Amendments to the Constitution, [8 June] 1789 — reading text

yielding but one of the latter. Mr. Madison Thought there were very few cafes in which draw-backs ought to be allowed, perhaps TiOne but what related to the Eall- India trade. The fmall proportion of diftilled ruin exported did not jullify fo great a rifque ; but of the fmall proportion which went abroad, the greateli: part went to the coaft of Atrica ; he feared this trade was inconfiilent with the good of mankind, and ought to be reprobated in- flead of encouraged. If gentlemen were to confider the great advantages derived to the diltiilers from the prefent government, they would perhaps think them fufficient for their encouragement without rllowing a draw-back. The annual exportation from Mallachufetts to thefeveral ports of the United States, is 5327 hhds. this quantity was for- merly fuhjec^ed to an equal duty with Wefl-India rum. If under thefe circumflances country rum could command this great fale, what will it do now when the communication is and many parts of the United States laid open to free? this trade, that was fhut before. This confideration alone ought to do away all complaints for uant of a drawback. Mr, Bland Sa'd the committee had fpent ieveral days in encouraging manufactures, by feleding articles for revenue, and were now extending their views to the encouragement of com- merce. He thought there was fome impropriety in com- bining the claufe propoied in this part of the bill, and even doubted if it was in order ; therefore v/ould vote a- gainfi it. The queftion was put on the motion for a drawback on country rum and lolt. Mr. FiTZsiMONs Had another claufe upon the fame fubjeft, only on more general principles ; he hoped gentlemen would confider 104 DEBATES A. 1789. well before they doomed it to Ihare the fate of the former, it was to this purpoie — That all the duties paid or I'ecured to be paid upon goods imported, (hall be returned or dif- charged uponl'uch of the faid goods, as ihall within months be exported to any country without the limits o the United States, except fo much aslhall be necelTary to defray the expence that may have accrued by the entry and iafe keeping thereof. The fubjects of duties and draw- backs are lb connected by their nature, that he did not fee how they were to be feparated ; gentlemen did not imma* o-ine that what had been done tended Co favor commerce, it certainly did not, every import which is paid, is a drfad- vantap-e to the perfon concerned in trade, and notiiing but necefnty could induce a fubmiflion to it. The intereit of the land holder is undoubtedly blended with the commer- cial intereft, if the latter receives an injury, the former will have to luilain its proportion of it : If draw-backs are not alloVr'ed, the operations of trade will be conlideiably fliack- led ; merchants will be obliged in the fu'it inftance to feud their cargoes to the place of confumption, and lol'e the ad- vantage of a circuitous freight, which alone is a profit of no I'mall magnitude. Mr. Hartley Exprefi'ed his forrovv for the lali decifion of the commit- tee, he wilhed the queltion had not been put in tlie ahfence of the gentlepjen from Mafiachuletts, who were on a bu- fmefs in fome degree of a public nature ; the prefent mo- tion was only juit brought in, he iubmitted therefore to the committee, if it was not beft to pafs it over for the pre- fent, in order to give time for confideration. iVIr. Lawrance "Was for expediting buiinefs, but thought neverthelefs that deciding queltions at this tiuie, vvhen feveral members were abfent, did not tend to that point, becaufe the quef- tion would be agitated again in the houfe. Mr. BouDiNoT Endeavoured to evince the propriety of draw-backs, by facts within his knowledge, a large quantity of madeira wines was imported for the exprels purpofe of exporting it again,now not to allow a draw-back of the ciuty, in this and limilar cafes would encumber trade exi,eedingly. On motion of Mr. Clymer the committee role^ and the Speaker refu med the chair. The bill regulating the manner of taking the oath pre- fcribed by the Conftituiion, was coirr.nitted to the com- A. 17S9. Of congress. 105 mitree of the v. hole, after proceeding fonie time in corifi- dering it, the committee rofe and reported progreis. Adjourned. April 21. The houfe went into a committee of the whole, on the (late of the union. Mr. Page in the chair: The motion refpecling draw-backs propoied yefterday b\' Mr, Fitcli- ?nons, recurred for confideration, and was adopted with- out debate. A motion for laying a duty of 6 cents per ton, on all vefTels built in the United States, and owned by a citizen or citizens thereof, and all vefTels foreign built, but now owned by fuch citizens. Mr. Madison Obferved that of this kind was fosne fuiall provifion neceilrn-y, of light houfes, hofpitals for for the fupporc difabled feamen, and other eltablilhments incident to com- merce. The motion was agreed to. The next motion propofed was —^^ On all veffels belong- ing wholly to fubjects of powers in alliance with the Uni- ted States, or partly to the fubje£ls of thofe powers, and partly to the citi.tens of the United States cents per ton. Mr. GooDHUK Laid it down as a maxim, that the tonnage duty ought to bear a certain ratio to the freight ; for which reafon he had made fome calculations to determine what proportion any given fum would bear to the average of the freights both to Europe and the Wert-Indies. A velTel of 200 tons carried 3 or 40obbls. the freight of which to the Weft- Indies migiit be efiimated at 5s. to Europe, at one dollar. Now, calculate this at the average, and 3 per cent, on the freight would be about 72 cents whether the duty fhould *, be rated at 4, 5 or 6 per cent, on the freight, he fubmitted to tlie committee ; but as this motion was confined to thofs nations in alliance with us, he wonld move but 60 cents. Mr. Boudinot, on the principle laft mentioned, propofed 30 cents. Mr. Goodhue. There would be no occafion to lay additioiial duties on lliips owned by foreigners, if our own veffels v/era not fub- jefted to charges in foreign ports over and above what the natives pay. It is the operation of this unequal burthen that renders it necell'ary for us to difcriminate. It becomes us therefore to afcertain v»'hat thefe extraordinary impoii- O  io6 tions are, in DEBATES order to regulate our conduft. I A. 1789. am very- well fatisrted in my own mind that 30 cents will be very in- adequate to the objecl. Thofe who are acquainted with the difadvantages under which our commerce labours will readily fee, that 60 cents are not fully equal to the extra duties im.pofed on American veflTels in foreign ports, and confequently not fufficient to eftablilh that preference which we ought to give to our own navigation. Mr. Lawrance The fubjeft before requires the moit particular confider- ation for feveral important realons. 1 iliall therefore, without apology, proceed to ftate fome obfervations. In a former debate it was remarked, that the duty on tonnage muil eventually fall upon the produftions of our country; if this is a jult obfervation, v/e ought to confider, whether the prices that thofe productions bear at foreign markets are Inch as to bear this extra impofition. If we have not Shipping enough of our own, and that point I imagine will be conceedcd n}e, we (hall be under the necelTity of em- ploying foreign velTels in the tranfporiation of fuch articles as we have to difpofe of; the owners, knowing our necef- fity, will take advantage of the duty to raife their freight, and thus the dury will inevitably fall upon ourfelves. It is well known to this comnjittee, that in the dilferent ports of the United States we have a variety of articles peculiarly calculated for exportation, and which we are obliged to export ; fuch as rice, lumber, tobacco, pot-alh, fiax-fced, and a great many others ; befides, it is alfo well known, that we have not that quantity of American /hip- ping whice is required in the tranfportation of thofe arti- cles ; it is necefiary therefore, that we either employ fo- reigners, or fuiter our commodities to perifli iipon our hands. If this is true, you will have, as 1 faid before, to confider whether the articles we thus export are capable of bearing this additional burthen upon the prices they bring in foreign markets — I think they are not. Gentlemen from the fouthern Hates mentioned the other day, that the planters had begun to turn their attention to other pro- ductions than what they were acculromed to the cultivation of, becaufe their (taple commodities could no longer be ex- ported to advantage, if difficulties of this kind exill: now without the operation of a tonnage aft, what will they be when fo coniiderable a burthen is laid upcn them, jjut v.'hat advantage will accrue from the regulation when the duty we impofe upon foreigners mud revert back, in its A. 1789. Of CONGRESS. 107 operation, upon us ? Befides, as the duty mufl: be paid oun of the price of the article exported, it will in efFeft be the fame as a tax upon fuch articles, which is exprefsly for- bidden by the Conftitution. If foreigners enhance their freight in proportion to the duty, and our commodities are unable to bear the additional expence, gentlemen will have reafon to deprecate the confequences ; it mull: unavoidably check domeftic induftry, the fole foundation of national welfare and importance. For what ftimulus will the far- mer have to raife more produce than is neceflary for his own fupport? Will he toil in cultivating the earth, in gathering in its encreafe to have the fruits of his labour perilh in his granaries ? Once deftroy this fpring of in- duftry, and your country totters to ruin. Will the pro- pofed high duty have fuch efFed ? I fear it may, and there- fore lliall be for a much lower fum, 30 cents is a fufficient duty. Mr. Hartley thinking 60 cents to high, propofed one- third of a dollar or 33 1-3 cents. Mr. Goodhue Was fully of opinion that the duty ought not to be laid fohigh, as to prevent foreign Ihipping from coming a- monglt us, while they were ufeful or neceflary to our na- vigation, nor yet ib high as to injure the fale of our own productions in foreign markets. But can it be faid that a duty of lefs than c; per cent, on the tonnage of for- eign veflels can be attended with fuch ill confequences ? he apprehended it could not, and was very well fatisfied that 60 cents was as little as could be mentioned, to give encou- ragement to our own velTels. Mr. FiTZSiMoNs Admitted the importance of the fubjecl as ftated by the gentleman from New-York (Mr. Lawrance,) and thought it the duty of the committee to confider well its effedts be- fore they come to a decifion. There could oe no doubt entertained of the policy of meeting the conmiercial regula- tions of foreign powers with commercial regulations of our ovvn. In thele regulations the policy is for each to obtain for its own veflels an advantage over thofe belonging to foreign nations. We certainly ought not to be