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

to e- qualize the reftridions about to be laid on foreign nations, as he wasoppoied to a dirtrimination ; if fo, he aded con- fiftent v.'ith his principles ; But laid he, I am actuated by A. 1789. Of C O N G R E S S. 121 a different fenfe <jfiiuere{t; and therefore fhall be in fa- vor of a larp^er fain tlian tliat propofed. The more the i'ubjefthas been examined the grearer necedity there ap- pears for difcriinination. If It expedient for America to is liave vefi'els employed in commerce at all, it will be projjei* that Ihe have enough to anlwer all the purpofes intended ; ro torni a fchool for feamen, 10 lay tlie foundation of a na- vy, and to be able to fVipport itl'elf againll the interference of foreigners. I do not think tiiere is much weii^ht in what has been obierved i-elative to the duty we are about to 'ay in favor of American velfels, being a burthen on the community, and particularly opprefilve 10 ibme pans; but if there were, it may be a burthen of that kind which will idtimatel)' fave us from one diat is greater. I conlider that an acquilition of niaritime fJrenrith is ef« iential to this country ; it ever we are fo unfortunate a& to be engaged in uai-, what but this can defend our towns and cities upon the fca coalt ? Or what btic this can enable us to repel an invading enemy? Thofe parts which are fiid to bear an undue proportion of the burthen of the ad- ditional duty on foreign Ihipping, are thole that will be the molt expoled to the operations of a depredatory war, ancJ require the greatelt exertions of the union in their de- fence; if therefore iume litiie facrifice is made by them to obtaiii this importanr object, they will be peculiarly" rewarded for it in tlie iioui- of danger. Grantino; a nre- terence to our own navig.tion will infenfibly bring it for- ward to that perfection lo elfential to American fafety and ; though it u}ay protluce fome little inequality at firit, it: will foon afcertam its level, and becon^.e uniform through- out the union. A higher tluty will become necellary oft theie principles, as well as on thofe of dilcrimination ; the preference we gi\'e to foreign nations in alliance over thofe not in treaty, will tend to encreaie the trade of our allies, but it will alfo enable our own Ihipping to carry on lower terms, than that nation who is in pollbllion of fuch an un- natural pioportion of commerce. Mr Fitzlimons moved to till the blank with 60 cents, and was fcconded by Mr. Goodhue. Mr. TucKKR Exjirefled himfelf in favour of fome dilcrimination ; he thought it ought to be done from the principles mentioneti i->y th.e gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Madifon} but he ; ieared he ihould not be able to vote with ecntlcu;en on %li-s . O  122 D E B A T E S A. 1789. prefent qneftion, becaufe he conceived the rate propofed was to high. If the committee would agree to fix the duty on this article at 30 cents, and re-coniider their laft vote, and reduce that to 20, he Ihould concur with them ; but as he thought 30 cents enough for the higheft, he was inclined to vote for that fum, only he feared it would feem to mfer,that he was not in favour of difcrimination if he did fo ; but to avoid if pollible the difficulty to which he was expoled, he would move 35 cents, with an intention here- after to reduce the firft article to 20. Mr iViADisoN Begged leave to exprefs an idea which he thought would reconcile gentlemen to a more confiderable duty thanleem- ed to be conteniplated. was admitted on all hands, that It America did not Ihipping fufficient for the tranf- furnifli portation of her own produce, and the apparent quantity would decreafe from what it was now reprefented to be, if gentlemen confidered that the American veffels, mentioned in the cultom-hou'e reports, may clear three, four, five or fix times year, and conieqcently multiplied tlie grofs a. mount without its being fuhitantially true. Another cir- cumftance that decrea'es this apparent quantity is, that; foreigners have in fome intiances, in order to obtain the priviltpes of our Ihips, mafkcd their property under the Auierican name, 1 his rct!uclif)n of our ihipping ferves only to lliew the indiipeniible neceility of applying means to raife it up to what it ought to be. But in doing this VvC ought to be carcliil in avoiding any fudden or violent ef- fect upon our commerce by the rile of freight. Let then the operation of the prelent difcrimination continue for fuch a length of time, as it is likely will procure us a fufii- cient cjunntity of tonnage of our own, and then let the duty be ejicreafcd to a greater degree. bis may be dune by '^1 a ihiall addition to the ciauie, faying, that the duty liiall be a cei-tain fum, but that after another day, it Ihall be en- crealed to a larger lum. Thus will both the objects of gentlemen be eifecied. Ship-building will be encouraged, and the freight will not be railed. He made a motion fimilar to what he had expreflcd. Mr. lucKKR Felt himfelf lorry to be obliged to n)ake local obierva- tions on the qneltion before the committee, but the duty lie o\\cd bis confiituenis, as well as his du:y to .the wlu'ie conm.unuy, called lij^on him to repeat wiiat he had laid on former octalions, reiptdting the burthen v. hich a A. 1789. Of C O N G R E S S. 123 heavy tonnage duty would be upon the ftate of South Ca- rohna. He hoped gentlemen would forbear adding to their opprefTion ; if a high duty muit be laid, let it be determi- nate, that the people may know what they are to bear ; do not introduce an idea that their burthens are in iuture to be encreafed. He hoped gentlemen, whn wilhecl for na- tional encouragement to their fliip-building, would be mo- derate, as they plainly law that it mull: be done at the ex- pence of their neighbours, Mr. FiTZSiMoNs Remarked, that the fum now propofed was not fo high as to prevent foreigners from continuing our trade. As a proof of this he inltanced Virginia, the tonnage duty was one dollar in that (iate, and yet he believed they found no difficulty in getting Britiih Ihips to carry their produce; belides he did not think 60 cents exceeded much, if any thing, the average of the tonnage duties laid by the ilare governments; even in the ftaie which the gentleman com- plains is fo likely to fufFer, they have a tonnage duty per- haps not quite (o high as the one propofed. if a high ton- nage duty will raife the freight, even then the concluhon which that gentleman drew does nut follow for the price ; of freight will equalize itfelf a vefiel will readily remove ; to where the belt freight is to be got, and by their num- bers foon reduce the price, or raife it elfewhere to an equa- lity. They would readily go from Mafl'achufetts to Caro- lina, and all the expence would be the fending of a veflel from one port to another ; belide foreign tonnage is more or lefs employed by every part of the union. The queftion on the motion propofed by Mr. Madifon, refpefting the increaCe of the duty at a certain time, was put, and the Houfe divided equal ;it laying with the chairman to decide, he did it in the negative, remarking that he did not fee any neceflity tor uling the words, be- caufe the fubjed was always in the power of the Legifla- ture. Mr. Boudinot moved 50 cents, whicii motion, after 60 cents had been negatived, was adopted by the committee. On motion of Mr. Fitzfnnons, feconded by Mr. Good- hue, it v;as, provided that no veflel built within the United States, and belonging to a citizen or citizens thereof, vvhilil employed in the coafting trade, or in the filhenes, /liall pay tonnage more than once in any one year. Nor /liall any Ihip or veil'el built within the United States pay^ tonnage onherfirll voyage. X24 DEBATES A. 1789. The committee rofe, and reported the foregoing refolu- tioiis as agreed to. The report was ordered to Jie on the table, and the Houfe adjourned. April ii. Another member, to wit, Peter Sylvefter, from New- York, appeared and took his lea. 1 he houfe, according to the order of the day, refolded kfelf into a committee of the whole hou(e, on the bill to regulare the taking the oath or affirmation prelcribcd by the lixth article ot" the Conftitution. Mr. Speaker left the chair. Mr. Page took tlie chair of the committee. Aiter confjdering tlie bill Mr. Speaker refumed the chair, and Mr Page reported that the committee had, according to order, again had the faid bill under confideration, and had gone throngli the fame, and made feveral amendments thereto, which they had directed him ro report whenever' the houfe ihould think proper to receive tlie fame CJrdered, That the laid report be received to-morrow. Adjourned. April 23. Another member, viz John hathorn, from Kew-Tork, appeared and took his feat. Mr. Richard Biand Lee, reported from the committee appointed to confer with a committee of the Senate, in re- porting a proper mode of com.municating p;ipers, bills, ar.d juellages, between the two houles, that ihe committee had, according to order, met and conferred witli a connnittee of the Senate tlierenpon, and h:'d agreed to a report, which he delivered ni at the clerk's table, where the iam.e was read, and ordered to lie on ilie table. Ordered, That the report from the conmiittee of the whole houfe, on the bill to regulate the taking the oath or atIirnid;ion prefcribed by the lixth article of the Conftitu- tion, be put otFuntil to-morrow. i\djaurned. April 24. Mr. Boudinot, reported from the committee appointed to attend with acommittt-e from the Senate, to receive the Prefideiu of the United Stapes, at the jjlace ot his eujbaika- rion troni New- jerfey, that the connnittee did, according 10 order, together with a committee from the Senate, at- tend at EliZabeth-Town, in New-Jerfey, on the iwenty- thu-d jnltant, at which place the tv.'o committees met the Frelideni, and thence embarked for this city, v.hcre they ajTiN'ed aixiut three o'clock in the afternoon of the lam*" A. 1789. Of congress. 125 day, and conducted him to. the houfe appointed for his re- lidence. The houfe proceeded to confider the report from the committee appointed to confer with a committee of the Senate, in reporting a proper mode of comnfUnicating papers, bills, and mefTages, between the two houles, which lay on the table, and the faid report being twice read, was, on a motion made, ordered to be re-committed to the lame committee. On motion, Refolded, That fo tnuch of the (landing rules and orders of this houie as prefcribes the enabling ftyle of bills, be relcinded. The Speaker laid before the houfe a letter from the Vice-Preiident of the United States, encloling a refolution of the Senate, appointing a committee to couliderand re- port what Ityle or titles it will be proper to annex to the office of Preiident and Vice-Preiident of the United States, if any uiher than thofe given in the Conilitution ; alfo to conli'ler of the time, place, and manner in which, and the peribn by whom, the oath prefcribed by the Conifitutioii ihallbe adminillered