Gazette Of The United States

CONGRESS.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wednesday, January 20.

A bill received from the Senate yesterday, entitled an act to amend the act to promote the progress of useful arts, &c. was twice read, and referred to the committee of the whole.

The petition of Frederick Guyer, on motion of Mr. Giles, was referred to a select committee of three members.

The petition of Jo Roiz Silva, presented the last session, was called up, and on motion of Mr. Livingston, referred to the committee of claims.

The house resumed the consideration of the appropriation bill. The motion before the house was to strike out all the items in the general estimate for the mint, excepting the salaries of the officers.

Mr. Williams observed, that he had made an estimate of the expenses of the mint, and the sums coined, which he begged leave to state to the house, in order to aid the members thereof in their determination:

From this statement, the sum of 61,531 dollars and 52 cents hath been lost by the establishment- excepting a small sum which hath arisen from the coinings of precious metals. The total amount of the issues of the mint, from its first establishment, is as follows:

Eagles. 2795
Half Eagles. 8707
Dollars. 204791
Half Dollars. 323144
Half Dimes. 86416
Cents. 1066033
Half Cents. 142534
Total in Dols. 453541 80 cts.

This hath cost the United States 61532 dollars and 52 cents--which is more than 13 per cent for coinage.

Mr. Rutherford was opposed to the motion- He considered it as levelled against the institution altogether. He observed that every sovereign government has a mint, and that it was proper for the United States to have one also. Much expense it was true, had been incurred, but many of these expenses would not occur again--The establishment is yet in its infancy-he hoped it would be tried one year longer at least, that a fair experiment may be had, and that the great expenses of the institution may not be lost altogether. He compared such conduct to that of persons, who, after great labour and exertion, having entered into the harbour, should then abandon their oars, and be carried at the mercy of the stream, trusting to accidents to carry them into port.

Mr. Giles was in favor of striking out-He did not anticipate an annihilation of the system from striking out these items -The select committee who have the whole business before them, will doubtless report during the session ; when that report is received the House will be enabled to judge what to do, and may continue or not the institution, as shall appear best.

Mr. Madison suggested the propriety of dividing the motion so as to strike out all that is connected with the Civil List, which he considered as the only proper object of the present appropriation bill.

Mr. Sedgwick said that he gave credit to the gentleman from Virginia who had said he did not intend to annihilate the Mint-establishment. Mr. Sedgwick added he should consider such a measure as the greatest prostration of our national character.

With respect to striking out the items which are to furnish the means of carrying on the business, he very much doubted whether the Director of the Mint would think himself authorized to continue the business, employ workmen, &c. if no provision is made to pay the expense.

Mr. Giles said the gentleman had misunderstood him ; he did not say that he was friendly or unfriendly to the institution, he had not made up his mind on the subject, and should reserve himself to vote on the report of the select committee as circumstances should dictate to him to be right.

Mr. Sedgwick, said that if the law had not already sanctioned the establishment, his arguments would have some weight, but as the institution exists, there is no alternative left but to provide for its support.

Mr. I. Smith said he considered the question as having assumed too much importance--he thought it immaterial whether the items are struck out or retained in the present bill. If the institution is to be continued, provision can and doubtless will be made for its support during the session.

Mr. Page supported the Mint establishment on general principles-he urged its utility and said he should be willing to appropriate a much larger sum for its support than that stated in the bill.

Mr. S. Smith supported the motion for striking out, he said the other day some gentlemen who now appeared in favor of appropriating so large a sum for the Mint, opposed a bill for granting money for another object, on account of the exhausted state of the Treasury, he thought their conduct was hardly consistent.

Mr. Sedgwick replied that the Indian Bill was not deferred on account of opposition to its principle, but for the purpose of ascertaining the sum necessary to be granted.

-The question was here taken on striking out all the items excepting that of deficiencies-the motion for striking out was negatived 45 to 40.

The motion then was for striking out the item for deficiencies. This was also negatived.

The next motion was to agree to the vote of the committee of the whole by which the item appropriating 10000 dollars for the purchase of Copper had been struck out.

Mr. Page said he thought the state of the Committee of the whole will not be agreed to.

He gave information to the house of a recent improvement in coining which was in possession of the director of the mint, by which all the gold, silver and copper that can probably be carried to the mint from all parts of the United States can be coined in one year, and at a much less expense than has attended the use of the machine heretofore used.

Mr. Hillhouse referred to the report of the late director (Mr. De Saussure) from which it appeared that the future operations of the mint would be carried on with greater facility, advantage and with less expense than formerly. Mr. Hillhouse had been opposed to the institution in the first instance, but he should consider it as highly disgraceful to the government to destroy it in this early stage of its existence. Great expenses are necessarily connected with originating an establishment of this nature; and he saw no propriety in considering that expense at this time as a reason for discontinuing the establishment. It would have been as just to charge it to the first cent that was ever coined.

Mr. Williams supported the vote of the Committee of the whole, he was for waiting till the select Committee should report.

The motion of agreeing to the vote of the Committee of the whole was disagreed to 44 to 38.

The bill was then ordered to be engrossed for a third reading to-morrow.

A statement was read from the war department relative to the fortifications of the ports and harbors. Ordered that the usual number of copies be printed.

A petition was read from a number of persons, ship owners in Sandwich, Barnstable and in Massachusetts ; referred to the secretary of the treasury.

A report was read from the Committee of Claims on sundry petitions. Laid on the table.

On motion of Mr. Findley the petition of Geo. Lucas was referred to the Committee of Claims.

The report of the Committee of Elections on the election of John Clopton was read.

On the question to agree to this report, which is in favor of Mr. Clopton, it passed in the affirmative.

Two petitions presented by Mr. Gregg were read and referred to the Committee of Claims.

Mr. Cooper presented the memorial of Sundry citizens of Albany. Captains and owners of shipping, complaining of the operation of a law passed last session relative to the trade between Albany and New York, and praying that Albany may be made a port of entry and delivery ; read and referred to the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures.

Adjourned.

Expenditures,	Dols. Cts.
In the year 1792,	7000
1793,	18648 28
1794,	32746 33
	58394 61
Credit.	Dols. Cts.
Cents and half do. coined in the year 1793,	1281 79
1794,	9593 21
	10875
Appropriations,	47519 61
In the year 1795, Deficiencies	24600
Now called for,	18300
	42900
Deduct for the purchase of lands, buildings, apparatus, machines, &c.	90419 61
	28887 9
	61531 52