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

the more fimple a plan of revenue be, the ealier it becomes underliood and executed And it is, Sir, an : earned wilh of miriC, that all our a6ts ihould partake of this nature. Moreover, by adopting the plan I have men- tioned, you will embrace the fpring importation and give time for digefting and maturing one upon more perfect principles; and, as the propofed fyftem is intended to be but a temporary one that I efteem to be beft which re ; quires the leaft time to form. With great deferj-ence I have fubmitted thefe fenti- ments to the coiimitree, as what occured to me to be the better plan of the two ; though, I muft own, it is a fub- ject on which I am not fo fully hiformed as I wiili to be, and therefore hope the indulgence of the committee in confidcring it. A. 1789. Of C O NT G R E S S. 17 Mr Fiizfimons. obferved Mr. Chairman, by what the I geuielintn have laid \\ ho have ipoken on rhe lubjecT: be- fore yon, that the propoled plan of revenue is viewed by them as a temporary fyftem, to be continued only until proper materials are brought forward and arranged in more perte^l form. I confefs. Sir, that I carry my views on this fnbjed much further, that I earneftly wiHi Inch an one, which, in its opperation, will be fonie way adequate to our prefent {ituaiion, as it refpeclis our agriculture, or manufarturcs and our commerce. An honorable gentleman (Mr. Lawrance) has exprefled an opinion, that an enumeration of articles will opperate to confufe the buiinefs, fo far am I from feeing it in this point of view, that on the contrary I conceive it will tend to facilitate; it does not every gentleman difcover that when a particular article is offered to the conilderation of the committee he will be better able to give Ins opinion upon it, than on an aggregate queftion? hecaui'e the partial and convenient impolt laid on fuch article by individualltatcs, is more or lefs knov/n to every member in the commit-* tee : It is alio well known, that the amount of fuch reve- nue is more accurately calculated and better to be relied on, becaufe of the certainty of collection, lefs being left to the officers employed in bringing it forward to the public trea- fury. It being my opinion, that an enumeration of articles will tend to clear away difficulties, 1 wiih as many to be fe- lefted as poffible ; for this reafon I have prepared myfelf with an additionar number, v.'hich I wilh fubjoined to thole already mentioned in the motion on your table; amonir thefe are feme calculated to encourage the produclions of our country, and protect our infant manufaftures, be- fide others tending to operaie'as fumptuary reftriclions up- on articles which are often termed thofe of luxury, l.he amendment I mean to offer is in thefe v.ords ; I lliall read it in my place, and if 1 a:n feconded, hand it to you for the contideration of the cummmittee. Refolved, as the opinion of this committee, that th 3 fol- lowing duties ought to be laid on goods, wares and mer- chandiie imported into the United States, to wit- Upon every gallon of beer, ale or porter, parts of a Upon every barrel of beef dollar. Upon every barrel of pork And fo in proportion for any greater or lefTer quantity, C 38 DEBATES A. 1789V Upon every lb. of butter Upon all candles of tallow per lb. Upon all candles of wax or fpermaclti per lb. Upon cheefe per lb. Upon foap per lb. Upon cyder per gallon Upon boots per pair Upon all fteel unwrought for every ii^lb. Upon cables for every C. weight Upon tarred cord:tgc for every 112 lb. Upon untarred do. for every 112 lb. Upon twine or pack thread for every 112 lb. Upon malt for every bufliel Upon all nails, fpikes, tacks or brads for every lb. Upon fait perbuihel Upc:i manufafture tobacco per lb. Upon fnufF per lb. Upon all blank books Upon all writing, printing and wrapping paper, and up- on all pafte board Upon all cabinet-ware Upon all buttons of metal Upon all Saddles Upon all gloves of leather Upon all hats of beaver, fur, wool or mixture of either Upon all niiliinary Upon all callings of iron, and upon (lit or rolled iron Upon all leather tanned or tawed, and upon all manu- faclures of leather (except fuch as are other wife rated by this aft) Upon all fhoes, flippers and golo-lhoes. For every hundred dollars value Upon every coach, chariot and other four wheel carri» ages . _ Upon every chaife, folo or other two wheel carriage, for every hundred dollars value thereof, end Jo in pro- portion for any part thereof. Upon every lb- of nutmegs Upon every lb. of cinnamon Upon every lb. of cloves Upon rallins for every i lalb. Upon figs for every ii2lb. Upon currants for every Ii2lb. Upon almonds for every ii2lb. This motion was feconded by Mr. Schnreman.  — A. 17S9. Of C O N G 11 E S S. i^ Mr, IVhlte. I fhallnot pretei:d to fay that there ought not to be fpecific duties laid upon every one of the ar- ticles enumerated in the amendment jull ofFered ; but I ^m inclined to think, that entering {o ir.inutely into the de- tail, will confume 100 much of our time, and thereby Icofe us a greater fum than the additional impofl on the lad mentioned articles will bring in, bccaule there may be doubts whether many of them are capable of bearing an increafed duty — but this, Sir, is not the cafe with thofe mentioned in the motion of my colleague ; for I believe it will be readily admitted on all fides, that fuch articles as rum, v^ines and fngar, have the capacity of bearing an ad- ditional duty bcfidcs a per cent ad valorem. liis fyitem ap- pears to beiiniple, and irsprir.ciples I conceive are fuch as gentlemen are agreed upon, confequently a bill founded thereupon, v, oulJ pa's this houle in a few days ; the opera- tion of the law would commence early and the treafury be furnillied withmonej/^ to anfwer the demands upon it. This law would continue until mature deliberation, ample difcuflion and full information, enabled us to complete a perfet^l fyflem of revenue ; for in order to char^-'e Ipecified articles of manufacture, {o as to encourage our domeflic ones, it will be necefTa ry to examine the prefent flate cf each throughout the union, this will certainly be a work of labor and time, and will perhaps require more of each, than the committee have now in their power. — Let us therefore act upon the principles whicli are admitted, and take in the mcft material and produdive articles, leavincr to a period of m.ore leifure and information, a plan to em- brace the whcle. Mr. Tucker. In common with the other p-entlemen on this floor, I confiderthe fubjeft v.hich engages our prefenc deliberations as of very great importance, as it relates to our agriculture, manufavllure, and commerce, I alfooon- fider it of confequence, that we ihould dve full latis- Taction to our conltituents by our dcciilon, be that v/hatcver it may, and I think this mofi: likely to be eftected by eftabiiihing a permanent regulation, although in the interim a temporary fyflem may be expedient. I wifli alfo in the outlet of this bulinefs, to attend to the interefts of every part of the union ; this, I take it, can only be done by collecTiing the opinion of the members from the leveral ihteSj at prefent I look upon it imprafticable, be- cauie the reprefenration from the llates is not upon an e- qual looting; we ought to havs a much fuller houfe than 20 DEBATES A. 1789. we have, before we enter on the rubjecl in its fulleft extent. By looking round me I perceive there is no rcprefentative except Hiyfelf fourhward of Virginia; and vvliatever my opinion may be with reTpefl to the propofitions before you, I muil own thatlwilhto be acquainted with that of my col- leagues, beilde I acknowledge myfelf incompetent to de- cide at this time on a fubject of fuch mngnitude, but even if 1 had more competency, I ikould heiicnre, without I could confult with the members whofe interefts are infe- parable from that part of the union which I have the honor to reprefent. I was in hopes, Sir, that every thing which the com- iDittee had in con.templaiion v. ould be fecured by oflcd^iig , a general iinpoft, whiiil: a fuller confideration of the (ub- jecf might be deferred to a future day, when the comnjit- tee would have more leifure and information to enable them to determine and diged a plan capable of giving more general latisfatftion. I have no objedlion, Sir, to go fo far into the matter as to nafs a law to collecl an impolt ad valorem, vvhillt it is iinderfiood to be but a teUiporary fyliem ; and likewife to lav a duty on fuch enumerated articles of importation, as have been heretofore confidered as proper ones by the Congrels of 1783. So far. Sir, the matter may be plain to us, and we run no hazard ofdoingany tiling which may give diiiatisfa>n:ion toany ftate in theunion. The duties pro- pofed by the Congrefsof 1783, were I beleve five per cent on the value of all goods imported, and an additional duty on a few enumerated articles ; this recommendation of Congrefs has been fo univerfally received by the Icveral Ifates, that I think we run no rifque of givir.g umbrage to any by adopting the plan ; but the other articles which have jull been offered, are, I apprehend to many of us, fo novel, and at the fame time fo important, as to make it hard to determine their propriety in a few hours, or even in a few days. wiih, with the honorable gentleman from New-^ork, 1 that the lyftem we now adopt be confidered as a temporary one, fecuring a duty only upon fuch articles of importation as are generally agreed to be proper and on this account : I wilh the article of tonnage, mentioned in the frft Idl: oi propoiitions, to be poltponed ; becaufe, witfi relpcft to it the diiterent, ilates are not upon an equal footing, it apjicars evidently to btar harder upon fome Itates than upon others. In Ibiuc they wiih a high duty upon tonnage, eve;:; fo much A. 1789. Of C O N G R E S S. at as to preclude the aclmifTion of foreian veffcis alrorrether, having iMicifnt to carry on their whole trade within them- felves. Others again wiih more r.ioderate duties, inas- much as it may be convenient to enjplcy foreign (hipping in their commerce, whillt other fome wilh only fuch duty to be laid as to anfwer the fole purpofe of revenue, be- ing conltrained for want of veflels of their own, to employ foreigners in the tranfportallon of their producHons, which productions mull eventually pay every charge of this na- ture. 1 do not, Sir, at this time wifli to enter into the merits of this iubjecl, but jult to (tate what I conceive to he the views and interelts of the feveral ftates, in order that pen- tlemeu may judge how tar it would be prudent at this time, to take a deciiive ifep in matters io replete wifh difficulty as we fee this to be, in reconciling the various and adverfe interefls of the union, efpccially w hen it is con(idered that the vore of the com.mittee if cai'ried into execution will not p:ace the eailern and loutliern dates upon an equal footing. In order to preferve the peace and tranquility of the n- nion, it v\ lii i:)ecome necellary that mutual