Gazette of the United States, & Philadelphia daily advertiser. — Philadelphia [Pa.], 1798-05-18 00:00:00, page 1

Number 1774. J
CONGRESS.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Monday, May 7. .
MR. THATCHER a memori
al from Buxton, in the state of Malfa
chuletti, lamenting the dangers which threa
ten the cuiuntry from the arming of merchants
veliels, deprecating a war with any Nation,
particularly againlt a Nation who formerly'
contributed her affiltaiwe to preiierve thft
tountry from ruin, and praying that means
)nay be used to restore that confidence and
friendlhip which has beea so. unhappily im
paired betwixt this cottntry and the trench
Republic.
Mr. Va&sCM prefenteda memorial to the
iameeffect, from Falmouth, Maflachufetts.
Mr. New laid before the house some reso
lutions entered into by the freeholders ot
Middlesex county, to the fame purpole.
Mr. U\ vis laid the following,refolutien
upon the üble :
41 Rfilved, that the numltfr of troops in thefrwice oftbe
Unit.J States on tl}i Afi;itury Ejtablijbmenty be so in
crtafeil, that (inctaJing tbe troops now in uiiuaL ftnvic*,
the regiment of Artillcrijis and Engineers, to be raised un
der an a 8 cf Congress, jhtjfcd tbe present fefftonj Jball I
amount to tOfiOO •fillers, itvn-eommijjioned officers and
privates tncl-Jive."
Mi. Macon from the committee of revifal
and unfiiulhed business, made a report on the
petition of Wm, Simmons, Accountant of the
V/ar Department, which was committed.
Mr. Pincknev said, he rose to request
leave 10 withdraw the lefolution which had
yefteruay been laid upon the table by his col
league (Mr. his knowledge,
relpecting a bulinets which had already been
decided relative to huuielf, as it was founded
upon a ground which was at least doubtful,
and he thought 6ot of order.
The Speaker ■fmtrmpTca Wi.K to fay
that he tfould lave himfelt' the twuW( Us
any farther observations, by faying that he
deemed the lnoiiou out ef order.
Mr. PINCKNfiY hoped, notwithstanding,
he should be permitted to make a few remarks
011 the fubjedt.
The Speaker replied, that any remarks
npon a buliuefs already decided would not be
in order, and could not be admitted without
general content. A pretty general cry of
1 hope the tientleman -will be permuted to proceed,
being'heard, Mr. Pinckney went on.
He said, it was with reluctance he took up
the time of the house a moment in a matter re
lating to himfelf, particularly at present, when
so much important business prelfed for consi
deration ; but he wished to state his reasons
for wishing this motion to be withdrawn, left
it should teem to have been brought forward
by his cbnfent. He was grateful tor the good
intentions of his colleague, because he doubt
less thought the vote which had pafled on the
preceding day might cast some imputation
upon his (Mr. Ps) character But he also
withed it to be wtt%irawn, because it was
founded on at lealt a doubtful l'uggeltion, viz.
that it is not customary foe the United States
to make presents to Foreign Muiitteia leaving
this country. He believed it was customary to
do so. But another reason for wishing it to be
withdeawn was, that the difcuflion of it might
not subject him to a species of trial as to his
public conduct, in which he should not beat
liberty to make his defence. He would never
lhrink from any authorised invefligation ot his
conduct ; but he should wifli to avoid any
unauthorifsd proceeding of that kind.
But his principal reason for troubling the
house was to allignhis reasons for addreflinga
letter to Congress on this fubjeit, apparently
offo trifling anature.With respeCt to the pre
lent offered to him by the Court of Spain, it
would I*ve been impropet for him, under any
construction ot the conllitution, to have re
ceived it, as lie was at that time also M nifter
to Great Britain. Upon this ground it was
tharfie wrote to the bpanifh Mimfter declin
ing the acceptance of the prefisnt offered to
him from that Court, except he should ob
tain leave of Congress to do so. 1 his being
the cafe, whatever might have been the pro.
priety of accepting ol the present offered to
him by the Court of Great Britain, there
would have been at least an appearance of in
consistency to have teceived a present from
one Court, and not from the other. He there
fore gave the iaine anfw ertoboth.
This he hoped would account falisfadtorily
for havwig troubled Congress with any appli
cation on tins subject. It was from a respect
which he tiioiight due to the court ot Spain,
from the favourable treatment lie had receiv
ed from them, anil being fully fatisfied with
all their conduct towards him, that he thought
it proper ta make the application. The other
refpectmgGreat-Britain was involved with it.
Mr. P. laid he did apprehend there would
have T>een a propriety in house, at
the time they rejected the fent
from the Senate, to have ailigned a reason
why tliev did so. He would fay why he
thought 10. He thought the Conflitution ex
pressly allows, that, in some cases, presents
may b; received from a Foreign Power, but
that the power of deciding upon this (hall be
left in,the hands ot the legislature, as a check
upon officers that they may not improperly
receive any prefent,from a Foreign Power.
But considering this power to have been in
tended asa check upon the improper conduct
of officers, it must strike the minds of the
public when they are told that an officer was
se r ufed this privilege, that he had not d>>:ie
his duty (especially if the refufal was unqua
lified, and unaccompanied witliany reason for
the refttlal) and that the refufal was intended
as a censure upon his coiidurt.
It was in this point of view, that he con
ceived tii« conduct of the person to whom
this privilege was refufed, was implicated,
without an opportunity of being heard in his
defence. He lhould be far from wishing any
resolution to be enteftd into approving of his
conduit ; but there was a great diltindion
betwixt approving and disapproving—betwixt
censure and applause ; and although he did.
notdefire applause, he could have wilhed to
have avnidedcenfore. All that he wished had
been doe was, tnat th* haufe should have
dated something of this kind, " deeming it
improper that t.ie Diplomatic Agents of the
United Sta'ei should receive a present from
any Foreign Prince or State, the request can
not be complied with a*, without this, th;
natural inference must be, th.it there has been
fjme mifhehaviour in the officer, or the ufuai
privilege would not have been refufinl. He
called it tifual, because wherever it had here
tofore been applied for, it had been iuvjria-
—» w *
■ 3J J. _ f * 1 * J, \ ***". ' ' "* ~»
(gazette ot ¥ H lUtrt States, AND Philadelphia Daily Advertiser.
By John Fen no, N°' ii 9 Chefnut Street. -
bly granted, and the rejection of the resolu
tion from the Senate, must, therefore, be <
looked upon as eftablifhingan imputation up- t
onJii»chara6ter. It was laying to tlio world, i
" Every other person in afimilar filiation, I
has been permitted to accept us these prefents,'t
but you, and you alone, are an exception you i
cannot receive them." Such a perflni may I
have been worthy of cofldenwaMon ; J* may i
have bstrayed the ititerefts of hi* coSfttry ; i
but it was inju(iice to that per&n to condemn i
him without a trial. <
Mr. P. laid, he thought it aeceffary,' in jus- '
tice to himfelf, to make tilth; obfervafions I
before the houfo, from* regard which he felt
in common with other'gentlemen, for his re- <
putation—more particularly at tikis matter
would appear upon the J ournajs of the house, i
and might not only reftefct upon himfelf, but :
upon his children atter him ; they might be
pointed at by the Finger of Scorn, as the off
fpringof a matt who had betrayed theinterelts
of his country. It was under the impreflion
of these ideas that he had been led to trouble
the house, and he trusted he should stand ex
cused for having done so.
Mr. M'Dowell rose, but was prevented
from speaking by the Speaker, who declared
1 that nothing more rottkl be admitted on a sub
' jeet which was not before the house.
: Mr. Harper rose. H» was also checked
1 by the Speaker, but not before he had de
clared he brought forward the motion in guef
tion without the knowledge of his colleague.
Mr. W. C. ClahSornk called up the re
lolution which he yesterday laid upon the ta,- '
ble, relative to the irregularity of the poll iii :
the Western country, which was agreed to.
The house then proceeded to the order of
the day, when the Speaker having ItatM
1 the question to be to. strike out the word an
nually in the firft resolution,
Mr. Dwioht Foster rose and observed,
' that for a juftification of hitnfelf to thole who
knew him, he need not decTate tliat the »>K>-
. tion which had caused so "ij
ma 3? wuti 11 nor
designed to einbarrafs th*metffiirtf*b£govern
ment, or with a view to prevent * provision
of revenues adequate to the prefent-w proba
' ble future exigencies—or fromany reluctance
on his part to concur in every measure requi
' site for an effeitual defence ofour country. —
To the uniform tenor of his conduit, on all
occasions, since he had the honor of a feat in
1 this house he wouldchearfully appeal. Those
' with whom he aflbciated knew, that nothing
was more clear to his heart than the honor,
1 the dignity, the liberty and independence of
his country. He. did not, therefore, confi
-1 der many of the remarks which had been
made on this fubje6t as applicable to himfelf,
' nor should he take any measures whatever to
• rfpel them. If his friends intended he should
1 make a personal application, their object was
' loft. Alike indifferent tocenfure asapplaufe,
when unmerited, he had ever done, and as
: far as he could be informed, he would conti
-1 nue to do, what at the time appeared to be
' his duty.
» He was as deeply impressed as any gentle
man of this house .could be, with a sense of
> the necessity and importance of fufficient and
I productive fourcss of revenue. Measures
' for defence must be expensive—without the
: means to carry thein into effeit, allouratts
t and resolutions are vain and futile.
5 Protection to our commerce, defence to
( our frontiers and fea-coafls, security to our
r rights as a nation,-entfrg/'and respeCtability
s to the operations of government, are not to
•' be obtained without money, and if the pre
sent revenues are not fuftfeient, more must
" undoubtedly be provided.
1 Mr. F. further observed, that he had ever
1 entertained a hope that unless in cafe of an
- aitual invasion, the affelTment of a land tax,
t for the lupport of the measures of thisgo
i vemment, might be avoided. That is the
- unlv remaining refoufcv of some of the state
r governments —the one to which he belonged
s could resort to no other tor the payment of
- its civil lift, and to discharge a considerable
J debt which it has contracted, and which has
- not been provided for by the general govern-
S ment. Still, however, if the circumstances
• of our country are luch as to require a tempo
» ry lup ply from ,t hat quarter, the people will
e not object againlta payment —They will sub
- mit to the inconvenienee with chearfulnefs,
ii so long as it (hall be found to be necessary
- but they will not feel fatisfied to fee a perma
nent land tax imposed, when other means,
less oppressive in their effeits, and lefsex
penfive in their collection, may be substitu
ted. Such lie believed might be devised,
and if they could not be brought immediate
ly into operation, they might be organized
i in a short period. Additional duties of ex
cite, ftanips and impost, in some instances,
would in his view be preferable to a perma
nent system of direa taxation. Another
measure which appeared to him to merit the
serious conlideration of Congress, and at the
t people throughout the United States, is an
n alteration of the Constitution in fucli manner
e that Congress may be authorized to levy uni
- form duties or taxes on exports. This might
s be made a very produ£tivefourceof revenue,to
it be levied in such a manner as to draw the
e principal part, if not the whole, of the tax
k from foreigners, without the least injury or
y inconvenience to our own citizens—but time
". will be requisite to mature measures of this
- kind. He had not such an antipathy to the
t idea of a dirett tax, but he was willing to
e look at the fubjedt and examine it with can
ls dour.
e Although he.did not mean to pledge him
- felf that he would vote for it, he should be
>r glad to fee a bill before the house ; that op
d jjortunity might be given to examine the
iubjett in detail. Since the motion he had
- submitted, had been thought so exceptiona
n ble, he was willing for the present to modify
I, it. If gentlemen would concur with him in
is a substitute, he would withdraw the motion
y to strike out the word " annuallyand pro
is pose to add as an amendment at the end of
n the resolution the following words :
;t To be collefied for a term not exceeding
d. years ; provided the Legislature of the United
o State:/ball at all times be at full liberty to fub
d Jiitule other duties or taxes of equal value in lieu
thereof, for the pur pose of difebarging any debts
t or loans which may be contratled on the credit of
e said tax.
n Mr. Harper rose to fecoml the motion,
- because it concurred with his ideas on the
subject, that the revenues ought to be com
n menfurate with the debt incurred. He need
d not repeat, he said, that he had always befcn
e opposed to a iand tax, except in the cafe of a
- war, or of preparation for war ; but he now
- believed it necelfary.
PHILADELPHIA: FRIDAY EVENING, MAT 18, 1798.
Mr. Macon hoped this motion would not
obtain. In the-ftate fr.+ which he came,
they had ap annual Ifuitl tax, And found no
inconvenience'from its being annual. He
had no idea of a permanent tax on land, as all
1 the state governments collected their reve
! nues from thi> source, or from a capitation
tax, every other object having been fe'
upon by the United Sta'es. The idea ol 1»e
tax being laid for a number of years,
make it more unpopular than any thing else.
Alt our revenue laws are temporary. But it
was said it was necessary that this tax should
be permanent, in order to obtain loans'upon
it. He believed loans migftt be
obtained upon it.tho* it were palled anhually ;
for certainly tlmfe who lent the government
money would have so much confidence in it
as to believe that it would pay all its contracts
fairly and - honorably. He did not believe
that all the money appropriated could be ex
pended before the next ielfion of Congress.
Besides there is afurplus million in the Frea
fury ready lorany purpose which the Execu
tive thinks proper to apply it to.
It appeared to him as to the gentleman from
Massachusetts, that there might be other ar
ticles of taxation fixed upon. Several other
articles might be excised. A tax might be
laid upon alt mahogany furniture, all furni
ture made of imported materials, all looking
glaires above a certain size, watches of all
. kinds, plate and plated, furniture, prints,
umbrellas, another description of carriages
. might be made, viz. those with plated mount
ing might be made to pay a higher duty than
1 others' American ale, beer and porter,
. might also be excised, and a higher duty put
f' u-pon fu«h as is imported. Hair powder
I would also be a fit object of taxation He
. thought it one of the best ■Britith taxes, ?.nd
as we'had some of the worst. we might as w,;.e1l
, have it. All these articles were used by per
-1 sons win could very Wll affdrd to pay the
tax. If any mode could be devised ot railing
. money", exclulively of a land Tajcrvnti ftawp
t 'hn-ildl f
engage 4 in war, we fiioukl "Have distress e
-1 nougli, and a land tax ought to be our last
resource. Congress might go on, he said,
; and have the property afl'efled, without lay
iaganytax. He did not believe this would
■ make any difference, as he doubted whether
1 the aireirment could be made before ftie next
1 feflion.
; But it had been said, advantage ought to
; be taken of the enthusiasm of the moment to
| get this tax. The fame thing was said with
refpeft to the navy. He did not thick it ne
celi'ary to iake advantage of the enthusiasm
1 of the people to collect a tax; the people
, would always obey the laws.
> The gentleman from MafTachufetts (Mr.
1 Otis) had said, that his friends had prophefi
> ed to him that there would be opposition when
, the fubjeft of ways and means came before
s the house. He might also have heard him
- (Mr. M.) fay the fame thing ; and it now ap
: peared that.many who were ready to vote for
expences, were now amongst the molt back
- ward in providing revenue. The house had
f heard an elegant oration from the gentleman
from S. Carolina, and much faid'about France,
s with which he believed we Had nothing to do.
: He wished they might be left to manage their
s own concerns, and fuffer us to take care ofour
own. He hoped this amendment would be
3 negatived, that the law might be negatived,
r Mr. Gallatin considered the discussion
y of this amendment, as a continuation of the
3 discussion ot Saturday last ; the only differ
- e«ce betwixtthe twoqueftionswas,that what
t was then an affirmative, is now a negative po
sition j and those in favour of that, must, ot
r course, be against this. For the original mo
-1 tion of the gentleman front Matrachufetts
, (Mr. D. Foster) was, that t|je tax should be
- laid for one year, and not tor a number of
e years, which implied that it could not be
e pledged for a permanent loan ; but on this
1 day, the fame gentleman has perfectly chang
f ed his ground, for his .morion now establishes
e both principles, viz. that it fltali be laid for a
s number of years, and that it may be pledged
- for a permanent loan. He did not wonder,
s therefore, that the genttenian from S. Caro
lina (Mr. Harper) seconded his motion.
I There could only be two reasons, Mr. G.
- said, why such an amendment lhould obtain,
~ viz. that our permanest expences will be
- such as to render a permanent tax of this kind
- necessary, or else that some temporary ex
>, pence is contemplated far greater than have
- been voted. Neither of these principles were
- proved either by the gentleman from S. Ca
, rolina or the gentleman from Maflachufetts^.
But the gentleman from S. Carolina (Mr.
d Harper) instead of argument, took a mode
which he has more than once resorted to, of
>, giving the house some violent general decla
mation about invasion, the fate of Venice, di
r visions at home, weakness, See. which would
e apply to every thing and nothing. This had
e been the theme of the gentleman upon every.
n occasion, and upon every question from the
r repeal of the (tamp act, and the foreign inter
- course bill to the present one ; it was his ge
t neral ground, and in his opinion, did not on
o this occasion require any anfwer—nbr could he
e complain of the manner in which he had treat
it ed him, as he had divided his abuse pretty
r impartially between his friend from Malfa
e chufetts and himfelf. He had said that it was
s his (Mr. G's.) objeft to oppose everything
e which went to the defence of the country,and
o that he had too good an opinion of his under
- Handing not to believe that he was sensible
that would be the effett of the motion ; but »s
- he did hot believe the gentleman from Maf
e fachufetts made the motion with this view, of
- course, he must believe that it was for the
e want of understanding that that gentleman did
d not fee the effett of his motion.
But without attempting to reply to any
y thing of that kind, and believing that his
n motives and the understanding of the getitle
n man from Maflachufetts flood on as good
- ground at lead as those of the gentleman from
if S. Carolina, and did not stand in need of any
defence, he fhoyld vrocesd to examine that
part of his speech which verged a little to
d wards argument.
That gentleman has said, that there will be
■u much greater expence to be met, than is at
ts present voted. But was it not a very uncdm
9/ inon thing to vote money to pay an expence,
before the expence was authorized > Nay, he
1, believed that the expences already authorized
ie' could not all be incurred in one year.. But
1- fuppofitig the whole of the money could be
d expended during this year, the tax for one
II year would be fufficient for the whole amount
a of the expence authorized.
w It was a perfeftly navel do£trine to attempt
to prejudge, quefliuns. To fay there are other
measures wU! c,h maybe voted ia the affirma
tive. We shall want so nuichmore for (1) s I
and that object, and therefore it will be ne |
ceflary te make the tax permanent, was a cu
fious way of arguirtg. When an e*,pence
,Vas about to be incurred, it always became
a eonfideration whether t'ij means could be
conveniently found, bat h , never knew the
pofEbility of enpence maue an argument in
favor of raising new taxes, before it actu
ally decided "that the expence ft.tild take
place.
'lie confcdl-.f'Tif dirt fiot entertain those
fears which the gentleman from S. Carolina
had erfprelfed, with relpect to this country
being Uthjugate'd, or invaded ; nordid he ip
preliend the divisions at home which ha had
1 fpok.cn of. The necessity ef a (landing army
was the only ground upon which a calculation
of any conliderable additional expence Could
j be farmed ; the house having done all they
thought necelfary fortifications,
arms and gallies. So that there remains no
thing, except an additional or a provihonal
army that can require additional cxpences.
H,e did sot, however, cohlider that fubjefit
before the house ; nordid he believe that any
measure of that kind was necellary. except in
cafe of actual invasion. He did nbt trieart by
invalion, arty depredatory incur(i<jns upon our
territory, which the militia wo)ild be fully
able to meet, but an invalion by a regular ar
my—for, in ho other cafe would a regular
force be wanted He was not atraid of an
invalion of the CoYintry, because he had full)
confidence in the spirit of the people—in the
militia of the country, whose spirit and strength
were perfectly known abroad; and because
he knew that the great maritime exertion ne
cellary to transport any confidcrable force to
this country, arid the didancft at which we'are
, situate from E'urope, renders the idea of an
invasion of any serious kind altogether ridi
culous. He was not afraid of France man
ning her gurt boats to come to this country.
He looked upon the whole as a bugbear. He
mm fttuation to be really and fairly
appreciated J bm-»w-J»4-jA« ; jpviihtygive cuf-
I rency to imaginary fears.
exaggeration, ought to be known, ft' an in
vasion was not apprehended, he saw no rea
son why the tax should be permanent.
But it was said, and the present amendment
recognized the idea, that this tax was wanted
as a pledge for a loan. It must either be want
ed for anticipations, or for a permanent loan.
He would not have made the diftinflion, had
not the gentleman from Malfachufetts (Mr,
Otis) (aid, except this tax was made perma
nent, anticipations could not be got upon it.
This was an extraordinary assertion ; for an.
ticipations are only a sum of money equal to
the amount of a tax and advanced to govern
ment, before the tax is collected, and there
fore it would not be necelfary to lay this tax
for two or three years to fecurp the repay
ment of an anticipation eqtiiil to the amount
ot the tax for one year, if the bank of the
United States was not able or willing to lend
the government two millions of dollars, they
would not do it, even if the tax was laid for
several years. In England, the land tax is
laid yearly,yet the bankof'England constantly
Sc every yaer lends by anticipation to govern
ment its annual amount—But, in order to en
able the government to make permanent
loans, it was altedged this tax must be perma
nent. If a permanent tax of two millions
was necellary, he wished to know to what a
mount it was intended to borrow money f A
permanent tax to fhif afudutli would, as >ad
been stated by the gentleman from Maryland,
be a security for ten or fifteen minions of dol
lars, leaving a (inking fund of one million of
dollars a year for its repayment. And untefs
a sum of money to this extent was wanted,
there would be no necessity to pledge this tax.
Indeed if the money was wanted for provision
al army, oran auxiliary army, the expence of
which was calculated at eight millions for the
firft year, thfc arguments of gentlemen were
perfectly inapplicable. We do not (land in
need of a land tax on which to bottom a loan
to that amount. It is well know n that there
is a surplus million in our revenue, and will
not that be a fufficient pledge upon which to
bottom a loan for that piirpofe ? No longer
ago than iaft feflion a revenue of 200,000 dol
lars on (lamps was voted for the purpose of a
tjnd to raise a loan upon for the cxpences of
last (eflion ; but the loan lud not been ob
tained, the expences of last fellion had been
defrayed out of the current revenues ; that
fund was now liberated and was a pledge upon
which a loan might be obtained.
It did not appear to be either'prudent or
politic,-to pledge in this manner every reve
nue of the union. If the land-tax was to be
pledged for a number of years, what would
be our situation next year, if involved in war ?
It this last resource was pledged, he knew not
what gentlemen would apply to in future ne
cellities. Great Britain has never to this day,
, pledged her land-tax, amidst all her embar
raflfments.
But it was said, that it may be proper to
render this tax permanent to a certain degree,
as any overplus may go to the discharge of
the public debt. And here lie was charged
with inconfirter.cy, because two ysars ago"iie
wasin favour of a land-tax: It was extraor
dinary, because other gentlemen had changed
their ground, they should charge him w°ith
having changed his. Are not gentlemen who
were againlt a land-tax two years ago, and
who are now for it, so becaule Circumltances
have changed ?_ lie was in favour of a land
tax then, because the revenue was not ,(o
great as at present, and he therefore' changed
liis opinion with the cuvumftances. Look at
the documents on the table, and it would be
found that two years ago the duties arising
from impost and tonnage were only 5,800,000
dollars. At that time he was in favour of a
land tax of 1,200,000 dollars in order te, raise
the revenue up to feven,millions: At present
the revenue from impoAs and tonnage alone
' s 7.5+9,649 dollars ; that item atone gives an"
additional revenue larger by 560,1500 dollars
than what he was desirous to 6btain and the
necessity for a land-tax was done away. It
was moftextraordinary, that because he wi()i
ed to substitute a land-tax for the excise, fait
tax, stamps, and additional impost duties,
now when all thele had taken place that gen
tlemen should infiit that he mult (till be in
favour of a permanent land-tax. He had not
been in favor of a land-tax, from a predelic
tion for taxes generally ; for he thought they
were all attended with inconveru«ncies ; but
j he had been in favour of a land-tax, because
1 additional revenue was then necelfarv, and
I because he preferred that mode'of taxation so
! the others. But now that these other taxes
had been preferred and !sid bv Cofl£refs i-i
oppolition to his own opinion, and now that
the additional revenue had been procured by
'lose mean*, ha had no wilh to lay a perma
nent land-tax in addition lo the others. But
he was called upon to vote in favour of tl i#
tax, because he had heretofore called the
public debt a curse, asa part ol this tax might
go to pay oft that debt, and in order to be
confifteut, he oughlt to (upport it. It wsS
tfue that he contidered the public debt as a
evil, and ito gentleman ori
that floor, vthen he coniidered that three or
four million dollars a year were paid for the
jnmeft and partial iiiftaliuciits of the debt,
■.but mu(t b.e convinced our lituatioft
be more eligible, if ue were without ,that
debt- Yet »bou£h lie Called *t 4 curse, he
wilhed it tote "honourably v.ith nil dive
convenience; but, whenever he had a. favo—
rite objett, he did not rulli forward with it,
regardless of every thing eJle. He never pro
posed tCpay it offat bnci. There would be
a«> much evil attendant oii paying it oft too
rApidly, as would a rife from a negliil to dil-
any part of it. It ought only to lie
j paid in such a way as neither to encreafe the
i burthens of the people beyond a certain rate
I nor diffrefs the'country, \>y fending out ol it
| too much money am time, for it' nuifl be re*
1 collected that the greater part was owned a
. broad. The calculation lie hid made for-
I merly ,was to. pay off the fateign debt in twelve
years ; and he believed no gentleman cpuld
rhillk.it ought to be paid in lels ; and the lix
per cent, and (lock in 23 years ac
cording to contract. With respeCt to the 3
per cent, (lock, gentlemen Ihould recollect
that it could not be reduced in that wjjy. _lt
would be folly to pay ios. in the pound lor
that debt. \V'e have another resource which
will be equal to the payment of that, viz. the
land of the United States, this had been hi»
object at all times, it was still what he con
templated, and Jifwe do that, and keep from
war, or increased expences, there will not be
much danger to be apprehended troni that
debt.
But it was extraordinary that gentlemen'
Ihould speak of rtijucingtlie public debt, oi\
the present occasion, wnilft, by the very a-'
mendment under consideration, the tax was
to be rendered permanent for the sole purpose
of pledging it for a loan and of encrealing the
public debt: Gentlemen are hot willing ta
vote it from year to year because they v.ifh to
go further into the funding system. They
want a tax as a pledge upon which to borrow
money, and ypt talk of payire ptf the old dtbt.
If that tax Ihould neither be wanted so sup
port an additional army, n«r as a pledge for a
. loan, nor as a fund to meet the permanent
J expences of the union after the year ISOO,
from part experience, he had no delire to 111-
crease our revenue beyond our wants. He
had already stated that the present revenue is
lulicient for the present expences, and to pay
oft" the public debt within as (hort time as it
would be desirable to pay it off, a)id he could
1 not think it defifable, therefore, to extend the
{ tax further than from year to year,
r Gentlemen tell others, that the tax may be
s at any time repeated, if it Ihould not be want
s ed ; but from what hs had seen heretofore,
he cho(e rather to leave the power in that
house ofcontiniiingit or not. He had nevei*
seen any proportions' succeed for repealing a
tax j oivthe contrary, as our revenue increales,
our expencet are made to keep pace with
them. A new regiment, or a few additional
1 frigates, or some new eftablilhment, will at
1 any tim/i confuine any surplus of revenue
, which may be on hand. This had neretofore
been the practice of this government, and he
f expected it would continue to be so. Indeed,
s it was ,the tendency of all governments. It
, was the tendency of man—w hen a perfou
. grows rich, helooksoutforobjectsof expence,
on which to employ his fuperfluous wealth,
f Hewilhed, therefore, inprder to prevent this
: extension of expence without neceflity, to
: confine the taxes and the revenue to the ex
-1 penct already created.
1 Mr. G. said he would not enter into i] lc
s detail of what the gentleman fawn S. Carolit
1 na called millakes in htS ttatfcmcnts, because
) the documents were on the t.ibh, and any
r gentleman might resort to them; and befi'des
- all these supposed millakes did not, according
-1 to the gentleman of S. Carolina himfelf a
s mount to one million of dollars ; and, accord
- ing to the calculation which lie had made
1. there would tie more than that luhi to (pare
t to cover any mi (takes whatever, l'fe did not
I think it neceflary, therefore, to detain the
House with it ; 'but he would only refer to
r the report of the committee of ways and
- means made twoA's ago in support of the '
e correCtnefc of his a,u nion that 800,000 tlol
i kits a year were (ufficient to pay the whole of
( the Dutch debt in twelve years,
t Mr. G. concluded by laying that if the
- gentleman from MafTachufetts had merely
, withdrawn his amendment, leaving it to be
- determined when the bill came in,"whether
.or not the tax Ihould be limited in its durati
-0 011, he (liould not have objected to that
, course ; because by the time the bill wa". be
f fore the House, it will have been determined
rt whether or not a provilional afmy is to be
e raised, or an augmentation made to our pre
- sent force. It would then hSe been t'nie
J enough to have introduced the present prin'ci
h pie, and he supposed Amply to have with
-0 drawn the amendment would have fatisfied
1 the gentleman's friends. This not havinir
s been the cafe, he trusted the present motion
- would be negatived.
0 Mr. Harper could not help congratulat
d ing the gentleman from Pennsylvania on hi*
t mode of dividing the censure which iie (fated
e him to have call upon himfelf and the -entle
g man from MalFachttfctts by making him
o (Mr. H.) to fay that he (Mr. G ) w™
a wanting in principle, and the gentleman
e from Maflachi.fetts in sense. If he tho't
it the means of railing money.. Mr. S. fad he
e perhaps might feel upon this (abject more
II this a tairdivifion he was (atisficd. But he
s could a (I'm re him he meant so make no fijeh
e divilion. His obfeu>ntioris went to (View (hat
t the system of the gentleman from IVnnfyl vi
- ma had Ircenoppofcd to everynjeafure of de
it fence; that he thought it much better to
i, make no defence than to increale our exp en
- ces. He did not enquire into his motives"
11 nor fliould he ever; he believed they
it fufficien.ly obvious But talcing themotion
- of his friend from MalTachtiferis as.nromotirp
y his views, he was not fwrprized at the eager
it nefi with which he rose in its fuppcrt °u"
e did fay, knowing the difpafition of the'
d tlema'i from Malfachufetts to be in favourof
o measures of defence, that this motion went to'
rs deflroy the fyfbem which he had luppor'ted •
.'i but because a man may overlook the tendeu!
* - •
\VOJ,ume XIII.