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Domestic News
January 22, 1791
The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser
Portsmouth, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
What is this article about?
U.S. House of Representatives proceedings from Dec. 30, 1790, to Jan. 5, 1791, including passage of ice obstruction bill, reports on distilled spirits duties, land offices, judiciary, militia; messages on Algiers captives and Sandy-Hook land; bills for Kentucky admission; petitions from Philadelphia physicians on spirits and Massachusetts Baptists on Bible accuracy.
Merged-components note: Merged continuation of Congress proceedings across pages, including the memorial from the College of Physicians presented in the House, as it directly relates to the reported events.
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CONGRESS.
THIRD SESSION.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
THURSDAY, DEC. 30.
The engrossed bill, providing for the unloading of wares and merchandise, in case of obstruction by ice, being read a third time, was passed.
Mr. Sedgwick, from the committee appointed for that purpose, reported a bill, to repeal the act laying certain duties on distilled spirits, and lay others in their stead: which was read a first and second time, and referred to a committee of the whole on Tuesday next.
Mr. Clymer presented a memorial from the College of Physicians of the city of Philadelphia, praying that high duties may be imposed on distilled spirits in order to prevent the intemperate use of them.
On motion, it was ordered, that the Secretary of the Treasury be directed to lay before the house, a statement of the amount of the exports from the different districts of the United States, and also of the amount of the duties arising on imports and tonnage, from the first of August 1789, to the thirtieth of September 1790—and as soon as may be from the last mentioned period to the end of the present year.
A message was received from the President of the United States, accompanied with a report from the Secretary of State, relating to the American citizens now in captivity at Algiers.
About half past one, Mr. Speaker having some communications of a private nature to make, ordered the House to be cleared of all persons except the Members.
The doors were not afterwards opened until the House adjourned.
FRIDAY, DEC. 31.
The business, which came first under consideration, being of a secret nature, the doors were for some time shut.
A letter from the Attorney General was read, accompanied with his report respecting the judiciary system of the United States.
Ordered, That the said report be taken into consideration on Wednesday the 12th of January, and that 300 copies of it be printed in the mean time.
The house having then resolved itself into a committee of the whole on the state of the union (Mr. Boudinot in the chair) proceeded to the consideration of the report of the Secretary, respecting the land office, and after some time spent therein, the committee rose and reported sundry resolutions.
Proceedings of CONGRESS.
(Continued from the first page.)
MONDAY, JAN. 3.
A MESSAGE was received from the President of the United States, accompanied with a letter, enclosing an act of the legislature of the state of New-Jersey, vesting in the U. States, the lot of land called Sandy-Hook.
The House proceeded to consider the report of the committee of the whole House upon the bill for establishing Land-Offices, for the disposal of the vacant lands belonging to the United States, and made some progress therein, but not having gone through the same, the further consideration was postponed.
TUESDAY, JAN. 4.
This day a bill providing for the admission of the district of Kentucky into the Union, was read a first and second time.
The House proceeded to the further consideration of the report of the committee of the whole on the Secretary's report, relative to the establishing land offices. The House went through the report, and upon motion a committee was appointed to bring in a bill, in conformity to the resolutions adopted by the House. The committee to consist of three members, viz, Mess. White, Scott, and Bloodworth.
The committee appointed to bring in a bill to provide for the public defence, by establishing a militia, reported. The report was read the first time and ordered to lie on the table.
A letter from the treasurer of the United States, accompanying a statement of his accounts, was read. The accounts were ordered to lie on the table for the inspection of the members.
The letter communicated yesterday from the President of the United States with an exemplified copy of an act of the legislature of the state of New-Jersey, vesting in the United States of America the lot of land called Sandy-Hook, in Monmouth county, whereon the Light-House is erected -- was read and ordered to lie on the table.
Adjourned.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 5.
A petition was presented from the Baptist Society in the State of Massachusetts, requesting that Congress would take some steps to ensure accuracy in the American editions of the Holy Scriptures.
The House, in committee of the whole, took into consideration the bill repealing, after the last day of next, the duties heretofore laid upon distilled spirits imported from abroad, and laying others in their stead, and also upon spirits distilled within the United States, as well to discourage the excessive use of those spirits, and promote agriculture, as to provide for the support of the public credit, and for the common defence & general welfare; and having made some progress therein, rose and reported.
The militia bill being read a second time, was referred to a committee of the whole, and made the order of the day for Wednesday next. Ordered that 100 copies be printed in the interim.
Adjourned.
From the United STATES GAZETTE.
The following Memorial has been presented to the Congress of the United States.
To the Senate and House of REPRESENTATIVES of the UNITED States, in Congress assembled.
The MEMORIAL of the College of Physicians of the City of Philadelphia, RESPECTFULLY SHEWETH:
THAT they have seen with great pleasure the operation of a National Government which has established order in the United States. They rejoice to find amongst the powers which belong to this government, that of restraining, by certain duties, the consumption of distilled spirits in our country.
It belongs more particularly to men of other professions to enumerate the pernicious effects of these liquors upon morals and manners, Your memorialists will only remark that a great proportion of the most obstinate, painful, and mortal disorders which affect the human body, are produced by distilled spirits. That they are not only destructive to health and life, but that they impair the faculties of the mind, and thereby tend equally to dishonor our character as a nation, and to degrade our species as intelligent beings.
Your memorialists have no doubt that the rumour of a plague or any other pestilential disorder, which might sweep away thousands of their fellow-citizens, would produce the most vigorous and effectual measures in our government, to prevent or subdue it.
Your memorialists can see no just cause why the more certain and extensive ravages of distilled spirits, upon human life, should not be guarded against with corresponding vigilance and exertions, by the rulers of the United States.
Your memorialists beg leave to add further, that the habitual use of distilled spirits in any case whatever, is wholly unnecessary-that they neither fortify the body against the morbid effects of heat or cold, nor render labor more easy, nor more productive-and that there are many articles of diet and drink which are not only safe and perfectly salutary, but preferable to distilled spirits for the above mentioned purposes.
Your memorialists have beheld with regret, the feeble influence of reason and religion, in restraining the evils which they have enumerated. They center their hopes, therefore, of an efficient remedy for them in the wisdom and power of the Legislature of the United States: and in behalf of the interests of humanity, to which their profession is closely allied, they thus publicly intreat the Congress, by their obligations to protect the lives of their constituents, and by their regard to the character of our nation, and the rank of our species in the scale of beings, to impose such heavy duties upon all distilled spirits, as shall be effectual to restrain their intemperate use in our country.
Signed by order of the College,
JOHN REDMAN, President.
Philadelphia, Dec. 27th, 1790.
THIRD SESSION.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
THURSDAY, DEC. 30.
The engrossed bill, providing for the unloading of wares and merchandise, in case of obstruction by ice, being read a third time, was passed.
Mr. Sedgwick, from the committee appointed for that purpose, reported a bill, to repeal the act laying certain duties on distilled spirits, and lay others in their stead: which was read a first and second time, and referred to a committee of the whole on Tuesday next.
Mr. Clymer presented a memorial from the College of Physicians of the city of Philadelphia, praying that high duties may be imposed on distilled spirits in order to prevent the intemperate use of them.
On motion, it was ordered, that the Secretary of the Treasury be directed to lay before the house, a statement of the amount of the exports from the different districts of the United States, and also of the amount of the duties arising on imports and tonnage, from the first of August 1789, to the thirtieth of September 1790—and as soon as may be from the last mentioned period to the end of the present year.
A message was received from the President of the United States, accompanied with a report from the Secretary of State, relating to the American citizens now in captivity at Algiers.
About half past one, Mr. Speaker having some communications of a private nature to make, ordered the House to be cleared of all persons except the Members.
The doors were not afterwards opened until the House adjourned.
FRIDAY, DEC. 31.
The business, which came first under consideration, being of a secret nature, the doors were for some time shut.
A letter from the Attorney General was read, accompanied with his report respecting the judiciary system of the United States.
Ordered, That the said report be taken into consideration on Wednesday the 12th of January, and that 300 copies of it be printed in the mean time.
The house having then resolved itself into a committee of the whole on the state of the union (Mr. Boudinot in the chair) proceeded to the consideration of the report of the Secretary, respecting the land office, and after some time spent therein, the committee rose and reported sundry resolutions.
Proceedings of CONGRESS.
(Continued from the first page.)
MONDAY, JAN. 3.
A MESSAGE was received from the President of the United States, accompanied with a letter, enclosing an act of the legislature of the state of New-Jersey, vesting in the U. States, the lot of land called Sandy-Hook.
The House proceeded to consider the report of the committee of the whole House upon the bill for establishing Land-Offices, for the disposal of the vacant lands belonging to the United States, and made some progress therein, but not having gone through the same, the further consideration was postponed.
TUESDAY, JAN. 4.
This day a bill providing for the admission of the district of Kentucky into the Union, was read a first and second time.
The House proceeded to the further consideration of the report of the committee of the whole on the Secretary's report, relative to the establishing land offices. The House went through the report, and upon motion a committee was appointed to bring in a bill, in conformity to the resolutions adopted by the House. The committee to consist of three members, viz, Mess. White, Scott, and Bloodworth.
The committee appointed to bring in a bill to provide for the public defence, by establishing a militia, reported. The report was read the first time and ordered to lie on the table.
A letter from the treasurer of the United States, accompanying a statement of his accounts, was read. The accounts were ordered to lie on the table for the inspection of the members.
The letter communicated yesterday from the President of the United States with an exemplified copy of an act of the legislature of the state of New-Jersey, vesting in the United States of America the lot of land called Sandy-Hook, in Monmouth county, whereon the Light-House is erected -- was read and ordered to lie on the table.
Adjourned.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 5.
A petition was presented from the Baptist Society in the State of Massachusetts, requesting that Congress would take some steps to ensure accuracy in the American editions of the Holy Scriptures.
The House, in committee of the whole, took into consideration the bill repealing, after the last day of next, the duties heretofore laid upon distilled spirits imported from abroad, and laying others in their stead, and also upon spirits distilled within the United States, as well to discourage the excessive use of those spirits, and promote agriculture, as to provide for the support of the public credit, and for the common defence & general welfare; and having made some progress therein, rose and reported.
The militia bill being read a second time, was referred to a committee of the whole, and made the order of the day for Wednesday next. Ordered that 100 copies be printed in the interim.
Adjourned.
From the United STATES GAZETTE.
The following Memorial has been presented to the Congress of the United States.
To the Senate and House of REPRESENTATIVES of the UNITED States, in Congress assembled.
The MEMORIAL of the College of Physicians of the City of Philadelphia, RESPECTFULLY SHEWETH:
THAT they have seen with great pleasure the operation of a National Government which has established order in the United States. They rejoice to find amongst the powers which belong to this government, that of restraining, by certain duties, the consumption of distilled spirits in our country.
It belongs more particularly to men of other professions to enumerate the pernicious effects of these liquors upon morals and manners, Your memorialists will only remark that a great proportion of the most obstinate, painful, and mortal disorders which affect the human body, are produced by distilled spirits. That they are not only destructive to health and life, but that they impair the faculties of the mind, and thereby tend equally to dishonor our character as a nation, and to degrade our species as intelligent beings.
Your memorialists have no doubt that the rumour of a plague or any other pestilential disorder, which might sweep away thousands of their fellow-citizens, would produce the most vigorous and effectual measures in our government, to prevent or subdue it.
Your memorialists can see no just cause why the more certain and extensive ravages of distilled spirits, upon human life, should not be guarded against with corresponding vigilance and exertions, by the rulers of the United States.
Your memorialists beg leave to add further, that the habitual use of distilled spirits in any case whatever, is wholly unnecessary-that they neither fortify the body against the morbid effects of heat or cold, nor render labor more easy, nor more productive-and that there are many articles of diet and drink which are not only safe and perfectly salutary, but preferable to distilled spirits for the above mentioned purposes.
Your memorialists have beheld with regret, the feeble influence of reason and religion, in restraining the evils which they have enumerated. They center their hopes, therefore, of an efficient remedy for them in the wisdom and power of the Legislature of the United States: and in behalf of the interests of humanity, to which their profession is closely allied, they thus publicly intreat the Congress, by their obligations to protect the lives of their constituents, and by their regard to the character of our nation, and the rank of our species in the scale of beings, to impose such heavy duties upon all distilled spirits, as shall be effectual to restrain their intemperate use in our country.
Signed by order of the College,
JOHN REDMAN, President.
Philadelphia, Dec. 27th, 1790.
What sub-type of article is it?
Politics
What keywords are associated?
Congress Proceedings
House Representatives
Distilled Spirits Duties
Land Offices
Militia Bill
Kentucky Admission
Sandy Hook Land
Algiers Captives
Judiciary Report
What entities or persons were involved?
Mr. Sedgwick
Mr. Clymer
John Redman
Mr. Boudinot
Mr. White
Mr. Scott
Mr. Bloodworth
Where did it happen?
Philadelphia
Domestic News Details
Primary Location
Philadelphia
Event Date
December 30, 1790 January 5, 1791
Key Persons
Mr. Sedgwick
Mr. Clymer
John Redman
Mr. Boudinot
Mr. White
Mr. Scott
Mr. Bloodworth
Event Details
House passed bill for unloading wares obstructed by ice. Reported bill to repeal and replace duties on distilled spirits, referred to committee. Presented memorial from Philadelphia College of Physicians for high duties on spirits to curb intemperance. Ordered Treasury statement on exports, imports, duties from Aug. 1789 to end of 1790. Received presidential message with report on American captives in Algiers. Held private and secret sessions. Read Attorney General's report on judiciary system, ordered printing and future consideration. Considered Secretary's land office report in committee, reported resolutions. Received presidential message with New Jersey act vesting Sandy-Hook land in U.S. Considered land offices bill, postponed. Read bill for Kentucky's admission to Union. Appointed committee for land offices bill. Reported militia bill for public defense, ordered on table. Read treasurer's accounts statement. Presented Baptist Society petition from Massachusetts for accurate Holy Scriptures editions. Considered distilled spirits duties bill in committee, reported progress. Referred militia bill to committee, ordered printing.