Jenks' Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1803-1805, 1804-03-03

"
cred On tho 7th of JANUARY
=-s
Mr.. Thatcher was decidedly oppofed tc
the exiinguihment of lheie balances due
from the debtor oates aliI as the fate
wilich he had the honor to reprefent, was
deeplyinrereRed in this qusltion, be fnould
Attempt reply to what hadbeen advan.
ced in fupport of the reiolution and
thoaid briefly fate his reaion for voting in
the negative.
these balances, faid Mr.. +. were found
due upon lettiement ofthe demands OF
the ~.GfpeEtitive ltates for iervices and fup-
plies, during our revolutionary war. AL
though Congrefs, no doubt, equaized the
hrrtien as much as pollioIe, during the
revolution, it was found, at the clofe oil
til- war, that the fate had contributed to
the common defence in very unequal pro.
portions. 1t was we'll lsnown that the
New ENGLAND itates, i'll particular, had
furni.hed more than their refpetttiye quo.
tas of men and money. From fenlc oil
this inequality, consrefs fnbmitted the
debts due from, and to the teveral ftates,
TO board of commissioners who, for few
eral years, Investigated the lubiea with the
mott minute and laborious attention. Du.
ring this time, each. fate had an opportu-
nifty to prefent, and to fubtantiate its
claims !; and the report of the commit
iioners has been repeatedly fanttioned by
eongrefs. Although, as the gentleman
from Delaware has faid, the fate which
he reprelen,s was not heard before the
commiiheners by its fpccial agents, this
was the cafe of all the .tates.
II impoGible, faid Mr.. T. as the gentle
man from New Jerfey has obferved, to
examine the ground upon which this re-
port was formed. From the lo(s Of doc
umen,s, the lapie of time, and the valf Elk.
ten, otthe fubjcd, this is certainly i'm
practicable. 1t is not even propoled by the
mover Of the rclolut;on. The gentleman
from Delaware has not arraigaed the
motives of the commifioners, bur he con-
eonceives tina, upon a juf fettlement, the
fate lie Iepreients could not have been
found 70 much il arrears although he
calls upon us to expunge the iums report
Cd againtt the debtor ftates, he is willing
that thofe reported TO be due to creditor
ttates Gouli be paid. Sir, faid Mr.. L.
conceive that the debts and credits mutt
nand upon prccifely the fame ground.
They both reiul,cd from one lettlement:
and it is impoilibie to feparate them. Up.
on what ground can we pay the creditor
nates, if we admi, that nothing isdue from
the debtor !? He conceived that expun.
glna thefe balances, as contemplated by
he reio!ution, upon the ground of a par
t;al or uniua le,tlement, would mott clear
ly imply that the fums awaded to the cred
iior Nates are not due. This, of itfelf
would render it unjuR and impolitic to ex
,inguih the balances due from the debtor
itateS.
Another argument in favor of the refo
luton is, that the debtor States canIo
be compelled to pay thefe balances. i
that be correct, where is the injury to TIKI
debtor States which has been exhibited
in irch lively co!ors If the States can
not be compelled to pay theie debts, how
can they 70 materially reduce the value O
real el}ates /? How can they hang in terror
over their heads 1t is even faid that it il
dangerous to fufer thele debts to remain
No evils have yet reiulted to the U. itates
faid Mr.. +. from this iource, nor coule
he perceive that any were to be apPre
hended. He knew there was in this
Houie majority Of about 80 members
who repreiented debtor States, befide'
tk9le from States formed out of debtor
States shut he had too firm reliance up
on their fenfe of junice to fuppoie, tina
becauie gentlemen were the majority
they would vote themlelveS out OF debt
Surely faid Mr.. +. when gentlemen rcAee
that thele fums are due for thole excr