;• or, Fayetteville Gazette.
yoL. i.j
Monday, May 24, 1790.
KUMB. 3f,
proceedings of Congrefs.
■OUSE OF REFRESENTATtVEJ,
*rhurjdjy, March 4.
I N committee of the whole, on the bill
lO promote the progrefs of tlic ufe-
fiU arts. The bill was read, and dif-
•uffed in p'aragraphs. The claufe which
{ 'ivcb a party a right to appeal to ajaty
rom the dec'ilton of referrees, it was
moved, (hould be (truck out. This mo
tion was oppofed-, as depriving the citi
zen of a right to which he is entitled-^
as improper in itfelf, as caUies of very
great magnitude may be depending,
which it may be highly improper to fub-
mit to the deoihon et two or three men
•nly, two of which may be fo ditfereiit-
ly interelled as never to agree—fo that
the decifion may finally reCuh from the
influence of the perfon nominated by the
Secretary of State. On the other hand
it was faid, that it appears highly im-
jproper that juries (hould be called to
judge upon matters that they may not
be fiippofed competent to forming a
judgment of—thele trials will always
relate to matters of invention, 3cc. of
which three peiTons may be found with
much greater eafe who are competent
to'judge, than twelve—that the right of
trial by juries is not univerfal—and in
Che prefent cafe, there will be a much
greater probability of having jullice
done by arbitrators, who are men of
fcience, &c The motion for ftriking
•at was carried in the afiirrmative.
The committee proceeded further in
the difeuifion of this bill—but i ofc with-
•lu completing it—and the chairman
reported progrefs.
The fpeaker laid before the honfe a
letter from the fecretary of the trcaftiry
covering his report, made in obedience
to the order of the houfe of the 2d in-
ftant.
The faid report is in the words fol*
lowing :
Treasury Defartment, March a.
1790.
In obedience to the order of the houfe of
prefentathies, of the id infant,
^HE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY
Refpenfully Reports,
T hat in his opinion, the funds in
the firft inftance requifite towards
the payment of intereft on the debts of
the individual dates, according to the
modifications propofed by him in his
report of the 9th of January pad, may
be obtained from the following ohjceds :
An increafe of the general prodiid of
the duties on goods imported, by abo-
lilhing the diCcount often ()cr cent, al
lowed by the fiftli fedion of the aid for
laying a duty on goods, wares, and mcr-
chandiics, imported into the United
States, in refped to goods imported in
American bottoms, and adding ten per
cent, to the rates fpcciheJ in refpecl to
goods imported in foreign bottoms,
W’ith certain exceptions and qualifieati-
ons ; This change, without inipai ing
the commercial policy of the regnlati-
en, or making an inconvenient aildiiicn
to the general rates of the duties, will
occafion an augmentation of the reve
Tiue little (hortof 200,000 dollars.
An additional duty on imported fii-
gars. Sugars are an objed of general
coniumption ; and yet conllitnte a I’mall
propoitionof the expdnce of families.
A moderate addition to the prclent
rates would not he felt. From the bnl ki*
nefs of the article too, fiirh an additi
on may be made with due regard to the
faiety of colledion. The quantity of
brown and other inferior kinds of fu-
gars imported, a])pears to exceed twen
ty-two millions of pounds, whirl), at
a half cent per pound, would produce
one hnnJi'cd and ten tlionfand dollars.
Proportional impofitious on foreign re
fined fiigar, and proper d) av'hacks on
expo) tatinn, ought of courl'e to indeni-
nify the maaufadurers of this article
among ourfelves.
Mohdres, being in fomc dates a fub-
llicute for lugar, a Imall addition to the
duty on that article, ouglit to uccohi-
pany an increafe of the duty on iugar.
This, however, ought to be reguuied
with pi'opcr attention to the ctreum-
(lance, that the lame article will con
tribute largely in the ihape of dillilled
fpirits. Hall a cent per gallon on nio-
lalfes, would yield an annual fum of
thinly thouiand dollars. Our diltillers
of Ipirits from tins material, may be
compenfated by a proportional extenlion
ol the duty on imported fpirits.
bnuff, and other mannfariured lobac-
to, made within the United States.—
Ten cents per pound on the fnulf, and
fix cents on other kinds of manufaclured
tobacco, would fie likely to produce an-
irually, from ninety to onehundn d thou-
fanJ dollars. I^rom its good evidence
as tlie nature of the cafe will admit, the
■quantity of tliefe af^ticlcs mnnutactured
in the United States may be computed
to exceed a million and a’half of pounds.
1 he impoliiion of this uuty would re
quire an increafe of the duty on im
portation, and a drawback on exporta
tion, in faw'our ol tha manufiufliirer.
^ his being an abfolute fupcrflnity, is the
faireil objcift of revenue that can be
imagined, and may be fo regulated, as
in no degree to injure either the growth
or manutaAure of the commodity.
Pepper, pimento, fpiees in general,
aftd various "other kinds ol groceries.
Thefe articles will bear luch additional
rates as may be enimated to yield a fum
riot lefs than thirty thoii'knd dollars.
Completing according to the- entries in
the (late of New-Yo-k, in 1788, the
yearly quantity of pepper and pimento
brought into the Uniti d Stares, is not
lefi> than eight hundred thoufand
pounets, n| which about a thlrel is pep-
pe-r. ^ Six cents on peppgr.and four cents
on pimento (with drawbacks on export
ation) m.ty, without iiiconvcnicnce, be
laid.
Salt. An aiJdltional duty of fix cents
per bufiiel,may in the judgement ol'ilie
fecretary, with propriety belaid on this
article. It is one of thofc objefls which,
being confitmed by all, will bemofl pro-
dudlive, and ye^ from the fniallnefs of
the qu.intily in which it is coniimietl by
any, and of the price, will be Icall bnr-
thenfomc, if confined within rctifonttble
limits. If a government does not avail
itfelf, to a proper extent, of rcfonrccs
like thefe, it mud of ncccdity,overcharge
others, and particularly, give gitaler
fcopc to direft taxation. The quantity
of cltis article annually imported, hiring
at Ictill a millirm and a half of hiifliels,
the annual prodndl of an ;u!ditinual
duty of lix cents, may be contptued .-it
ninety thon.'and d .llais.
Caniages, fuch as coaches, rharints^
tic. Thefe articles may ccrtainlv be
the fuhjeft of a confiderahlc duty How
productive it would he, is not ealV to
be eKimated. lint it is imagined, that
it would yield not lels than fifty thou
fand dollars per anntim.
Licenfes to praftifers of the law.—.
Ccittiin law procccd!ng.s, and various
kinds of wiiiiiigs» Tlie extent of this
refonree can only be determined upon
trial; but the (ecrctary feels a (Iroiig
afTiirancc, that tliere may be drawn froin
it, yearly, not lels than two hundred '
thotifiind dollars. Tlie fy’flem for col-
leftitig a duty of this kind, wonUl em
brace playing ctird -, and fomc other ob-
jeCls of luxury, which do not fill under
the above deferiptious, but which are
ellimatcci iu the fuppoled pioduft.
Sales at atiClion (exchifive of hottfes
or lands,or of ihofe uiadc in confe(|nence
of legal procefs, (u of acknowledged -
inliilvcncy.) One per cent, on fnch files
would, probably, ^irodtice a yearly Jiun
of forty or fifty llioulhnd dollars
\Vines mid (pit its fold at retail. Thefe
articles arc, in the opinion of tlie fterc-
try, capable of being rendered (aruu re
prodiiClivc than Ii.is been generally rnn-
tcmplated ; .mul tliey tire, rerlait.ly,
among Uic moll unexceptionable ol'jciib
of revenue. It is prefumed that two
hundred tliouland dollars per annum
may, with lacility, he collected from the
retail vent of thefe articles.
1 he loreign objects are thofe, which
appear to the (ctretary, preferable o-
V’ards a provilion tor liie debts of the
individual Ibiies. There are oriiers,
■which liave occurred to liini as iupple-
riieniary, iu caie the experiment (hould
difeover a defieienty in theexpeCled pro-
duri; but which he conceives it unne-
"ceitary now to uctail. He -will only add
that lie entertains no doubt of Its being
praflicable to aci omplilh the end, on the
pi iiwiples of his foimer report, without
thenecelUtyof taxing cither houfes or
lands, or the (lock, or the produce of
farms.
I'he fecretary conceiving t'he defigft
of the houfe to have been to obtain from
him a general delineation only of the
funds, competent in his judgment to,
the provilion in qucllion, has refrained
ftonj thofe details, V hich would be in-
difpenl.able, it that provilion were imme
diately to be mad.; $ and to have fur-
nilhed which •would have occafinned
greater delay than would, prob.d)ly have
luited the prclent (lat; of the bufinels,
or the convenience of the houfe. He
W’ith great deference trulls, that wha is
now ottered \i ill be deemed a I'aiisfaiJ'ory
■compliance with their order.
Tlie ilatement required, rcipedling
the pr 'duid of die enties on imports
and tonnage to the la(l of Decen ber,
asfar as retuins have come to hand, is
cojuitincd in thefehcclule herewith.*
All which is fubniitted.
•ALEXANDFR HAMILTON",
Secrctan of the treafury,
‘Friday, Match y.
Mr. TfCrry prefented a petition Tom
Catherine Green, rclidl of the late Ma
jor-General Greene, which Was read.
Mr. Smith ^^I.) prefented the peti
tion of Thomas Uorrel, of Baltimore,
wh ch was r-a I the firil time,and l.dd on
the table.
Mr. Scott moved, that the memorial
"of Richard Wells and J. Hart, rcfpefl-
ing the old paper money, (liould be re
ferred to the committee of - the whole
fiouCe
Tilt qnertion being taV-en, the moti
on was negatived. It was then moved,
that it he referredtoafeleift committee of
ten members—wliich palfed in the af
firmative.
A memorial was prefented ty Mr.
Tucker, from the oflicei s of the South*
Carolina line of the late army.
'('he petition of Mrs. Greene was read
a fecond time, and referred to a com
mittee of five.
The houfe went into a committee on
tlie bill to remit fines and lorfeltures in
certain cafes: and having amended and
agreed to the bill, ordered it to be en-
groiPjd.
A melfage was received from the fe-
nate, requeuing the concurrence of the
hoiUe to an ad they had pafied, for ac-
cepling theccinon of the wellern terri
tory, made hv the (late of Nortli-Cal-o-
lina j airore(|uellitig the concurrence of
the liouleto the following rcibhition i
“ I litit the lelpciUivc colleelorsln the
feveral port? of the United States, be
dirc.'led not to grant a clearance for liny
(hip or veliel, liaving articles on board
fiibjeifl to ii'.lpci'lioii, by rln: laws of the
(late front which fuch lliip or vclfel lli.ill
be about to depart, without having pre-
vionlly obtained I'ltclimanil'ells and other
documents as arc enjoined by tlie laiel
laws.”
'1 lie houfe confulered the rcjiort of
the coiiiinitlee rtlpeiUing the f.ilaiic!". of
the clerks ol ilie bo.ird ol commilli-
oiiers tor fettling arcmints betv.-ecn the
Ihiited .St.itcs and indlvidoal (l-.iies,
aral ordered a bill to be btought
in to allow theiii the lame falaries
a", the clerks of the otl.er public
ofilceSi
• rcrihf tUicmcrt .illuilcd :o, fs: cUr bU.
The committee, to whom was refere
red fundry memorials from the peoplft
called Quaker.s, and alfo a memoMal
fiom the Tennlylvania liiciety for pro»
moting the abolition of llavtiy, report-
ed :
That from the nature of the matter*
contained in thole memorials, they werfe
induced to examine the powers vefted in
Congrefs, under the prclent conllituti-
on.re • g to jc abolition of ilavcry,
nd are clearly 01 opinion—*
it. I Jiat the general government
is exprefsly rcUnainCd from prohilirting
the importation of I'uchperfons as any
of the Hates now exilling (hall think pi o'*
per to admit, until the year 1808.
Secondly. That Congi"eis, by a taif
tonllruftion of the conllitntion, are
equally reftrained from inteileiing in
the em.ancipation of (laves, who ah ea dy
are, or who may, within the period
metitioned, be imported into, or bora
within, any of the laid Hates.
Thirdly". That Congrefs have no au*
thority to interfere in the internal regur
lation of particular dates, relative td
the inilrudlion of flaves in the princi
ples of morality and religion, to th.ir
comfortable cloatliing, accomm.-dati-
‘on and fubfiftence—to the regulation of
their marriages-, and the prevention of
the violation of the rights thereof, or
to tlie the feparation of children from
their parents—to a conifoitable provi-
fion in calcs of lieknefs, age, m inniri.i*
ty. or the fcizuie, tranfportation, or 'ale
of free negiOcs ; but htive the (lil)e(t
confidence in the wililont atid hum o ’’ty
of the legiflatures of the feveral dates,
that they will revile their laws, from
time to lime, when necefliiry, and pro*
mote the ohjcifls mentioned in the me*
morials. and cverv n'lic- mealiire that
mav ten ' to the happinefs of llaves.
Foiirlhlv. That, nevcrthelefs. Con*
^efshave ,iut)iority, if they lhall think
it necelTary, to lay at any rime a tax or
dutT, not "xceeding ten dollars tor each
perfon, of any delti iprion, the-iniporta*
tion of whom fliall lie, by any of th*
dates, admitted as aforefaid.
Fifthly. _ That Congrffs have authoil
rity to interdifl, or (lb far . 1 it i^, or
may be carried on bv citiz’jns of the/
United .States, for fiipp)ying foreigners)
to rcgul.atethe African trade, and to
riiake provifion for the 'iiiimane treat*
ment of (l.ives, in all cafes, wliile on
their palfage to the United States, or to
foreign ports, as far as it rcfpeifts die
citi"/.ens of the United Sc.Ue«J»»
Sixthly. T’hat Congrefs fiave alfo
authority to prohibit forr-ignet s f or: fit
ting out velfels in any pOit of the Uni'-
cd States, for tranfporting perfoiu fiom
Africa to any (breigu port.
.Seventhly. 'I'liat tlie memorialiUs
be intormed, tluitiii all cafes, to wideh
the authority ol Congrefs extends, they
will excrci'l'e it for the hiinulue objefts of
the mcmorialills, lb far as they ran bjC
promoted on the piiuciples ol jullice,
luimanity and gnoil policy.
Tlie faid report was read, and laid on
the table, Adjourned.
AtfinJiiy, A fare!; 8.
T’he hill tor tile reniillion and mitiga
tion of fines, forfsitiiies, liml penalties,
was read a third lime and pildeJ.
The bill for promoring the progrefti
of iifeful arts, was read a third tiiliC*
and ordered to lie on the table until to
morrow.
On motion, the conrnlevaiion of the
bill accepting ibe ceilion of a certain
territory ceded 'o Congi els l.y tlie (bite
of Norili-Carollna, li-iii fionitlic fcn.-iic,
was [loll jioncd unriTriuirlday ne.xt, and
then to be taken up in a conm.icLce mf
tlic wliolc.
'i’he lefolve fent from the fenate, di-
refting the ciillesb)i s in the feveral dates
pot to grant elearances to any veifel
W 'lioul having Inch di'Cilments au'l
Ptaniteds as tire bv law fp"cific,l, w-as
relerred to Melfrs. Vfhltc, Coiiicc, and
'FurkKr.
Ml", l.i vermore. (Voin tlic committee
rslpeiding uic lalaries •! the clerks o£