The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES of the UNITED STATES.

THURSDAY, MARCH 11.

In committee of the whole, on the report of the Secretary of the Treasury, for making provision for the support of the public credit.--

The following proposition was read, viz. To have the whole sum funded at annuity, or yearly interest of 4 per cent. irredeemable by any payment exceeding five dollars per annum, on account of both principal and interest: and to receive as a compensation for the reduction of interest, fifteen dollars and eighty cents, payable in lands, as in the preceding case.

The debate this day turned principally on the irredeemable quality proposed in this alternative.

After a lengthy discussion, the proposition was negatived.

The next proposition was then read, and further debate ensued. The committee rose without coming to a decision on a motion made by Mr. Jackson to strike out what relates to irredeemability in this alternative.

FRIDAY, MARCH 12.

The bill for granting compensation to Col. John ELY, was read the second time, and referred to the committee of the whole House, to be taken into consideration this day fortnight.

Several petitions was read and referred.

Mr. BLAND observed, that private memorials and petitions have encreased so much, that very shortly the attention of every individual member of the House will be taken up in the investigation of the facts set forth in those petitions, to the great interruption of the business of the nation.

He therefore moved the following resolutions in substance.

1st. That all memorials and petitions for claims presented to the House, be referred to the heads of departments to report thereon.

2d. That the committees to whom memorials and petitions have been referred, be discharged from any further attentions to the same, and that they be referred as above.--Laid on the table.

In committee of the whole on the report of the Secretary of the Treasury, for making provision for the support of public credit.-

The third proposition or alternative was read, viz.-" 3dly. To have sixty six and two thirds dollars funded at a yearly interest of six per cent. irredeemable also by any payment exceeding four and two thirds dollars per annum, on account both of principal and interest and to have, at the end of ten years, twenty six dollars and eighty eight cents, funded at the like interest, and rate of redemption.

Mr. LEE moved, that the whole proposition should be rejected-which occasioned a debate, and the question being taken on the motion, it passed in the negative.

Mr. Jackson's motion for striking out these words, " irredeemable also by any payment exceeding four and two thirds dollars per annum, on account both of principal and interest," was also negatived.

Mr. Fitzsimons, after premising some observations respecting a more rapid extinction of the principal, than is contemplated by the Secretary, proposed that four and two thirds dollars should be struck out, in order to introduce a higher rate of payment per annum.-He mentioned six per cent. on account of principal and interest.

Mr. MADISON mentioned a higher sum.

Four and two thirds dollars after some debate were struck out and the proposition with the blank passed over.

The following propositions were rejected, viz.--" 4thly. To have an annuity for the remainder of life, upon the contingency of living to a given age, not less distant than ten years, computing interest at four per cent."

" 5thly. To have an annuity for the remainder of life, on the contingency of survivorship of the youngest of two persons, computing interest in this case also at four per cent."

The committee then rose, and the House adjourned until to morrow.

SATURDAY, MARCH 13.

The blank in the third proposition of the sixth resolve was passed over by consent.

The seventh and eighth resolutions were agreed to, viz.

VII. Resolved, That immediate provision ought to be made for the present debt of the United States ; and that the faith of government ought to be pledged to make provision, at the next session, for so much of the debts of the respective States, as shall have been subscribed upon any of the terms expressed in the last resolution."

VIII. " Resolved, That the funds which shall be appropriated according to the second of the foregoing resolutions, be applied in the first place to the payment of interest on the sums prescribed towards the proposed loan ; and that if any part of the said domestic debt shall remain unsubscribed. the surplus of the said funds be applied, by a temporary appropriation, to the payment of interest on the unsubscribed part, so as not to exceed for the present, four per cent. per annum : but this limitation shall not be understood to impair the right of the non-subscribing creditors to the residue of the interest on their respective debts : And in case the aforesaid surplus should prove insufficient to pay the non-subscribing creditors, at the aforesaid rate of four per cent. that the faith of government be pledged to make good such deficiency."

MONDAY, MARCH 15.

On motion of Mr. SHERMAN, the House went into a committee of the whole on the bill making appropriations for the services of government for the year 1790.

The committee having gone through this bill, rose and reported the same with sundry amendments. The bill was then ordered to be engrossed for a third reading to-morrow.

On motion of Mr. Jackson to take up the bill respecting the South-Western Frontiers, the doors of the galleries were shut.

TUESDAY, MARCH 16.

The bill making appropriations for the services of government for the year 1790--was brought in engrossed, read the third time, and passed.

A message was received from THE PRESIDENT of the United States, by the Secretary of the Department of War, conveying information received from the Supreme Executive of the State of Pennsylvania, relative to the depredations of the Indians on the frontiers of that State,

On motion of Mr. AMES. the petition of the Rope-Makers, &c. of the town of Boston, was read. and with the petition from those of New-York, referred to a select committee, consisting of Messrs. Lawrence, Boudinot and HEISTER.

Mr. Boudinot moved for the order of the day on the report of the committee to whom was referred the memorials of the people called Quakers.

The motion was opposed ; it was said that the order of the day on the report of the Secretary of the Treasury claimed a preference in the attention of the House : after considerable debate the question was taken, and passed in the affirmative. The report was then read.

A message was received from THE PRESIDENT of the United States, with the ratification of the amendments to the Constitution by the State of Pennsylvania.

The report on the Slave Trade was then discussed.

Mr. Tucker, after premising several observations on the injustice and unconstitutionality of the interference of the Legislature in the business, proposed an amendment which should negative the whole report.

Mr. Jackson spoke largely on the subject, and in opposition to the report.

Mr. Vining replied to Mr. Jackson.

A question then arose on the subject of order. The Chairman gave his opinion, that the amendment offered by Mr. Tucker was not in order. This question was discussed with considerable ardour on both sides. The question being put, the committee determined that the amendment was not in order.

Mr. Tucker then proposed to add the amendment immediately after the preamble of the report, after the word " opinion." The question of order was still agitated on this variation, and the committee rose without a decision, and are to sit again on this subject to-morrow.

WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY & FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 18, and 19.

SLAVE TRADE.

The report of the select committee on the memorials of the Quakers and others, respecting the SLAVE TRADE, occupied the attention of the House the principal part of these days. The respectability of the memorialists, and the importance of the cause in which they had stepped forward, made the adoption of the report interesting to one part of the House : While motives of interest and policy induced others to endeavour to put a negative on it. 'The debate was warm and able--many of the southern members reprobated in the strongest terms any interference of the government in the business ; and the character and conduct of the Quakers during the war, were highly and severely censured by Messrs. Burke and Brown : While their probity, piety and humanity, and attachment to good government, were the theme of the applause of other members.-Nothing finally was decided on, excepting a negative of the 4th proposition, respecting a duty of 10 dollars on slaves imported -and an adoption of the 5th proposition, as modified by Mr. Madison, viz.

" Congress have authority to restrain the citizens of the United States, who are concerned in the African trade, from supplying foreigners with slaves ; and to provide for their humane treatment, while on their passages to the United States."

Reports from the heads of the several departments on petitions, &c. were read.

Two Bills. with amendments, came down from the Senate. viz. An Act to provide for the remission or mitigation of fines. &c. in certain cases : And, an Act to establish a uniform rule of naturalization.