQ free.—
Money is too plenty—the people will not work
to earn it. * •
The Lanfingburgh paper fays, that on the no
mination of the Hon. Judge Jay, and Mr. Van
Ranfellaer, as Governornor and Lieutenant-Go
vernor of the State of New-York, at a large meet
ing of the citizens.of Albany, only 5 diflentients
appeared—and that the fame unanimity in their
favor appeared in every place from whence in
formation had been received. "
PRICE CURRENT.— PUBLIC SFXURITIES.
FUNDED DEBT,
6 pr. Cents 2sf pr. J.
3 pr. Cents 14f6
Defered 6 pr. Cents 15J
UNFUNDED DEBT.
Final Settl. and other Certificates 22f 110
Indents nf 7° Mo
hair shares Rank Stock—los per cent premium.
CONTRACTS.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Mirth 6, 1792.
NOTICE \s hereby given, that Proposals will be
the Office of the Secretary of the Treasury, until 5 o'clock
in the afternoon of Wednesday the 21ft day of March inltant. fi»r
the supply of the following articles of Clothing tor the Troops
in the feivice of the United States, viz.
for the Infantry and Artili.ery.
4,608 hats 18,460 shirts
4.608 coats 7,956 pairs of socks
4,608 veils 4,608 blankets
8,668 woolen overalls 4,608 flocks
9,216 linen ditto 4,608 flock clasps
18,376' pairs of shoes 4,608 pairs of buckles.
For the Cav alky.
320 caps 640 do. of (lockings
320 coats 1,280 shirts
320 veils 320 blankets
320 pairs leather breechcs 320 flocks
640 do. of boots 320 flock clasps.
320 do. of spurs
Also, 1,200 rifle shirts, to be made of Ruflia sheeting.
Of the above clothing, five hundred suits are to be delivered on
the 15th day of April next; one thousand suits on the 15th day
ofr May next; one thousand five hundred suits on the 15th day of
June next; and the remainder on the 15th day of July next.—
The place of delivery may be either at New- York, Philadelphia
or Baltimore, at the. option of the contra£lor or contra6lors.
Proposals will be received for the whole of the above mentioned
clothing, or for any one component article fcparately to be fur
nifhed agreeably to patterns or specimens, which may be seen at
the War Office.
Good security for the punflual and faithful performance of the
contract will be required. The payments will be on the delivery
of the clothing; or, if neceflary, such reasonable advance* will bs
made as may be desired.
pr. cent.
72J do.
75 do.