The New Hampshire Gazette

From the National Intelligencer.

A VIEW
Of the Proceedings of the last Session of
Congress.
To the People of the United States.

It is the right and the duty of the citizens
of a free state to acquire and communicate
a correct knowledge of all the proceedings
of its government, and as far as possible,
of the principles which produced its
various acts.

Whenever a portion of the people are
induced by the representations of influential
persons to deny their confidence to the
constituted authorities, it is peculiarly necessary,
for the friends of the government, on its
part, to give publicity to its principles and
measures, and for the people on their part,
to become acquainted with the nature, design,
extent and operation of the measures;
that they may be enabled to judge from the
system and measures themselves, not from
ill natured and bitter invectives, what is the
true character of the administration.

The people at the last national election
reposed their confidence in, and elevated to
office, men whose political principles are
materially different from the principles of
those gentlemen who composed the last administration.

Government is instituted to secure and
increase the happiness of the persons governed.
It is the right and property of the public--not
of its administrators. Therefore whenever
the public withhold their confidence from
one man and repose it in another, it becomes
the duty of every man, as it will be the practice
of every good citizen to yield the same ready
obedience to the laws and ordinances of the
existing authorities, as heretofore, while the
persons in administration were the men of
his choice.

The decided majority which appeared in
congress during the last session, proves clearly
a greater union of sentiment, views and
opinions, than has existed at any other period
for the last ten years.

Although the federal government, and
thirteen out of sixteen of the state governments,
are united in a system of measures which they
believe best calculated to promote public
prosperity, and national happiness; still a
difference of opinion and of political views
and principles exists. This difference produces
an opposition to government headed by
disappointed partisans, and supported by
persons well intentioned, but misinformed.
An opposition which attempts to distract the
councils of the nation, and palsy the efforts
of administration; which circulates with
incredible industry the most unfounded
calumnies and falsehoods, which while in
power, heretofore secured itself from closer
investigation, by assuming as a fact charged,
the inference or opinion of another, and
inflicting severe punishments for the pretended
crime of sedition. Which enhances the public
expenditures by retarding the progress and
operations of government, and protracts the
session of congress, by presenting every
obstacle in its power, with a view to render
the government odious to the people. An
administration which labours to substitute
order for confusion, economy for lavish
expenditures, and the mild reign of principle
for the intolerance of despotism--courts
investigation and despises calumny. It does
not fear, but admires the plain language of
truth. It never will entrench itself behind the
pallings of a sedition act. Conscious that it
supports the just principles of our government,
and moves within its constitutional orbit, it
believes that its views and measures when
fairly understood will be applauded.

To remove all jealousies from the minds
of the uninformed, and to furnish the public
with a just knowledge of the present improved
state of the nation, the following view of the
proceedings of the first session of the seventh
Congress, with such executive acts as are
naturally connected with the subject, and the
remarks thereon is submitted to the public.

The session of Congress commenced on
the 7th of December; on the 8th the President's
message was delivered to both houses. By
this message, after giving a general view of
the state of our foreign relations and the
prosperity of the nation, he recommended:

A reduction of our expenditures in the
civil department, and in the army and navy
departments: And particularly to abolish
useless offices; an operation which he had
commenced where the existence of the office
depended on executive discretion.

A repeal of the internal taxes comprehending.
The excise on domestic distilled spirits.
The stamp tax.
The tax on sales at auction.
on licences to retail.
on carriages.
on domestic refined sugars, and
The postage of newspapers.

A careful attention to the interests of
Agriculture,
Manufactures,
Commerce,
Navigation, and especially of the
carrying trade.

A revision of the laws on the subject of
naturalization
A revision of the Judiciary System, with
a peculiar reference to the late judiciary
act, passed on the 13th day of February,
1801; and provision for an impartial election
of Jurors.

The man who devotes his talents and attention,
To a reduction of public expenditures,
To the abolition of useless offices,
To the diminution of public burdens,
To aid, encourage and promote, agriculture,
manufactures, commerce and navigation--
To preserve a due administration of justice
at a reasonable expence, and to provide for
an impartial election of jurors, richly merits
the confidence of the nation.

Among the nations of the earth, it was
reserved for America to exhibit to the world,
a government devoted to the interest of the
people--A government which instead of
increasing public burdens, removed many of
those heretofore imposed--which instead of
enlarging the powers already enjoyed, restores
to the people those not essential to their
security. At the head of which presides a man,
who for the promotion of the public good and
the preservation of civil liberty, solicits the
limitation of his own powers, the reduction
of his own privileges, and the exercise of every
constitutional check to limit the executive will.

The two Houses of Congress united with
the executive in the great works of reformation
and improvements.

They have reduced the army to little more
than 3000 men, who are considered sufficient
to take charge of, and to keep in repair the
various forts of the U. States, and thereby
have made an annual saving to the nation of
500,000 dollars.

They have reduced a part of the navy establishment,
yet retained in service a sufficient force to
humble the Barbary pirates. By this reduction
they have lessened the public expenditures
200,000 dollars, annually.

Proceeding on the principle of giving efficient
support to national credit, and of maintaining
the national faith and honor inviolate, they
have carefully compared the amount of every
demand against government; the terms of
payment stipulated--and the current expenditures
as reduced, with the annual revenue. They
have found the annual revenue exclusive of
the internal taxes exceeds the wants of the
nation--They have therefore repealed all the
internal taxes.

As the repeal of these taxes has been attributed
to a design to promote the interests of one
section of the union, at the expence of another--a
few moments may be well employed in considering
this subject.

Excise is a tax always odious to a free people,
from the extent of power which is necessarily
given to enforce an obedience to the law.
"It seems hardly compatible with the temper
of a free nation." It was so abhorrent to the
feelings of the people of England, that the
house of commons once voted to bring to
condign punishment certain persons who
charged them with a design to introduce it--It
was, however, afterwards introduced into that
nation, first levied on a few articles, from time
to time extended to others as the people were
found to submit to the imposition, until at last
it embraced almost every article of convenience
and many of necessity.

So here it commenced with a duty on distilled
spirits; but in the course of four years was
extended to the ordinary sales, for consumption,
of all spirits, brandies, and wines; to all sales
at auction; to all carriages for the conveyance
of persons, and all refiners of sugar.--Had it
been continued and the same system of policy
pursued, in a few more years, as in England,
the paper for our school books, the dyes for
our clothing, the lights for our rooms, the beer
for our tables, and the shoes for our feet would
have been laid under contribution.--As it
respects its effects on domestic distilled spirits
it operates, in the first instance, upon two
descriptions of persons:

I. The people who have emigrated from the
old settlements into the interior. who encounter
all the evils and hardships of opening the
wilderness, are deprived of the convenience
of market towns or markets, and who are
incapable of supplying themselves from a
foreign market, or vending their surplus grains.
With them a circulating medium is scarcely
known; their necessities force them to resort
to the process of distillation to prevent the
loss of their surplus, crops and furnish a
comfortable beverage.

These emigrants are highly useful to the
nation; they form a barrier against the savages;
they extend the sphere of action; their
emigration prevents a too dense population,
which increases the comforts of those left
behind. To levy this tax on them is unjust
and cruel.--They require the fostering hand
of a parent, not the grasping hand of a tyrant
or tax gatherer.

The middle and eastern states have uniformly
cherished and aided infant settlements by
freeing them wholly from taxation for a
considerable time. The wisdom and policy of
the measure have never been doubted.

2d. Persons principally residing in our large
towns who enter upon the business of distillation
for the purpose of acquiring property, The
spirits with which they furnish the market,
are derived either from molasses imported,
or from grains, cyder, and the like. purchased
of our farmers. So far as they are derived
from the distillation of molasses, the
government derives a revenue from the article,
by a duty on its importation So far as the
spirits are derived from articles produced in
the country; the excise reduces the price of
the article, and throws the tax upon the
farming interest.--When the distiller pays a
government ten cents the gallon on the spirits
he distills, he will deduct that ten cents from
the price he pays for the portion of grain or
liquor, it requires to produce the spirit. By
removing the excise on distilled spirits,
government does the most efficient act in its
power to furnish the farmer with a reasonable
market.

The demand of bread in Europe has of late
years enabled the farmer to sell his produce
at a high price, but let peace once visit that
quarter of the Globe be will find an increased
proportion of that monied capital applied to
distillation, and by that the price of the various
kinds of grain will be principally regulated.

The charge that it favors Virginia and the
other agricultural states, to the injury of
Massachusetts and other States, is not true the
report of the Secretary of the Treasury lately
published, evinces the falsehood of the allegation.

Indeed when the excise or distilled spirits was
laid, it was considered as particularly injurious
to the interest of Massachusetts. Mr. DALTON
and Governor STRONG both voted against
the bill. This appears by the Journals of the
Senate.

Congress were induced to repeal these taxes,
from the following considerations.

That the remaining revenues of government
were equal to its necessities: that it would be
an equal and great relief to the people, not
only as it enabled them to apply the amount
of the monies, say 2,000,000 dollars, yearly to
their private use; but as it would free them
from the loss of time and expence which was
necessarily required in travelling to and from
the various offices to furnish themselves with
licences and stamp paper, and to make their
payments.

The difference in the consumption of the
citizen's time and money in the collection of
the external and internal revenue is immense.
The first is limited to a very few commercial
points where the merchants and officers reside.
The latter extends to every portion of the
union. It operates more or less in every town,
village and settlement. The system itself
creates an embarrassment on business: not
unfrequently the expence of procuring the
licence or paper is equal to the whole revenue
derived from it.

That the expence of supporting the various
officers employed in collecting it, consumes
more than twenty dollars out of every hundred
dollars collected. and amounts to 200,000
dollars yearly, every cent of which is saved to
the people by abolishing the system. While
the duties on imported articles does not require
an expence of more than five dollars on a
hundred dollars paid.

That the system, by creating a vast number
of offices, had a tendency to increase the power
and patronage of the executive so far, that it
might become, if it had not already been,
dangerous to the liberties of the country.

That experience had shown governments
became extravagant and expensive in proportion
to the means they possessed. It was therefore
both just and politic to surrender and yield up
to the people, that portion of revenue which.
was not necessary to the government. That
this surrender ought to consist of those taxes
which were most obnoxious; which most
embarrassed the ordinary pursuits of the
people, and which were of political aspect the
most suspicious: and that the history of the
nations who have gone before us evinces this
truth. That a system of excise when once
established, is usually extended from article to
article, until it is applied to all the comforts and
conveniences of life, and most of its necessities,
when it sinks the body of the nation into
wretchedness and poverty.

Considering the condition of the persons upon
whom the carriage tax operated, it appeared in
some measure desirable to continue that tax;
but when it was considered that it produced only
77,871 dollars and 41 cents, that it could not be
continued without employing a vast corps of
officers at an expence equal, or nearly equal, to
the tax, thereby preserving the seeds of another
general excise system, the policy of the
government forbade its continuance. It has
been said by opposition, that the repeal of these
taxes only operated to relieve the more wealthy;
leaving the poor under the whole pressure of all
their former burdens. - That if the finances of
the nation admitted of a reduction, the duty on
salt, bohea tea, and brown sugar, ought to be
diminished. Yet they and their friends were
the persons who levied the duties on these
articles two years before they levied any excise.
They have from time to time increased the
duties on the same articles. The first duty on
salt, was 6 cents per bushel; they increased it to
12 cents; on tea it was 10 cents per pound, they
increased it to 15 cents. It was one cent per
pound on sugar, they increased it to two, These
duties they made perpetual, that is to say, to
continue until a majority of both houses of
congress, and the President, or two thirds of
both houses agree to' remove them.
The internal taxes, whatever might be their
wishes, they did not venture until after the
election of Mr. Jefferson, to make perpetual.
Those taxes were temporary, and most of them
would have expired before this day, had not the
desire of the party to preserve the trappings of
monarchy induced them to pass the law of the
5th of February, 1800, by which they were made
perpetual.

To satisfy the public that the design of the
opposition in objecting to the repeal of the
internal taxes, was solely to embarrass
government, and not to relieve the poor, who
while they use it with moderation, are as much
comforted by spirits as by tea or sugar; it is
proper to examine their conduct while in power,
a little more minutely.

Instead of lessening the duties on these
articles, in the month of February 1797, when
they had the benefit of the knowledge of the
operation of the duties for more than six years,
they increased them. Every member of Congress
from Connecticut (including Griswold and Dana)
every member from New-Hampshire, and every
member present from Massachusetts (excepting
Wm. Lyman) voted in favor of that measure.

At the same session, a law was passed granting
relief to distillers, by removing the duty from
the amount of spirits and fixing it on the capacity
of the still. Every member from the states of
New-Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut,
voted in favor of this law. These facts appear
from the Journals of Congress.

Here, people of New-England, is a just view of
your representatives, who would induce you to
believe that the government of the country was
sacrificing its interests at the shrine of Virginia's
ambition.

It has been said that sound policy required the
application of these taxes to the discharge of the
national debt. To this it is answered—maintain
the economical establishment. The surplus funds
arising from the remaining revenues will pay the
debt as soon as Congress have by law a right to
pay it, and the exorbitant expense of collecting
the excise will be avoided.

It has been said by opposition that these taxes
are repealed and the duties on imported articles
continued with a view to destroy commerce. Let
the commercial interest reflect. There is not one
additional cent imposed on commerce. As the
taxes of the nation are lessened, the ability of the
people to pay, is increased. Let it be remembered
with what promptitude the trade of the
Mediterranean was protected. The government
has completed a treaty with Great-Britain,
whereby our merchants are enabled to recover
their lost property, and continue in the enjoyments
of commercial enterprise—above all, that
government relying solely on commerce, for her
revenue stands pledged by interest, the strongest
of all ties, to cherish and support it. The removal
of the internal taxes, so far from evincing
hostility to commerce, furnishes proof next to
demonstration of a determination on the part of
the government to support it.

To close the remarks on this subject it has been
said, the repeal of these taxes was designed as a
blow to the funds, and was a prelude to
extinguishing the national debt with a sponge.

Nothing can be more unfounded than this
aspersion. The payments are made with
punctuality. The government has by a law of
this session appropriated 7,300,000 dollars
annually towards the discharge of her debts, the
funds in the Market are worth 15 per cent. more
than they were during the last administration.

Does the creditor's confidence in his debtor
increase in proportion to the debtor's extravagance
and dissipation? Does a man's living beyond his
income furnish the best evidence of his remaining
able to pay his debts? Does a debtor forfeit all
claims to confidence by uniting rigid economy
with a constant attention to business?

Congress have repealed the act passed in
February 1801, establishing six new circuit
courts, and limiting the labours of the judges of
the supreme court to the holding of two sessions
in a year at the seat of government: and by
another act have remedied the evils of the former
system, by specifying the districts in which each
judge of the supreme court, should hold a circuit
court, & dispensing with one session of the
supreme court; by this they have effected an
annual saving of 33,000 dollars, and abolished
sixteen useless offices.

This measure was objected to, both as
unconstitutional and impolitic. As to the
constitutionality of the measure, the distinction
exists between the supreme and the subordinate
courts. The former is created by the constitution,
the latter by, & subject to, legislative discretion.
One may be abolished: the other cannot. The
objection that this doctrine destroys the judicial
department, by engulfing it in the vortex of party
is unfounded.—The judges are not subject to the
will of the executive, or even of the legislature.
No new system is established, by which a new
corps of judges is created. The administration of
justice is entrusted, as it has heretofore been, to
the judges of the supreme court, whose
independence has not been affected, or ever
controverted. The right to create and abolish
inferior courts has heretofore been acknowledged
by the legislatures of New-Hampshire,
Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Maryland and
Virginia, who have similar constitutions; and no
legislature ever adopted a contrary construction.
As to the policy of the measure, the only
questions are, whether the six judges will be able
to perform the service; & whether an annual
session of the supreme court is sufficient.

To decide upon the ability of the judges to
perform the service, let us consider the labours
of one judge—judge Cushing, for instance.—The
law requires of him to hold annually, in
conjunction with the district judges, two sessions
of a circuit court in each of the states of New-
Hampshire, Massachusetts and R. Island.—Ten
days may fairly be computed the full length of a
session.—The courts will then require sixty days.
—His travel in going to and returning from those
courts cannot exceed 480 miles, which allowing
one day for each 20 miles amounts to 24 days
more. —A session of the supreme court will not
require more than six days. His residence does
not exceed 480 miles distance from the seat of
government.—At the above moderate rate of
travelling, there must be added 48 days more,
making the whole time while on expense and in
public service, 153 days, or a little over five
months for which service he receives three
thousand five hundred dollars in each year. A
less portion of time than he devoted to the public
service while a judge of the state courts of
Massachusetts. As to the sufficiency of an annual
supreme court it cannot be doubted, when it is
known that for ten years that court decided but
forty-three causes, and that at its last session the
dockets consisted of eight only, three of which
were decided.

Assuming the fact that there will be neither a
greater or less number of causes before the
supreme court, for 10 years to come than there
was for the first ten years after its establishment,
and there appears no reasonable ground on which
to calculate for an increase of business: it is easy
to see what the comparison was between the
services to be rendered and the compensation
made according to the provision of the act
repealed at the last session of congress.

The salaries allowed by law to the judges of
that court amount annually to the 18,500 dollars.
of course in ten years to 185,000 dollars. The
salaries of the clerks for the same time is 3,000
dollars. Total amount of salaries for ten years is
188,000 dollars. In the course of ten years forty-
three causes only were decided, as appears by
the reports of Dallas. By this it is manifest that
under the last federal judiciary system, which
was repealed at the last session of congress, the
people of the United States would pay more
than five thousand and fifty-three dollars for each
decision. Does that man exist who will say the
public money should be thus squandered?

A revision of the laws relating to naturalization
has also taken place. The act of 1798 is repealed,
and the former law revived, by which a residence
of five years entitles a foreigner of good conduct
and reputation to the rights of citizenship.

The justice due to a large number of people
who emigrated under the faith of existing laws,
and the policy of opening the wilderness and
acquiring the arts and manufactures of Europe
required this revision. It is only a revival of the
Washington system.

Congress have continued to the officers
residing at the seat of government the
compensation they enjoyed under the act of
1799. This has been the subject of much
newspaper abuse; it has been falsely represented
as an augmentation of salaries.

The government has been charged with a
departure from economical principles, and those
gentlemen who supported the measure but
opposed the grant in 1799, have been charged
with inconsistency. These charges will not be
accredited, when it is known the expense of
living is considerably higher at the seat of
government than at Philadelphia.

To prove this fact it is only necessary to resort
to the acts of the late federal, and of the last
session of congress. The act of 1799 ascertained
as well the compensation of the clerks of the
officers. When the offices were removed to
Washington the increased expense of living
rendered it necessary to augment the
compensation of the clerks. They were
accordingly increased fifteen per cent. The act
allowing them fifteen per cent. expired last
winter—it was revived—here is the concurrent
testimony of both parties uniting in this
proposition, there is a difference of fifteen per
cent in the price of living. To cover this
difference of expenditure the salaries of 1799
were established for two years. In fact there
was not a member of the opposition who
contended the salaries were too high.

To facilitate the progress of information, and
private intercourse an increased expenditure of
the revenue of the general post-office has been
authorized, both to ensure the more safe and
expeditious transportation of the mails and to
extend the benefits of the establishment to the
inhabitants residing upon or near almost sixty
new established post roads. It was proposed to
remove the postage from newspapers. The
danger of retarding the progress of the mails,
and destroying country presses, prevented the
adoption of this measure. This postage is not a
tax. It does not amount to one-fourth part of
the monies expended in their conveyance by
government.

In addition to these measures, the
compensations of the collectors of the revenue
have been reduced. This has effected an annual
saving of about 17,000 dollars.

The prompt and ready payment of the public
monies, and the eventual responsibility of the
officers of government, have been secured by an
act declaring, that each bond shall be a lien on
the real estates of both principal and surety, and
shall be renewed once in four years.

The object of every grant of money has been
specified with accuracy and precision to ensure
its just application, and to limit the powers of
executive officers as far as possible.

The danger of war with the savages has been
removed by providing for a general establishment
of our boundary lines, and for a due regulation of
the intercourse between this nation and their
tribes.

And lastly—The people of the territory north
west of the river Ohio, have been elevated to the
rank of freemen and the consequent blessings of
self government, by an act authorizing them to
call a convention, form a constitution, organize a
government, and become a member of the union.

Having concisely stated the important acts
passed by the legislature, it only remains to give
the public a general view of the reduction of
national expenditure, since the change of
administration.

These reductions are of two kinds—First—Of
expenditures which are casual or temporary, and
which ought not to be brought into the estimate
in ascertaining our yearly burdens, or in forming
an opinion of the different systems contended
for. Of these are the erecting and repairing
fortifications. The appropriations for the support
of seamen, and the like. The expenditures of
this kind for the current year have been lessened
about one hundred and sixty thousand dollars.

Second—Those expenses which according to
the late system of politics were permanent and
annual, and may be fairly taken into view to
determine which political party is best entitled to
national confidence.

Of these expenditures, from the peace
establishment of the late administration, the
following reductions have been made by the
executive and by congress at its last session.

By the executive in reducing various offices
whose existence depended on his will, and other
economical arrangements made before the
session of congress; has effected an annual
saving of 161,695 91

By a further reduction of the marine corps
just ordered with a view to pay only those who
are actively employed, has been produced a
further saving of 39,000

By Congress—by reducing a part of the army
82,000

By reducing a part of the navy 200,000

By repealing the whole system of internal
taxation, there has been saved to the people out
of the fees of the excise officers 135,000 dols.
over and above the sum necessary to defray the
collections of imports to an amount equal to the
whole revenue derived from internal taxation;
it being the difference between the expenses of
the two systems 135,000

By abolishing the late judicial system and
establishing the former system 33,000

By reducing the commission of the collectors
of customs, say 17,000

Total amount of Dols. 1,107,695 91

Annual savings one million one hundred and
seven thousand six hundred and ninety five
dollars and ninety one cents.

The benefit of the reduction of expenditure
will be more felt and appreciated by all classes
when they know that these annual savings
exceed the whole expense of all the state
governments in the union, so that in a pecuniary
point of view, they are more than equal to
bestowing upon the people free from expense
the whole benefits of state government.

The following is a statement of the annual
expenditures of the several states:

Total, one million and sixty thousand dollars.
1,060,000

Which deducted from the aforesaid reductions
leaves the sum of 47,695 dollars and 91 cents,
The excess of the reductions beyond the whole
expense of the state governments. The
statement of state expenditures is not accurate.
it is substantially true, and it is believed, that the
gross amount is equal to the expenditure of the
whole states. The reader will reflect, that in
those states where the expenditures are small,
the relief to the people is annually much greater
than the expenses of their state government.

Pursuing the same system of policy for twelve
years, the period of time between the
commencement of the present government and
the close of Adams' administration, would, upon
the principle, that money is worth an annual
interest of six per centum, lessen the amount of
monies drawn from the people by taxation, the
sum of eighteen millions six hundred and eighty
six thousand seven hundred and sixty dollars,
which divided among the people of the several
states in the same proportion as they paid the
land tax of two millions of dollars, would within,
that time be a relief to the people of the several
states, of the following sums:

To an average state consisting of one hundred
towns it is equal to a grant to each of those towns
of more than twelve thousand one hundred and
twenty four dollars.

All this has been effected by the present
administration in a little more than one year.
The citizens have been left in the enjoyment of
their civil and religious liberties. The nation has
been respected abroad, and quiet and happy at
home. The laws have been duly executed. The
ties of morality remain in full force, and as
perfect order has been preserved as was ever
enjoyed on this side heaven.

Here is a just picture of the republican
administration, which many have been taught to
believe would destroy your civil and religious
institutions, burn your temples, remove all
distinctions between virtue and vice, rend
asunder your conjugal ties, and substitute
disorder and confusion for an obedience to law,
and the due regulation of government.

New-Hampshire	expends	yearly	38,000
Massachusetts	120,000
Connecticut	45,000
Vermont	25,000
Rhode-Island	6,000
New-York	130,000
New-Jersey	35,000
Pennsylvania	150,000
Delaware	11,000
Maryland	53,000
Virginia	160,000
North-Carolina	35,000
South-Carolina	150,000
Kentucky	50,000
Tennessee	10,000
Georgia	49,000

To the People of	Dolls.
New-Hampshire	726,028
Massachusetts	2,433,344
Rhode Island	350,409
Connecticut	1,212,463
Vermont	437,869
New-York	1,697,515
New-Jersey	919,268
Pennsylvania	2,216,045
Delaware	284,324
Maryland	1,425,800
Virginia	3,228,027
Kentucky	351,722
North Carolina	1,809,794
Tennessee	175,712
South Carolina	1,055,785
Georgia	262,663