The Kentucky gazette (Lexington [Ky.]), 1790-05-24 00:00:00

Proceedings of Congress.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES WEDNESDAY, January 20.
Continued.
Mr Baldwin, said he thought the House of Representatives not a very proper body to arrange this business—the executive officers of government, the persons who were possessed of the proper documents of information, &c. He then read sundry resolves of the old Congress in October 1787, wherein the board of treasury were empowered to enter into treaties with purchasers; and in cases where credit was given, the purchaser received a right to the lands, but not a deed. He also read the resolve of the 22d. August, 1788, where seven equal payments are mentioned. He had no objection to refer the business to the secretary of the treasury from the House but thought it informal to refer the report of a committee to any officer of the government.
Mr Boutinot quoted instances where in the old Congress had followed this practice.
Mr Page hoped the Secretary would be authorized by law, to treat with purchasers.
Mr White said something about informality, and then the question for amendments, being put by the speaker, was lost.
Mr Baldwin now moved, that the report of the committee be laid upon the table.
Mr R. B. Lee hoped that foreigners would be encouraged to emigrate, and useful citizens adopted.
Mr Sedgwick said, that whatever might have been his own private opinion, he would now, from experience, be for shutting the door against all particular applications. It would be impossible he said to attend to the enumerable applications that might be expected to follow, if the petition of any individual was to employ the time of the legislature. There could not be any great inconvenience from a little delay. He was therefore for digesting a regular system, and not for determining in any particular case until that was done.
Mr White said, it was to our advantage to show every wish to encourage foreigners, and he saw no danger that could follow from a particular attention to the petition of Mr Dobbyn. He observed, that the inhabitants of the United States derived many of their opinions and settlements respecting government and liberty, from Great Britain and Ireland; he had no doubt but that, in the course of this session, an uniform system would be established; and therefore it could not be attended with any injurious consequences to indulge Mr. Dobbyn in the present instance.
Mr. Sherman thought it would be the most speedy method of deciding the affair, to refer the report of the select committee to the secretary of the treasury; but it was at length decided, that the report be laid on the table.
It was next moved, to read the report of the secretary of war, on the petition of Charles Martin, formerly a captain in the army of the United States, who had served till 20th October, 1780. The secretary reported, that said Martin had got a certificate, dated 19th of February 1782, from the war office, and was entitled, with other officers, to half pay for his life. It did not therefore appear to the secretary of war that any new decision, or act of the present Congress were necessary, unless they should contravene the acts of the old Congress.
The speaker then proposed to take the sense of the house: but Mr. White observed, that it was not necessary, as the secretary had already reported, that this house had nothing to do in the matter unless they chose to counteract the resolves of the old Congress.
Mr Wadsworth said, the commissioners of army accounts were proper persons to decide upon these cases.
Mr. Sherman and some other members spoke, but the business was dropped, without taking the sense of the house.
Mr. Sherman then moved that a statement of facts reported to this house in the last session, relative to the sale of land in the western territory, be referred to the secretary of the treasury; which was carried.
The report of the committee, to whom that part of the President's message was referred, respecting a treaty with certain Indian tribes was presented to the speaker; but the business being confidential the gallery doors were shut for about half an hour; after which a message was received from the senate, requesting the house to appoint a committee to confer with a committee of three, appointed by the senate, respecting the practice to be observed in taking up the unfinished business of the last session, "whether it should be taken up as if this was only an adjourned meeting of the first session, or as if there was no adjournment."
Mr. Page and Mr. Sedgwick spoke some time on this question, and were for appointing a committee for the purposes mentioned, but were opposed by Mr. Smith, (S. C.) and Mr. R. B. Lee.
Mr. Lee said the house has already decided upon this business, by a resolution which had passed a few days ago, to take up the arrears of the business of the last session de novo. He did not believe the senate meant to disagree with the representatives, but only to conform and harmonize the practice of both houses.
Mr. ——— said the house would not be able to get forward without finally conferring, and therefore he wished a committee to be appointed.
Mr. Smith, (S. C.) supposed the message of the senate had been misapprehended, if it was imagined that they confined it merely to the form of taking up any particular business which had been left unfinished in the last session; he rather believed they meant it generally. He said, however, that the senate had no right to interfere with the practice of this house, and with respect to the particular business alluded to, it had already been determined.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT. March 4, 1790.
In obedience to the order of the House of Representatives, of the 2d instant. THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY.
Respectfully reports. [Continued from our last]
Molasses being in some of the states a substitute for sugar, a small addition to the duty on that article, ought to accompany an encrease of the duty on sugar. This, however, ought to be regulated with proper attention to the circumstance, that the same article will contribute largely in the shape of distilled spirits. Half a cent per gallon on molasses, would yield an annual sum thirty thousand dollars. Our distillers of spirits from this material, may be compensated by a proportional extension of the duty on imported spirits.
Snuff, and other manufactured tobacco made within the United States: Ten cents per pound on the snuff and six cents on other kinds of manufactured tobacco, would be likely to produce annually, from ninety to one hundred thousand dollars. From as good evidence as the nature of the case will admit, the quantity of these articles manufactured in the United States, may be computed to exceed a million and an half of pounds. The imposition of this duty would require an encrease of the duty on importation, and a drawback on exportation, in favour of the manufacture. This being an ab-
solute superfluity, is the fairest object of revenue that can be imagined and may be to regulated, as in no degree to injure either the growth or manufacture of the commodity.
Pepper, pimento, spices in general, and various other kinds of groceries. These articles will bear such additional rates, as may be estimated to yield a sum of not less than thirty thousand dollars. Computing according to the entries in the state of New-York, in one thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight, the yearly quantity of pepper and pimento brought into the United States, is not less than eight hundred thousand pounds, for which about a third is pepper. Six cents on pepper, and four cents on pimento (with drawbacks on exportation) may, without inconvenience, be laid.
Salt. An additional duty of six cents per bushell, may, in the judgment of the Secretary, with propriety be laid on this article. It is one of those objects which being consumed by all, will be most productive, and yet from the smallness of the quantity in which it is consumed by any, and of the price, will be least burthen some, if confined within reasonable limits. If a government does not avail itself, to a proper extent of resources like these, it must of necessity overcharge others, and particularly, give greater scope to direct taxation. The quantity of this article annually imported, being at least a million and a half of bushels, the annual product of an additional duty of six cents may be computed at ninety thousand dollars.
Carriages, such as coaches, chairs, &c—These articles may certainly be the subject of a considerable duty. How productive it would be, is not easy to be estimated. But it is imagined, that it would yield not less than fifty thousand dollars per annum.
Licence to practisers of the law. Certain law proceedings, and various kinds of writings. The extent of this resource can only be determined upon trial; but the Secretary feels a strong assurance, that there may be drawn from it, yearly, not less than two hundred thousand dollars. The system for collecting a duty of this kind, would embrace playing cards, and some other objects of luxury, which do not fall under the above descriptions, but which are estimated in the supposed product.
Sales at auction (exclusive of houses or lands, or of those made in consequence of legal process or of acknowledged insolvency.) One per cent. on such sales, would, probably, produce a yearly sum of forty or fifty thousand dollars.
Wines and spirits sold at retail. These articles are, in the opinion of the secretary, capable of being rendered far more productive than has been generally contemplated; and they are, certainly, among the most unexceptionable objects of revenue. It is presumed, that two hundred thousand dollars per annum, may, with facility, be collected from the retail vent of these articles.
The following objects are those, which appear to the secretary, preferable towards a provision for the debts of the individual states.—There are others, which have occurred to him as supplementary, in case the experiment should discover a deficiency in the expected product, but which he conceives is unnecessary now to detail. He will only add, that he entertains no doubt of its being practicable to accomplish the end, on the principles of his
former report, without the necessity of taxing either houses or lands, or the stock of the produce of farms.
To be continued
LEXINGTON, May 24
Copy of a letter, from his Excellency the Governor of Virginia, to the different county Lieutenants in the district of Kentucky.
RICHMOND, March 10, 1790. SIR,
THE Governor of the Continental Western Territory, has given the Executive information of incursions having been made, by parties from this state, upon the tribes of Indians, in amity with the United States.
As conduct like this, is highly dishonorable to our national character, and will, inevitably, draw upon individual delinquents, the punishment due to such offences, it becomes our duty to injoin you, to exert your authority to prevent any attempts of this kind in future.
Should it be necessary, on any occasion, to order our parties to repel the attack of an enemy, within the limits of the state, you will issue the most positive orders, that no such party shall, under any pretence whatever, enter the Territory either of the United States, or of any Indian Tribe.
I am fir. Your Obt. Servt. BEVERLEY RANDOLPH.
About 12 days ago, a company who were on their way to this country through the Wilderness, encamped on Rock-Castle creek: The next morning just at day, they were fired on by a party of Indians and drove off from their camp, a white man and negro were mortally wounded, and three children who were asleep were Tomahawked: the Indians got their horses and baggage.
FOR SALE
TWO excellent stills, one of which will work 10 gallons, and the other 7 1/2: Cash or likely horses will be taken in payment if delivered by the last of June: for further particulars apply to the subscriber at Joseph Kyle's about four miles from Lexington.
George Moore, May 17, 1790.
I Hereby forewarn all persons from taking an assignment of a note given by me to Laurence Protzman for twelve pounds, bearing date about the last of March or first of April one thousand seven hundred and eighty nine. Also a note of Twenty-one pounds, to be paid in trade, bearing date about the last of April or first of May one thousand seven hundred and eighty nine, as I have discharged the same.
Thomas Jones.
TWO DOLLARS REWARD
Strayed from the subscriber in Lexington, a bay horse, fourteen hands high, four or five years old, a white spot on his hind feet no brand that I recollect, a few saddle spots shod before when he went away; Whoever delivers said horse to the subscriber at Capt. Smiths in Lexington shall have the above reward.
Henry Groff. May 20, 1790.