The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-06
AMERICAN HISTORY.
The Foundation of the United States
Government.
A COntempOraneOHs Record Of Extreme
Importance,
Written Daily with Perfect Candor
and Unreserve.
Being the Private Journal Of WILLIAM MACLAY,
United States Senator from Pennsylvania
In tho First Congress, i7s9-i79i, Now
First Published in Its Entirety, Unabridged.
COPYRIGHT BY Edgar S. Hdctdv. 1890.

On the 81 OF March Congress will rise. l have
written for my mare to be hore against that
day and from deceit, DISSEMINATION, and amhi-
ton; from mere artificial lfe from whence
both truth and sincerity are banished, will 90
and meet nature. love- affection, and sincerity
in the embraces Of my wife and dear children.
Feb. 7.-Attended mt the Hail. Mr.. King lSen-
ator New York made one OF his curious
speeches. He said the minutes were wrong
and he wished to correct them. The report,
which was ordered to be printed on Saturday.
he wished to be postponed to the 2sth OF De-
cember noxt and corrected the minutes OF
Saturday to rend so. This same King Is a
singular man. Under the idea Of correcting
tho minutes he Introduces matter totally new.
II is not correcting matter OF form, but total
alteration and ADDICTION OF new matter l op-
posed him. and certainly he ought to be
ashamed OF the measure: and yet 1t was car
RED but amended afterward and placed nearer
the truth
There certainly Is design OF quarrellng
with France. and that Jefferson should seem
to countenance thisl What can this meanp 1
am really astonished at all this. l think must
be mistaken, and yet to think SO Is to dlsoe-
lieve my senses. And what can do2 have
attempted everything and effected nothing.
unless it be to render m yself an object Of aver
sion. For we'll indeed speaks the poet:
Truths would you teach, save n sinking land,
All fear none aid you, and few understand.
Tuesday Feb. S.-The Senate met. The APP
preparation bill had the last reading. There
was pause about taking up the excise bill,
like PEOPLE pausing on the brink Of precipice.
afraid to take the dangerous leap. However,
1t was at length attempted, and We blundered
10 the fourth section. Objections had been
made to this section, and 1t was expected the
committee would alter it They have done
so with vengeance. 1t now runs that
there shall be an Inspector general over
district, the district to be divided
into surveys. and an inspector to be set over
each survey who shall appoint people under
him to do the business. Az many OF them to
be appointed as the President shall think
proper, and he shall pay them. too. The mem-
hers by degrees stole away. The men who
did so showed their disapprobation in their
looks. 1t is in vain. Our Government cannot
stand. All my opposition has been considered
as vain babbing. But to get quit OF 1t in some
degree. the business of commitment has taken
place, and now the majority have kind OF
scapegoat in the committee. and a preteXt for
following them and disregarding opposition
under the idle idea OF their knowing best,
having consulted Hamilton, &c. &c.
How abandoned is the conduct OF those men.
Abuse. rail at, oiliGy. and traduce the European
systems OF excise as much as you will demon
strate their absurdty vilainy. and deplorable
effect on society rs much as you please. IT'S all
right. They echo every sentence. Ours is no
such thing in their language: quite innocent
and harmless. Yet such is the Incidence OF
Hamilton and his adherents that they will not
even use the guise Of different terms words
to conduct the COPY. Nor will they stop TIL.
perhaps. as in Britain. ten men may be em-
ployed to guard one distillery.
Wednesday. Feb. 9-Attended at the Hall
this day and was perhaps. never more vexed.
W,re eloquence personted and reason flowed
IRON her tongue, her talents would be In vain
in our Assemble; or in other words when all
the business is done in dark cabals on the prin-
cple OF interested management The excise
bill has passed and pretty business 1t is. The
Ministry foresee opposition and are preparing
to resist it by band, nay, a host, OF revenue
officers. 1t is put into the power OF the Presi-
dent to make as many districts. appoint as
many general surveyors and as many inspec-
tors of surveys as he pleases, and thus multi
ply force to bear down all before him. War
and bloodshed is the most likely consequence
OF all this. Congress may go home. Mr..
Hamilton Secretary of the Treasury is all
powerful and fails in nothing he attempts.
Little avail as l was sure it would be of.
nevertheless endeavored not to be wanting in
duty. and told them plainly OF the precpice
which / considered them as having APP
preached: that the Legislature OF Pennsy-
vania had been obliged to wink at the violation
OF her excise laws in tho western parts OF the
State ever since the Revolution: that. in my
opinion, It could not be enforced by collectors
or civil officers of any kind, be they ever so
numerous; and that nothing short OF a per-
maRent military force could effect it. This for
Rught ! knew might be acceptable to some
did not wish it. and would avoid every measure
that tended to make it necessary
day Tn @ %Ss th
more Off the centre OF good humor than ever | |
did IN my lie. l really was ready to pray:
have charity enough to bsiieyo that the T pre-.
yailinG party in our Senate are honest men.
yesterday, from New England, and Strong |
Senat9r Massachusetts, was willing to move !
over and ready for tho question, Foster lSena-
Tor, Rhode island moved reduction OF three
rose and seconded him on condition of his ex-
ttef 6Na tbe motion through al the distn,
forty cents on the contents Of the stills.
King Senator \. y objected to the lessen
Ing OF the Ratio as productive OF deficiencies in
that the Importation Into the port Of Phiadel-
EPbt and the sums expected from the stills in
raising one half OF the sS2G,OOO demanded by
the Seeretary,
with ludeness, that was mistaken; that the
secretary rsSiial demanded mIlion and half
l"Illeu. ny ItilluR part OF inc SecIeturyS re-
J ort which confirmed the position had made
reply,
j, At half after three tho question was ready to
pc put. Henry lSenatOr, Maryland told me he
nan bet depending with Butter Senator,
so9t1 Carolina. on tho division Of the House.
this excuse and called sharply Tor the yeas
e ana nays. With all their strength they, wele
blaftlsd; and IN got King and round and
round. and about and about; one whine com
mt: then recOmmit: then postpone. Els.
worm, TOO Hl the world and all and
nov, in fact, they are afraid Of the figure they
haYo raised and tho fourth section WAS re-
committed. This whole day Mr.. Morris .Sena.
tor lennsylyanin was against me. in tho yot-
ING way; sat quite away back from me. but
spoke none either way
:, February LII find this day that tho reason
iIPr reGommlttng the excise bin was to enable
hamilton "a com" forward witt some now
schemes. Three, new clauses were brought
forward. and all from tho Treasury. Tho OBJ
hoAious on" 10 me, NJ least WAS the putting 1t
IA NE nower u the l'esIlsat to form districts
by cutting up Stutcs 50 as 10 pay no respect t.
ihelt Boundaries This was cuTiously wordOd
Ior lear Of the 'ittle States taking any alarm IL
Stood by adding from the great TO The lesser