rized by the law to accept any grant's of land, bnt
only grants of money.
Mr. D. Foster called for the reading of the deed
of trust or conveyance which had been so repeat
ediy referred to. This was accordingly read.
Mr. Giles laid he was fatisfied with the bill as ii
Hood. The only difference between the substitute
and the bill is this, that the bill provided for the
conveyance of the property to tiie United States,
whereas the fubllitu.e contemplates leaving the
property as it is, uader the dire&ion of the com
mifiioners. Hi agreed with the gentleman from
New-Hamplhire, that a good and legal conveyance
could be made by the commissioners; but as the
substitute had been agreed to, he saw no material
difference in the actual operation of the thing ; he
did not think that there would be any hsfitation on
the part of purchasers, whether the sales were made
by the commissioners, by themselves,' or by direc
tion from the President of the United States. He
wished the difcuffi.m to proceed ; —if she com
mittee fliould think the objedion of importance,
the bill might be re-committed.
Mr. Nicholas adverting to the a£t of conveyance,
rccited a paflage from which he said it was apparent
the property (lands precisely in the fituatioa which
gentlemen would wi(H it.
Mr. Havens said he did not petfe&ly compre
hend the fubjeft, but it appeared to htm that there
was ail eflential variation in the stile of the deed of
conveyance from that of the law for ellablilhing
the permanent feat of government.
Mr. Dayton said that from what had fallen from
the gentleman from N. H. it appears that th<
commiilioners were veiled with the fee simple of
the lots, if so, it was a total uncertainty whether
the United States had or could have the leatt con
troul over the property. If this was the cafe, he
nevfr would give his afTent to the bill. The com
missioners may refufe to fell or convey. The title
to the propgrty ought to be better underltood. He
confidercd the business as being highly important,
and that the House ought to proceed witji great
caution and deliberation, and not decide without
more information than they were at present in pof
feflion of.
Mr. Hillhoufe proposed an amendment, the ob
ject of which was to place the fubjeti on a footing
that could not be mifeonftrued.
Mr. Brent, recurrtd to the law, and read the
clauses, relative to the grants i>f land, and of money.
With refpeft to the firft, the law veils a discretion
ary power in the President to dispose of the proper
ty in such a way as to answer the several objedls
of the law, in 'he bed manner. The deed of coir
veyance goes no further than this: Adverting to
the deed, he said it expressly provides for the dif
pofltionof the net produce of the sales, as the Pre
sident of the United States may dir.ift ; and the
commissioners cannot make any use of it for any
purpose that they are not authorized to by the Pre
sident. Hence he coneludad that there no force
in the objection-drawn from the deed of trust, not
any ground for fear on this point.
Mr. Swift obferyed, that there appeared to be
such a diversity of opinion relative to tiie nature of
the d-vd of aosveyance, that he coftccived it was
alraolt impossible for gentlemen to determine what
was the atlual state of the security, on which the
loan is to be raised.—He moved therefore that the
committee (hould rife.
Mr. Btent oppofjpd the motion : he was tr.ther
diTpofed to attribute this desire of procraflination
to a fettled determination on the part of some gen
tlemen not to give their alfent to the bill in any
ihape whatever.
Mr. Crabb said he admired the attention of the
g?ntleman from Connecticut, in his watchful v,sre
over the treasury of the United States, but to what |
purpofc is th.s delay ? What is asked, it is. (imply
to guarantee a loan, that is all. To what purpose
then the flowers of rhe'oric, and declamation. If
jjentlem *u mean something wore than they express,
let tfcem come sot ward and kick the bill out of the
Ho'ife. If they intend this, let them fay so, and
we lhall then know on what ground we (land ; we
ITlali then be able to meet them on the ground of
argument, but to what purpose are the amendments
on amendments brought forward, but to perplex
and deceive ? Mr. Crabb then alluded to what had
fallen from Mr. Williams, relative to the grants
made to the federal city. Mr. Williams had infi-
TUiated, he said, that these grants were so far from
8 jjift that they were a benefit to the donors. Mr.
Crabb a Heed if the gentleman had never heard of
the grants made by the Hates of Maryland and Vir
ginia, seventy thousand dollars by the former, and
123.00 D dollars by the latter > The gentleman said
that he blushed as a republican at the grandeur of
the federal eJifices. I believe said he, that we (hall
look a g?od while before we fee the gentleman bliifh.
The committee rose, and the bill was re-commit
ted—On motion four members were added to the
commi'tee.
Mr. Livingfton brought in a report relative to
the im'jrefTment of American seamen, which was
twice ivad, and committed to the committee of the
whole House on Monday next: Interim to be
printed.
Mr. Dearborn moved that the committee on the
loan bill, be infttufted to this purport, that they
enquire, whether any, and what alterations would
l»e proper to be made in the plan adopted for the
public buildings in the city of Wafliington, and to
report.
Mr. Murray said he hoped the motion would not
be agreed to. He conceived it was useless—No
alteration could now take place without great wa!le
and lose. The gentleman does not propose that
the buildings should be pulled do*n. 1 hcv fire
now raised and progrefied to a considerable extent.
They bave not corf the Ui ited States any thing.
They have progressed thus far, thro' the generous
donations of two particular dates, and he fnbmit
ted it to the confidtratimi of the gentleman whether
it would be perfectly delicate to i .terferein the plan,
which had been adopted by those states.
Mr. DVarboru said if the committee, on enquiry,
fhonld not find any alterations advifea'ble or practi
cable thcty would report accordingly. He thought
the propri:ty of a full inveili'itiou into the fub
jetl became proper, and he did iiof conceits' thac in
this frtuation ef tin. bufiaefs, it could not be confi
dered as indicate, it v> » 'io more than adopting a
proper mode to obtain Mrmatioii.
Mr. Crabb .bjeited to the motion. He thought
thejjropofc.! enquiry very improper-. The law said
• *, nas appointed the President of the United States
to 1111 uge this bulinefs. Suppose the enquiry were
to take place, and the buildings are found on too
large a scale. (hall they be pulled iown, and smaller
ones erettcd ? If gentlemen were indulged, where
would their enquiries end ? He read the meflage of
the President to the House on the fubj;£t, wherein
he fays the sale of the lots will be equal to the ex
pence of the buildings. It would be well, he said,
if gentlemen would gain a little more information
on fubjefts, before they brought them forward. If
this had been the cafe, he thought much of the de
bat* which had occupied the House for feveraldays
might have been saved,
Mr. Dearborn acknowledged he lacked informa
tion, but that he had atlrnded, without tfteft, to
gain it from his accuser.
Mr. Bourne supported the motion. He conceiv
ed that it was ttriclly proper ; the information may
be of eflential use iN governing the decifioas of tlie
House it) the future dif uflion of the bill. It is
apparent that the supposed extravagance in eretting
tfic public buildings has influenced in clogging the
progress of the bill. Perhaps the fuggellions which
have been darted aie unfounded, if they it will
appear lb. If not they may propose pra£ticaLle
retrenchments, in either cafe ufeful infoimation will
be obtained.
Mr. Murray hoj»ed that the motion for this in
llrudtion to the Committee would not succeed—
The mover had wilhed for information upon the
present state of the public buildings and to know
their dimensions, to this he had nothing to oppose
but the remark that if the information which was
then on the clerk's table could not fatisfy him, the
time to obtain more from the city would be too
long in all realoa. On the table he cculd find the
elevation of the Congress House and its dimen
sions, and he believed of the house for the execu
tive also. Were the objedl of the motion to ob
tain this fort of knowledge through the committee,
and that the only objefl, he Ihould have considered
it as merely unneceflary and opposed it as it would
uselessly accumulate bufinefafor the committee and
prove a source of delay j but he opposed this mo
tion because it did nor demand information mere
ly, hut the opinion of the commitue whether any,
and what alteration was necelTnry in thole build
inns. This being the motion he considered it at
embarking the house in a principle new and dan
gerous to the city of Wafllington. It wit the as
sumption of a power of controuling and of depart
ing from a plan warranted bylaw, snd to the im
plicit execution of which the faith of the govern
ment, through the Prelident a&ing by his cutsmif
fioners was completely and folemniy plighted. If
you have a right to dictate alterations in any part of
that city, then have those who have embarked
their whole fortunes under ihe faith of the ail of
Congress from whole conllrudtion a difcietionary
power in the Prcfident upon this fubjedt wa< de
duced, been in a ftatc of dclufion* But he denied
the power of the house to art in this way coulif
tently with good faith. The Prejjdent had the
city laid off, he had power to do so. Men of
taste, architects of ability and engineers were he
presumed consulted as to the plan; fcites were de
termined on for the public buildi igs; fquarea,
(Ireets and avenues were laid ofF, eachobje£t bore
its relation to the oth?r, so as to raise the value
of the whole. Individaals have bought property
there whose value mult re fill t from the completion
of the place upo* which they speculated. Defeat,
derange that plan and you do a violence to that
faith in which purchasers veiled. If the motion
seeks mere information it is present. If it a(ks
opinion, it implies a power of alteration and this
will vitiate the spirit of the ir,dilution. If defeih
do exill, it is too late to redlify inem, and it would
be profufion to do it in the way he had heard.
Mr. Thatcher was in favor of general inftru&i
---0118 to the committee, and not those of a minute
and particular nature. He considered that a minute
enquiry involved very extensive confequenres, such
as he believed were not contemplated by any per.
fori whatever.
Mr. Giles proposed a substitute of a more gene
ral nature. The motion before the House proposes
that the committee (liould report opinians; his
was for a report of fadts.
Mi. Dearborn said the motion just read did r.ot
go far enough.
Mr. Swatufcick was in favor of a minute enquiry
into the whole business.
Mr. Gallatin thought that the report should con
tain not only a Hate of facts, but also of opinions
fourdedon tfcofe facts. Mr. Gallatin fiiid th« mo
tion of the gentleman from Virginia did not em
brace the obje£t so fully as that moved by the gen
tleman from MafTachufeits. In reply to what had
been said relative to the exclusive right to manage
the business, on the part of the President, he re
marked, that the law had made it the duty of the
President to cause the buildings to be ere&ed ; and
this he had a right to do without consulting the le
gislature while the expence was confined to the
grants by the Hates of Maryland and Virginia—
Bat there was one check in the business, and that
was in agitating the grant of money on the part of
the Union ; here the ground was changed, and a
right on the part of the government to enquire into
the business was the confequeace. He was there
fore in favor of the firll motion, as it went to
enquire iato fa£b, but also provided for a declara
tion of opinions founded on those fa&s
Mr. Coit Hoped the motion would prevail. He
recited some of the expences which had taken plafce.
Thefewtte so extravagant as to occasion great part
of Ihe opj>®fitinn to the bill.
Mr. Giles here read tiis f«b(litiite, with some
additions extending thecompafs of it.
Mr. Murray offered Come further objections ro
the motion ; The more he
imore he disliked He
Mr. Cr&Sb said he saw no use in the enquiry, bu(
to produce etullefs and unprodudhvc debates.
Mt. Cooper eppofed the notion He f
that all the government had to do in the bus.
ness was to guarantee the loaft, and to secure the
eventual reimbutfement of it by ihe lots.
Mr. Sedgwick observed, that contemplating the
removal of the government as fettled by law, lie
had thought it but reasonable that the government
should guarantee a loan for compleating the public
buildings neceflar.y for the accommodation ot con
gress on the principles which be had stated. But
with refpeft. to the fizc or elegance of those build
ings, erected not at their expence, he very moth
doubted the propriety of investigating the enquiry
proposed- It would, he conceived, have a very
lingular appearance for the government to fay that
theft buildings are too large, too commodious, or
too elegant. He did not care, for his part, how
accommodating they were.
Mr. Deaibornc's motion was agreed to, 42 to
38.
Mr. Giles's resolution. being called for, it was put
and carried, to the following effect :
"That the said committee (hall be inftru&ed to
enquire into the ilatt of the Public Buildings at the
permaneHt feat of Government of the United States,
into the expence already incurred in eie&ing, and
the probable expence bf completing the fame."
Mr. New of the committee of enrolment, inform
ed the House that they had this day laid before
the President of the United States for his appro
bation, the aft for the relief of Benjamin Strother.
Mr. Richards had leave of absence for one week.
Adjourned.
* ju* In the Jlttch of Wednesday's debates, in
yejlerdafs Gazette, second column, 4th line from the
bottom, in Mr. Giles's speech, for contrive read
controul.
BENNINGTON, (Vermont.) January 30.
Philad. $th 'Jmi. 1796,
Sir,
1 had this day the honor to reeeivi your letter
of the 20th ult. in behalf of the Bennington coun
ty convention, enclosing a resolution of that Con
vention of the fame date, expreflive of their wifll
that Mr. Smith and myfelf would use our belt en
deavors to obtain the sense of Congress upon the
conlUtutionality of the late treaty with Great Bri
tain. lmprefled with the fame sense of the value
of that liberty and independence for which we
have so fuccefsfully fttuggled, and'in defence of
which I have fuffered so much, which you express:
I cheerfully liflcli to the voices of Kiy fellow ci
tizens and friends, in the county of Bennington,
upon the fubjeft of the treaty—l teg ret the diver?
lity of fcntiiWent, produ&ive of unhappy confequen
cc9, which has taken place upon that fubjeft.—
The queltion will undoubtedly come before Con
gress in the course of this fclfion, and 1 (hall with
out rtgaul to p;:rty or place if it was only for my
own Catijfaftlou, molt afliduoufly apply myfelf to
the invertigatipn of it ? whatever may be the refiilt
of my enquity; my own judgment mud be my
gf.lJe ; for though I consider as you do, that 1
am placed here as one of the Representatives from
tht; Stale of Vermont at large, and that it is the
right of freemen, to beeoiae acquainted with thfc
eXpolitions, and true meaning of the conflitutions
of government by them adopted, and as under
rtood by their legal reprcfentalives. Yet-.as you
have confided to me a trust, and delegated to me
power, to aft, I must faithfully exercise that
power, according to my bed judgment and ability ;
and when I have induftrionfly employed my finall
ia!e»ts to invelfigate any fubjeft—have made up
my mind and am called upon to aft, I mull decide
and aft as I should rationally conclude my confli
tuents would do, vveie they acting with integrity
and upiightnefs, under the fame impivflions and
view of the fubjefti as T myfelf at the time pofTefs.
1 h»ve a grateful sense of the confidence which
you are to repose !B me, and confidei it as
an additional obligation to endeavor dill to deserVe
it—l am sensible that as we have adopted the con
stitution, it is now to be 'ronfidered as the expref
fton ofthe will of the great body of the sovereign
people, and as fuch ; 'it is the palladium of our
liberty, and it would be treason to violate it,
] tiave the honor to be, fir,
With sentiments of elteem,
Yoor moll obedient,
and humble fcrvant,
P. S As many in Vermont, vvhofe opinions 1
refpeft, have already decided on the treaty, If 1
should have the misfortune in finally making up
my opinion to differ fiom them in sentiment, I
will domyfelf the honor to fend yon a statement
of the reasons on which I found my judgment.
Timothy Browsqn, Esq. T
Chairman of >
county convention. 3
NORFOLK, February 15
We understand the orders ilTued by the Gover
nor of this (late to detain the horfesthat were (hip
ped for the Weft Indies, are countermanded by
the Executive of the United States.'
Philadelphia,
FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY *6, 1796,
Thelegiflatureof Rhodclfland has written to the
legislature ol Virginia on the fubjc£t of their a-
Amendments to the Federal Conltitution, in vvhieh
they inform them, in fubftanee, that in their opin
ion, Conltitution has not been fiifficieiilly tri
ed tojuftify attempting to make the amendments
they propose.
Yesterday, in the Supreme Court of 'he United
States, Mr Hamilton, late Secretary of the Trea
sury, made a mofl eloquent speech iu fttpport of the
Constitutionality of the Carriage<-Tax —li<j fpeke for
three hours, and the whole of hisargui.ießt was clear,
impreflive, and claflieal. The audience, which was
very numerous, and among whom were many toreign-
Baiu] many of the memtAj^Akf m ~
D. BUCK- -
D. BUCK,
tinual
Y.-Ssriay the fallowing Rtfohition, with .'he T're
pafiV : the He-preftoi tivts of the
■_ ir.:n.>n\*t,.lr!i rf Penufylvanii 1
\Vhereas ik.- , • »p!r of the United States hive, »%
■Vr their pref;r.t C«>n"itution, enjoyed m ny eminent
;. : .vanta;res, in as n>ni<h as they have thereby b,en tff.
in the blefSngs of liberty aiid domeftie traiiqxi.
i?v, asti have expericnc-d from it; influence 3H unp»-
i-alled decree o f prcifperity, efpe Ut'y in their agricul
tural and commercial pursuits: Ana wheress> it would
he highly improper to rifqxs a continuance of thefts
ine"imaMe blcrtfinjfs and advantages, by making any
alterations in the f,iid Confliiution, by the opeiaiion
»f which we are thus prosperously fitiiated, until f -n.a
disadvantages are found to refill therefrom; therefore
Reftlwd, Thst it is unnecefiary and improper for
ihis House to tafce any meafurcs to procure* to theCoa
(litution of the United States the alterations propofci
by the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Yeas. Nay«,
45 3°
it 2*
On the Refoiution,
On the Preamble,
Our Jacobin* have been called a fafliori. They
complain of this, and fay they are npt a Jaflion, but
the people. So said the jacobins of France. Bat th«
French nation were not always to be deceived by fiich
means:—> —they drove these blood drinkers out of
their dens. The public opinion of this country, tho'
abhorrent to the (hedding of blosd, is no less decifiv?
against jacobiriifm. The mobs and absurd resolutions
in the large towns, have been dillountenanced by the
plain and sensible farmers ; and thus jacobinism has
been confined, with the yellow fe\er, to dark alleys
and the neighborhood of unwholesome dflcks. The
great interest of the country is peace j and the great
body of the country people, as Weil as the nn:n cf
worth, sense and property, in the fca-ports, hive
(hewn a strong support of the measures that tend to
preserve it. Fartion has been defined an adherence to
interests, inuonfiftent with the general interest : What
then are clubs, to influence eleilions, and mobs, to
overawe a peace-making government, but fadlioa,
rank fadtion ? and at I'uch to be detefled and lup
prefled.
It turns out, that those who made the zioife about
the British Treaty are not the people. The signers of
petitions jire but as a drop to the ocean. So much,
clamour, so much lying, so much running, riding
and mobbing, and so few names! what can prove
more pointedly that the party is weak. ? Yet more
proof to the fame point is at hand, tho* it is not
needed; —the States, Virginia excepted, taife their
patriotic voices agaiuft the diforganizers.
Now, citizen Democrats, as the people are dedd
ly against yen, will you persevere against the people I
You fay (when you expect to raise disturbance by
faying it) the voice of the people is the voice of GoA j
RefpeA that voice, so loudly and foltmnly exprefTed—
forbear to raise your wicked hands against this govern
meet which they appointed, and which you perceive
they resolve ItilJ to maintain. You fancy you could
delude t majority ps one branch of Congress to Itop
rhe motions of that government, and to obftruA the
lawful doings of *he other two branches—will not the
people hold you relponfible for the anarchy and con
vulfibn that, will ensue ? will they not in vengeance
require their government at yo-ir parricide bands I
fCH THE GAZETTt vr 1 HE UNITE© STATES.
Mr FENNO, s
ONE of the learned Counsel against tht Conftituti
onilily of the Carriage Tax, very candidly admitted,
that Congrels have full dominion over the refotirecj
of the United States ; but at the fa or- time took infi
nite pains to shew the extreme difficulty .of expcifing
this power with impartiality. He stems, however, to
have lolt fight of one niaXirn, which is, tnat in a choice
of difficulties, the least exceptionable mode ought tq
obtain the preference. What tax, for instance, caa
be more congenial to our republican form of govern
ment* than the one calculated to reach the most weal-*
thy class of people ? Are ihey not better able tp bear
the burthen than the poorer class ?—Again, What
higher proof can be required of a man's ability to pay
taxes than his ftileof living ? Is there not good reason
to conclude that he who keeps an equipage is richer
than he who has none ? most certainly.
Ihe learned Counsel further observed —that the a*
mount of the tax might operate to feanifh out of use the
articles upon which it was laid. When experience
shall p«ove this to be the result, it will be time enough
to repeal the tax, provided the article itfelf is of public
utility. But I will ask the learned Counsel, whether il
is a fa A within his own knowledge, that fincethe high
iluty imposed on playing Cards, there is one pack less
used in Virginia**! might propose a similar queflion
with refpe# to carriages. The truth is, that when,
people indulge themfclves in bad habits, either from
motives of pride or indolence, they are not to be eafi-
Jy therefrom by taxation.- For my own part
IVlr. Fenno, I should not be sorry to fee the duty on
.carriages increaled so as to amount t© a prohibition ;
for I have no idea, thatHhofe citizens who cannot af
ford to ride, are to be fufFocated in dry weather, with
the dust raised by the carriage wheels of these pretencfc*
ed advocates of equality.
For LIVERPOOL,
THE S HIP
M I A B L E y
Daniel C. Tillinghurft, mailer;
A staunch, fall failing aedar and live oak fliip, now lying
at Weil's wharf, next above Vine-street—will begin to
take in her ca g» in a few days, great part being ready
to go on board—is intended to fail about the loth of IK'x"t
month. For freight or paflage apply to the Mailer «n
board, or to JEREMIAH WARDER..
Who has for SALE,
Large Liverpool House CQAL;
New and fecoqd hand CABLES and H AWSERS, from
eight to fifteen inches;
And Sail-Makers Seaming TWINE,
-February
Canal Lottery Office,
JV*tor the Bank of the United States,
Philadelphia, February 45, 17961.
STATE of the WHEEL;
I pr'.ze of 30,000 - , 30,000
i J®. 30,P00 r r J 00, 000
I do, 10,000 » ' jo.oco
1 do, »,joo - «■ 5,000
9 do, J,co© - - 9,000
Ts Jo. 500 ' r 6,J00
do, 100 F - 3,200
With a proportionate number of 13 dollar prize*.
The Public are informed, that from the above ftatem 'nt,
and the Lottery being abeut two-thirds drawn, the W heel
is upwards of One hundred thousand dollars richer than
at the commencement; aad that in future the rife of
Tickets will be jirogreffive, after every day, or every
other day's drawing, while the 30,000 dollars remains in
the Wheel.
W?n. Blackburn, Agent,
rhe holders of fortunate Tickets of dollar
prizes and upwards, will be paid cash £or them, allowing
a reafonabie discount beftdes that £jcpf£sTed on the face as
thejyicket/
3tawiw