The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
of the UNITED STATES.

MONDAY, MARCH 1.

A MESSAGE was received from THE PRESIDENT of the United States, by the Secretary for the Department of War, with sundry communications relating to the present situation and prospects of the Western Frontiers, in respect to the Indian Tribes.

Mr. SCOTT presented a petition from sundry inhabitants of Pennsylvania, holders of old paper money--This petition was lengthy, and entered into a particular discussion of the subject--stated the pretensions of those who are creditors of the United States in consequence of holding this money, especially such as had been compelled to receive it by virtue of tender laws, and laying great stress on the specific promise impressed on the face of the bills.

-Laid on the table.

In committee of the whole, on the report of the Secretary of the Treasury.

The proposition for assuming the State debts, and the amendments proposed thereto, under consideration.

Mr. Ames offered the following resolutions, which he desired might be laid on the table, to be taken up after the propositions under consideration had been decided on.

Resolved, That effectual provision be made for the settlement of accounts between the United States and individual States.

Resolved, That in the said settlement, the States respectively be charged with advances to them severally made by the United States, liquidated to specie value, with interest thereon at the rate of six per cent. per annum; and that they be also charged with the amount of their respective debts (which with the consent of the creditors shall have been assumed by the United States) with the interest thereon to the time from which interest shall be payable by the United States.

Resolved, That in the said settlements the said States respectively be credited with all monies paid and supplies furnished to or for, and debts incurred on account of the United States, and in general with all expenditures whatsoever towards general or particular defence during the late war between the United States and Great-Britain, with interest thereon at the rate of six per cent. per annum.

Resolved, That the said settlement be made under the direction of Commissioners, whose authority shall continue until the said settlement shall be effected, and whose decisions shall be final and conclusive upon the United States, and upon the several States.

Resolved, That in case a ratio for adjusting the contributions of the respective States shall not be prescribed by Congress during the present session, the said Commissioners shall have full power to settle such ratio, and shall also have power to determine in all other respects the principles of the said settlement in conformity to these resolutions.

Resolved, That the several States may exhibit their claims against the United States until the day of next, but not afterwards; and that the said Commissioners shall, as soon as may be after the said day, proceed to a final adjustment of the said accounts, whether the whole of the claims of the respective States shall have then been adduced or not. No decision this day.

TUESDAY, MARCH 2.

The bill to secure to Francis Bailey the exclusive right to his invention in typography, passed to be enacted.

A report from the Secretary of the Treasury, containing an estimate of the appropriations necessary for the year 1790, was read, and ordered to be printed for the use of the House.

It was then moved that a committee of ways and means should be appointed, and that this report should be referred to that committee.

This motion occasioned a considerable debate--in the course of it, Mr. White moved the following, in substance, viz.--That the Secretary of the Treasury should be directed to ascertain the resources that may be applied to the payment of the State debts, should they be assumed by the United States. The motion on this question after considerable discussion was put, when the House was equally divided and the Speaker gave the casting vote in favour of the motion.

The report of the Secretary of the Treasury relative to appropriations was referred to the committee on appropriations.

Mr. Ames presented a memorial from the manufacturers of cordage in the town of Boston.

Mr. Stone introduced the following resolution which was adopted, viz.--That the Secretary of the Treasury be directed to lay before the House the amount of the impost and tonnage received in the several States, from the commencement of the collection to the 31st December last.

In committee of the whole House, on the report of the Secretary of the Treasury-the assumption of the State debts under consideration: Mr. Madison's amendments to the original proposition being read, the debate was renewed--His last proposition, viz.--That the amount of the debts actually paid by any State to its creditors since the day of shall be credited and paid to such State on the same terms as shall be provided in the case of individuals--Mr. Smith (S. C.) moved should be amended, by inserting the words principal and interest--which after some debate was carried in the affirmative.

The question on this amendment, as thus amended, being taken, was negatived.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3.

Read a report from the committee to provide for the remission or mitigation of fines, &c.

Mr. Carroll after a few introductory observations shewing that several members wished further time to digest the subject of the assumption of the State debts, proposed that the committee of the whole should be discharged from a further attention to that part of the Secretary's report for the present, and made a motion to that effect, which was seconded: This motion was objected to by Mr. Smith (S. C.) Mr. Lawrence and Mr. Sedgwick--and supported by Mr. Seneca, Mr. White and Mr. Madison--the latter gentleman proposed an amendment, so that the committee should be discharged, until the Secretary of the Treasury should communicate the information expected from him on the subject respecting the resources to be appropriated for the purpose of paying the debts to be assumed: This motion was considered as an indirect method of getting rid of this particular part of the report altogether--and those who considered this part as inseparably connected with all the rest, observed, 'that if this was passed over they should be totally at a loss how to act with respect to the other objects of the report.'

It was farther said that if this vote was adopted, it would place the State debts in a less eligible situation than those of the continental--when, as it was contended they stood on equally meritorious footing--these observations were concluded with a motion that the committee should suspend the consideration of the whole report, and not have reference to any particular part of it.--All idea of getting rid of the business as had been suggested, was disclaimed by Mr. Carroll--He thought the observation uncandid.--The difference between the State and Continental creditors was urged by those who were in favour of the motion--and the acts of the old Congress to that purport, were cited--It was said that no idea of opposition to this motion was expected, as the committee must see the propriety of waiting for the requisite information from the Secretary of the Treasury--The question on this motion being taken, was negatived.

THURSDAY, MARCH 4.

The Naturalization Bill was read a third time, and passed to be enacted.

In committee of the whole on the Bill to promote the progress of the useful arts. The Bill was read and discussed in paragraphs. The clause which gives a party a right to appeal to a jury from the decision of referees, it was moved, should be struck out. This motion was opposed, as depriving the citizen of a right to which he is entitled--as improper in itself, as clauses of very great magnitude may be depending, which it may be highly improper to submit to the decision of three men only, two of which may be so differently interested, as never to agree--so that the decision may finally result from the influence of the person nominated by the Secretary of State. On the other hand it was said, that it appears highly improper that juries should be called to judge upon matters that they may not be supposed competent to forming a judgment of--these trials will always relate to matters of invention, &c. of which three persons may be found with much greater ease who are competent to judge, than twelve--that the right of trial by juries is not universal--and in the present case there will be a much greater probability, of having justice done by arbitrators, who are men of science, &c. The motion for striking out was carried in the affirmative.

The committee proceeded further in the discussion of, this Bill--but rose without completing it--and the chairman reported progress.

FRIDAY, MARCH 5.

Mr. Gerry presented a petition from Catharine Green--relict of the late Major-General Green--which was read--and referred to a committee.

In committee on the whole on the Bill for the remission, or mitigation of fines, penalties and forfeitures in certain cases--the Bill was read, and having made one amendment, the committee rose, and reported the same to the House, who ordered the Bill to be engrossed for a third reading.--Read a third time and ordered to lie on the table.

In committee of the whole on the Bill to promote the progress of the useful arts--Sundry amendments were made in this Bill, which were reported to the House: these amendments with several others were agreed to, and incorporated in the Bill, which was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading on Monday next.

A message from the Senate, informing that they passed an act to accept of the cession of certain lands in the Western Territory, made by the State of North-Carolina--Also, that they have passed a resolve for giving further instructions to the Collectors of impost in the United States, in which they request the concurrence of the House.

The subject of the south western frontiers being moved for--the galleries were shut.

Treasury-Department, March 4, 1790.

In obedience to the Order of the House of Representatives, of the Second instant, the Secretary of the Treasury respectfully reports--

THAT in his opinion, the funds in the first instance requisite towards the payment of interest on the debts of the individual States according to the modifications proposed by him in his report of the ninth of January past, may be obtained from the following objects:

An increase of the general product of the duties on goods imported, by abolishing the discount of ten per cent. allowed by the fifth section of the Act for laying a duty on goods, wares and merchandize, imported into the United States in respect to goods imported in American bottoms, and adding ten per cent. to the rates specified, in respect to goods imported in foreign bottoms, with certain exceptions and qualifications: This change, without impairing the commercial policy of the regulation, or making an inconvenient addition to the general rates of the duties, will occasion an augmentation of the revenue little short of two hundred thousand dollars.

An additional duty on imported rum.
Sugars are an object of general consumption: And yet constitute a small proportion of the expense of families. A moderate addition to the present rates would not be felt. From the bulkiness of the article too, such an addition may be made with due regard to the safety of collection. The quantity of brown and other inferior kinds of sugar imported, appears to exceed twenty-two millions of pounds, which at a half cent per pound, would produce one hundred and ten thousand dollars. Proportional impositions on foreign refined sugar, and proper drawbacks on exportation, ought of course to indemnify the manufacturers of this article amongst ourselves.

Molasses, being in some of the States a substitute for sugar, a small addition to the duty on that article, ought to accompany an increase of the duty on Sugar. This, however, ought to be regulated with proper attention to the circumstance, that the same article will contribute largely in the shape of distilled spirits. Half a cent per gallon on molasses, would yield an annual sum of thirty thousand dollars. Our distillers of spirits from this material, may be compensated, by a proportional extension of the duty on imported spirits.

Snuff, and other manufactured tobacco, made within the United States: Ten cents per pound on the Snuff, and six cents on other kinds of manufactured tobacco, would be likely to produce annually, from ninety to one hundred thousand dollars. From as good evidence as the nature of the case will admit, the quantity of these articles manufactured in the United States may be computed to exceed a million and a half of pounds. The imposition of this duty would require an increase of duty on importation, and a drawback on exportation, in favour of the manufacture. This being an absolute superfluity, is the fairest object of revenue that can be imagined, and may be so regulated, as in no degree to injure either the growth or manufacture of the commodity.

Pepper, pimenta, spices in general, and various other kinds of groceries. These articles will bear such additional rates, as may be estimated to yield a sum not less than thirty thousand dollars. Computing according to the entries in the State of New-York, in 1788, the yearly quantity of pepper and pimenta brought into the States, is not less than eight hundred thousand pounds, of which about a third is pepper. Six cents on pepper, and four cents on pimenta (with drawbacks on exportation) may without inconvenience be laid.

Salt. An additional duty of six cents per bushel, may in the judgment of the Secretary, with propriety be laid on this article. It is one of those objects which being consumed by all, will be most productive, and yet from the smallness of quantity in which it is consumed by any, and of the price, will be least burdensome, if confined within reasonable limits. If a government does not avail itself, to a proper extent, of resources like these, it must of necessity overcharge others, and particularly, give greater scope to direct taxation. The quantity of this article, annually imported, being at least a million and a half of bushels, the annual product of an additional duty of six cents may be computed at ninety thousand dollars.

Carriages, such as coaches, chariots, &c. These articles may certainly be the subject of a considerable duty. How productive it would be, is not easily to be estimated. But it is imagined, that it would not yield less than fifty thousand dollars per annum.

Licenses to practitioners of the law. Certain law proceedings, and various kinds of writings. The extent of this resource can only be determined upon trial; but the Secretary feels a strong assurance, that there may be drawn from it yearly, not less than two hundred thousand dollars. The system for collecting a duty of the kind, would embrace playing cards, and some other objects of luxury, which do not fall under the above descriptions, but which are estimated in the supposed product.
Sales at auction (exclusive of houses or lands, or those made in consequence of legal process, or of acknowledged insolvency.) One per cent. on such sales, would, probably, produce a yearly sum of forty or fifty thousand dollars.

Wines and spirits sold at retail. These articles are in the opinion of the Secretary, capable of being rendered far more productive, than has been generally contemplated; and they are, certainly, among the most unexceptionable objects of revenue. It is presumed, that two hundred thousand dollars per annum, may, with facility be collected from the retail vend of these articles.

The foregoing objects, are those, which appear to the Secretary, preferable towards a provision for the debts of the individual States. There are others which have occurred to him as supplementary, in case the experiment should discover a deficiency in the expected product: but which he conceives it unnecessary now to detail. He will only add, that he entertains no doubt of its being practicable to accomplish the end, on the principles of his former report, without the necessity of taxing, either houses or lands, or the stock or produce of farms.

The Secretary conceiving the design of the House to have been to obtain from him a general delineation only of the funds, competent in his judgment to the provision in question, has refrained from those details, which would be indispensable, if that provision were immediately to be made; and to have furnished which would have occasioned greater delay than would, probably, have suited with the present state of the business or the convenience of the House. He with great deference trusts, that what is now offered will be deemed a satisfactory compliance with their order.

The statement required respecting the product of the duties on imports and tonnage to the last of December, as far as returns have come to hand, is contained in the schedule herewith presented.

All which is humbly submitted,

ALEX'r HAMILTON, Sec'ry of the Treasury.

Abstract of the nett proceeds of the duties on Imports and Tonnage.

Dollars, 784,487 14

Drawbacks at 2 per cent. 15,689 74

Dollars, 768,797 40

Port of Boston only to 19th December.

from Aug.	II	7,789	21	$ \frac{1}{2} $
Massachusetts,	10,	113,439	54	$ \frac{1}{2} $
Connecticut,	11,	20,352	87	$ \frac{1}{2} $
New-York,	5,	152,198	97
New-Jersey,	1,	1,971	51
Pennsylvania,	10,	188,494	94
Delaware,	1,	6,573	98	$ \frac{1}{2} $
Maryland,	10,	87,751	6	$ \frac{1}{2} $
Virginia,	17,	142,028	62
South-Carolina,	31,	55,032	61	$ \frac{1}{2} $
Georgia,	22,	8,850	80	$ \frac{3}{4} $