Republican ledger, and Portsmouth price current — Portsmouth, N.H., 1802-06-01 00:00:00, page 2

From the National Intelligencer,
A VIEW
Os the Proceedings of the loft Sefton of Congress.
To the People of the United
States.
IT is the right and the duty of the citizens of a
free Rate to acquire and communicate a correct
knowledge of all the proceedings of its govern
ment, and as far as possible, of the principles which
produced its various ads.
Whenever a portion of the people are induced
by the representations of influential persons to de
ny their confidence to the constituted authorities it
is peculiarly necessary, for the friends of the gov
ernment, on its part, to give publicity to its prin
ciples and measures, and for the people on their
part, to become acquainted with the nature, de
sign, extent and operation of the measures ; that
they may be enabled to judge from the system and
measures themselves, not from ill natured and bit
ter inveftives, what is the true character of the ad
ministration.
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 com
posed the lalt administration.
Government is instituted to secure and increase
the happinefiunf the persons governed. It is the
right and property of the public—not of its ad
minilirators. Therefore whenever the public
withhold their confidence from one man and re
pose it in another, it becomes the duty of every
man, as it will be the practice of every good citi
zen to yield the fame ready obedience to the laws
and ordinances of the exiting authorities, as here
tofore, while the persons in administration were
the men of his choice.
A ReviGon of the Judiciay System, with a pe
culiar reference to the late Judiciary Aft, paired
on the igth day of February, 1801 ; and provision
for an impartial feleftion of Jurors.
The man who devotes his talents and attention,
To a reduction of public expeditures,
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 expense, and to provide for an impar
tial feleftion 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 govern
ment devoted to the inrereft of the people—A
government which instead of increasing public
burthens, removed many of those heretofore im
posed—which instead of enlarging the powers al
ready enjoyed—restores to the people those not es
sential to their security. At the head of which
presides a man, who for the promotion of the pub
lic good and preservation of civil liberty, solicits
the limitation of his own powers, the redu&ion
of his own privileges, and the exercise of every
constitutional check to limit the executive will.
The two Houses of congress united with the ex
ecutive in the great works of reformation and im
provements.
They have reduced the army to little more than
3000 men, who are considered as fufficient to take
charge of, and to keep in repair the various forts
while in power, heretofore secured itfelf from so
ber investigation, by assuming as a fatt charged,
the inference or opinion of another, and inflifting
severe punifhme ts for the pretended crime of Je
ditlon. Which enhances the public expenditures
by retarding the progress and operations of gov
ernment, 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 or
der for confufion, economy for lavish expendi
tures and the mild reign of principle for the intol
erance of despotism—courts inveltigation and des
pises calumny. It does not fear, but admires the
plain language of truth, It never will entrench
itfelf behind the pailings of a (edition aft. Con
feious that it supports the just principles of our
government, and moves within its constitutional
orbit, it believes that its views and measures when
fairly underflood will be applauded.
To remove all jealousies from the minds of the
uninformed, and to furnifh the public with a just
knowledge of the present improved Rate of the na
tion, the following view of the proceedings of the
firft session of the seventh Congress, with such ex
ecutive afts as are naturally connefted with the
fubjett, and the remarks thereon is submitted to
the public.
The session of Congress commenced on the 7th
of December ; on the 8(h the Prelident's message
was delivered to both houses.
By this message, after giving a general view of
the state of our foreign relations and the prosper
ity 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 <ffices ; an
operation which he had commenced where the
exigence of the office depended on executive dis
cretion.
The decided majority which appeared in con
gress during the lalt session, proves clearly a greater
unity of sentiment, views, and opinions, than has
exited at any other period for the last ten years.
Although the federal government, and thirteen
out of Sixteen of the date governments, are united
in a system of measures which they believe belt cal
culated to promote public prosperity ? and nation
al happiness ; dill a difference of opinion and of
political views and principles exiits. This differ
ence produces an opposition to government head
ed by disappointed partizans, and supported by
persons well intentioned, but mifinforpied. An
opposition which attempts to diftraft the councils
of the nation, and palsy the efforts of administra
tion; which circulates with incredible indultry the
most unfounded calumnies and falfhoods, which
A repeal of the internal taxes—comprehending,
the excise on domestic distilled spirits.
The fiamp tax.
The tax on sales at audion.
on licences to retail.
on carriages.
- on domeitic refined sugars, and
The pottage of newspapers.
A careful attention to the interests of
Agriculture,
Manufactures,
Commerce,
Navigation, and especially of the carrying
trade.
A revision ot the laws on the fubje^t of natura
lization.
2d. Persons principally residing in our large
towns who enter upon the bufinefc of distillation
for the purpose of acquiring property. The spir
its with which they furnifh the market, are deri
ved 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 mo
lasses, 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
intered. When the didiller pays government ten
cents gallon on the spirits he distills, he will de
duft that ten cents from the price he pays for the
portion of grain cr liquor, it requires to produce
the spirit. By removing the excise on didilled
spirits, government does the mod efficient action
in its power, to furnifh the farmer with the rea
sonable market.
The demand for bread in Europe has of late
years enabled the farmer to fell his produce at a
high price, but let peace once visit that quarter of
the globe, he will find an increased proportion of
the 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 o
ther agricultural dates, to the injury of Massachu
setts and other dates, is not true, the report of the
secretary of the treasury, lately published, evinces
the falfliood of the allegation.
Indeed when the excise on difiilled spirits was
laid, it was cqnfidered as particularly injurious to
the intereds 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 ncceffities ; —That it would be
an equal and great relief to the people, not only
as it enabled them to apply the amount of the mo
nies, fay 900,000 dollars, yearly to their private
use ; but as it would free them from the lots of
time and expense which was necessarily required
in travelling to and from the various offices to fur
nifh them with licenses and damp paper, and to
make their payments. The difference in the con
sumption of the citizen's time and money in the
collection of the external and internal revenue is
immense.—The fird is limited to a very few com
mercial points where the merchants and officers re
side. The latter extends to every portion of the
union. It operates more or less in every town,
village and settlement. The system itfelf creates
an embarrassment on business ; not unfrequently
the expense of procuring the license on paper is
equal to the whole revenue derived from it.
That the expense of supporting the various offi
cers employed in collecting it, consumes more than
twenty dollars out of every hundred dollars col
lected, and amounts to 180,000 dollars yearly, e
very cent of which is saved to the people by abol
ishing the fydem. While the duties on imported
articles does not require an expense of more than
five dollars on a hundred dollars paid.
That the fydem, by creating avast number of
officers, 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 bad shewn governments be
came expensive and extravagant in proportion to
the means they possessed. It was therefore both
just and politic to surrender and yield up to the
of the United States, and thereby have made, an
annual Paving to the nation of 522,000 dollars.
They have reduced a part of the navy eflablifh
ment, yet retained in service a fufficient force to
humble the Barbary pirates. By this reduction
they have lefiened 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 care
fully compared the amount of every demand a
gainst government ; the terms of payment stipula
ted—and the current expenditures as reduced,
with the annual revenue. They have found the
annual revenue exclusive of the internal taxes ex
ceeds the wants of the nation—They have there
fore 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 conlidering the
fubjeft.
Excise is a tax always odious to a free people,
from the extent of power which is necessarily giv
en to enforce an obedience to the law. "It seems
hardly compatible with the temper of a free na
tion." It was so abhorrent to the feelings of the
people of England, that the house of commons
once voted to bring to condign punishment cer
tain persons who charged them with a design to
introduce it.—lt was, however, afterwards intro
duced into that nation, firlt levied in a few arti
cles, 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 ex
tended to the ordinary sales, for consumption, of
all spirits, brandies and wines ; to all sales at auc
tion ; to all carriages for the conveyance of per
sons, and all refiners of sugar.—Had it been con
tinued and the fame system of policy pursued, in a
few more years, as in England, the paper for our
school books,,he dyes for our eloathing, the lights
for our rooms, the beer for our tables and the shoes
for our feet would have been laid under contribu
tion As it refpefts its effects on domestic distilled
spirits it operates, in the firft instance, upon two
descriptions of persons :
ift. The people who have emigrated from the
old settlement into the interior who encounter all
the evils and hardihips 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
the process of distillation to prevent the loss of
their surplus crops and furnilhes a comfortable be
verage.
These emigrants are highly ufeful to the nation ;
they form a barrier againlt the savages ; they ex
tend the sphere of action ; their emigration pre
vents 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
foftering hand of a parent, not the grasping hand
of a tyrant or tax gatherer.
The middle and eallern dates have uniformly
cheridied 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.
Congress have repealed the aft passed in Febru
ary 1801, establishing fix 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 feat of government ; and by another aft have
remedied the evils of the former fyflem, by fpeci
fying the dillrifts in which each judge of the su
preme court should hold a circuit court, and dis
pensing with one session of the supreme court ; by
this they have effected an annual saving of 33,000
dollars, and abolished sixteen useless officers.
This measure was objected to, both as uncon
flitutional and impolitic As to the constitution
ality of the measure, the diflinftion exists between
the supreme and the subordinate courts. The
former is created by the constitution ; the latter
by, and fubjett to, legislative diferetion. One
may be aboliflied ; the other cannot. The objec
tion that this doctrine destroy s|che Judicial depart
ment, by engulphing it in the vortex of party is
unfounded.—The judges are not fobjea to the
will of the executive, or even of the legislature.
No new fyflem is eftablifbed, by which a
new corps of judges is created. —The administra
tion of juflice is entrusted, as it has heretofore
been, to the judges of the supreme court, whose
independence has not been affected, or ever con
troverted. The right to create and abolilh infe
rior courts has heretofore been acknowleged by
The internal taxes, whatever might be their
wishes, they did not venture until after the elec
tion of Mr. Jefferfon to make perpetual. These
taxes were temporary, and molt of them would
have expired before this day, had not the defite of
the party to preserve the trappings of monarchy
induced them to pass the law of the 25th of Fe
bruary, 1801, by which they were made perpe
tual. To fatisfy the public that the design of the
opposition in objecting to the repeal of the inter
nal 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
conduft while in power, a little more minutely.
Inflead of lessening the duties on these articles, in
the month of February, 17,7, when they had the
benefit of the knowledge of the operation of the
duties for more than fix years, they increased
them. Every member of congress from Connecti
cut (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 fame session, a
law was passed granting relief to distillers, by re
moving the duty from the amount of spirits and
fixing it on the capacity of the still. Every mem
ber from the states of New-Hampshire, Massachu
setts 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
facrificing its interests at the shrine of Virginia's
ambition.
It ha. been (aid that found policy required the
application of these taxes to the difeharge of the
national debt. To this it is answered—maintain
the present 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 expence of collecting
the excise will be avoided.
It has been said by the opposition, that those tax
es are repealed, and the duties on imported articles
continued with a view to destroy commerce. Let
the commercial interest reflect. There is not an ad
ditional cent imposed on commerce. As the tax
es of the nation are lessened, the ability of the peo
ple to pay is encreafed. Let it be reminded, with
what promptitude the trade of the Mediterranean
was protected. That government has completed
a treaty with G. Britain whereby our merchants
are enabled to recover their loft property, and con
tinue in the enjoyment of commercial enterprise
—above all, that government relying solely on
commerce for her revenue, flands pledged by in
terest, the drongeft of all ties, to cherish and sup
port it. The removal of the internal taxes, so tar
from evincing hostility to commerce, furnifhes
proof next to demonstration of a determination
on the part of the government to support it.
To close the remarks on this fubjeft it has been
said, the repeal of these taxes was designed as a
blow to the funds, and was a prelude to the ex
tinguishing the national debt with a fpunge.
Nothing can be more unfounded than this as
persion. The payments are made with punctual
ity-
The government has by a law of this session ap
propriated 7 300,300 dollars annually towards the
difeharge of her debts, the funds in the market are
worth is per cent, more than they were during
the last administration.
Does the creditor's confidence in his debtor in
crease in proportion to the debtor's extravagance
and dissipation ? Does a man's living beyond his
income furnifh the best evidence of his remaining
able to pay his debt ? Does a debtor forfeit all
claims to confidence by uniting rigid economy
with a confhint attention to buliuefs ?
people, that portion of revenue which was necef
f.ry to the government. That this mritnder
ought to coilhit of thole taxes wbich were most ob
noxious ; which molt embarrafled the ordinary
pursuits of the people, and which w ere of political
alpett the most suspicious: and that the hiliury of
the nations who have gone before us evinces this
truth. That a fyltcm of excise when once eflab
lifned, is usually extended from article to article,
until it is applied to all the comforts and conve
niences of lite, and mod of its teceffities, w hen it
finks the body of the nation into wretcbednels and
poverty.—Considering the condition ot the per
sons upon whom the carriage tax operated, it ap
peared in feme measure deferable to continue that
tax ; but when it was conlidered that it produced
only 77^74 dollars and 41 cents, that it could not
be continued without employing avast corps of
officers at an expense equal, or nearly equal to the
tax, thereby preferring the feeds of another gene
ral excise fyltem,the policy of government forbade
its continuance. It has been laid by opposition,
that the repeal of these taxes only operated to re
lieve the more wealthy ; leaving the poor under
the whole pressure of their former burthens. That
if the finances of the nation admitted of a reduc
tion, 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 ex
cise. They have from time to time incre-fed the
duties on the fame articles. The fill duty on salt
was fix cents per biiOrel ; they increased it to 12
cents; on tea it was 10 cents per pound, they in
creased it to 12 cents. It was one cent per pound
on sugar, they increufed to 2. These duties they
made perpetual, that is to fay, to continue until a
majority of both houses of congress, and the preti
dent,cr two thirds of both houses agree to remove
them.
Extrafl of a letter from Cape-Francois, April 27.
"I have been here fix days, and have not
difeharged any part of my cargo, and cannot
tell whether I ihall or not, as the markets *
are very dull. I (hall leave this port for Ja
maica as soon as I can clear cut, but busi
ness is not easily done here. The war! be
lieve is at an end. Christophe has resigned
himfelf up, with all his army, and the ne
groes are sent to the plantations. He is cx
pe&ed in town to-morrow. Touiflaint is
reported to be dead ; but we cannot confide
in any thing we hear."
foreign articles.
THE arrival of the ship Mercury, in 79
days from London, (fays the New-York
Mercantile Advertiser) has extended our re
gular files of London papers, to the 11th of
April, without adding much political infor
mation to our former flock.
One of the molt important circumstances
we have to announce is, the suspension of
payments in specie at the Bank of England.
On the sth ult. the Premier opened the
budget.—The sum required for the service
of the current year is dated by him at twen
ty-fix millions five thousand pounds. He
likewise required provision to be made for
paying the inrereft of ninety-seven millions
additional debt, amounting to 3,200,0001.
for which he took three leading classes of
objects of taxation, viz. An increase of two
millions on malt, hops, and beer ; one mil
lion from an increase and modification of
the assessed taxes ; and one million front
the Exports and Imports. In the course of
his speech on this fubjed, he mentioned that
it was the intention of the Government to
difeharge the National Debt, and that the
measures which had been adopted would pro
duce that effe& in forty-five years.
The report of the proposed dismember
ment of Turkey by France, Russia, Prus
sia, and Austria, is
A tale,
" ™ db f"" id eot—fall of found and fury,
" Signifying nothing."
A measure so contrary to every principle of
good faith, so extremely wicked in its own
nature, and so pregnant with injury to the
political interells of the two greatest powers
on earth, England and France, cannot, we
are persuaded, at this time be fcrieufly con
templated.
It was confidently stated, tpat the Gov
ernments of England and France, would
proceed immediately to the adjustment of
commercial regulations.
Joseph Bonaparte from Amiens, and Gen.
Murat from Italy, had arrived in Paris.
Gen. Richepanfe was at Brest, on the'eve of
failing for Guadaloupe, to succeed Gen. La
crosse.
On the 7th April, at the Levee, Mr.
Wm. Smith, late American Minister at Por
tugal, was presented to his Majesty ; His
Majesty conversed some time with Mr. Smith,
on the situation of Portugal and France.
Mr. Smith had passed some months at Paris,
and was making the tour of Europe.
The Emperor of Morocco has threatened
to declare war against Sweden and Holland,
if they do not fend their accustomed presents
in three months.
Marquis Cornwallis and suite arrived at
London from Amiens on the 31st of March.
The dissolution of the Britilh Parliament
is again ftronglv talked of.
A gentleman who came patfenger in the
Lip Mercury, from London, brought dif
)atches from Mr. King, American Minister,
at the Court of Great Britain, which were
yefterdav forwarded to the Secretary of
State. We learn that Mr. King, intended
leaving London the ensuing summer for
France, on his return to the U. States : from
this we conclude, that he is already, or ex
pects to be, recalled.
the legislatures of New Hatr shire, MaffacLufetQ
Pennf)Kama, Maryland and Virginia, who have
limilar conliitutions ; and no Icgiflature ever
adopted a contrary couftruftion. As to the poli
cy of the measure, the only questions are, wheth
er the fix judges will be able to perform the ser
vice ; and whether an annual lelhou of the su
preme court is fufficient.
To decide upon the ability of the judges to per
form the service, let us consider the labors of one
judge—judge Culhing, tor inttance, —1 he law re
quires them to hold annually, in conjunction with
the diftriCt judges, two leffions of a circuit court
in each of the states of New-Hampshire, Maffichu
fetts, and Rhode 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
380 miles, which allowing for each 20 miles one
day, amounts to 24 days more.—A leffion of the
supreme court will not require more than 21
days. His residence does not exceed 480 miles
distance from the feat of government.—At the
above moderate rate of travelling, there mult 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 re
ceives 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 slate courts
of Mafl'achufetts. As to the fufficiency of an an
nual 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 confided of eight only, three of which
were decided.
[7b be concluded in cur next]