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

intereft, apprehend it from a fuppofition that the difcrimi- nation will be high. Now, 1 profeis, it is not fo much for a high duty as for the policy of the meafure that I advocate it. 1 fhall be content with a fmall preference, and furely no doubt can be entertained of its jullice or propriety. Mr. Sherman Was oppofed to the difcrimination. In his opinion thf? great principle in making treaties with foreign pov/ers, wa^ to obtain equal and reciprocal advantages to what were granted, and in all our meafures to gain this obje;^, the principle ought to be held in view. If the bnfineis before the houfe was examined, it would appear to be rather founded on principles of relentment, becaafe the nation of Great Britain has negletled or declined forming a commer- cial treaty with us. He did not know that fhe dilcriminates. between thefe ftates and other powers who are not in treaty with her, and therefore did not call upon us for re^ taliation ; if we are treated in the fame manner as thofe nations we have no right to complain. He was not op- pofed to particular regulations to obtain the objeft which the friends of the meafure had in view, but he did not lik?  y^6 p E B A T E S A. i?;8gj. this mod^ of doing it ; becaufe he feared it would injure the intereft of the United States. Before the houfe adjourned, Mr. Madifon gave notice, that he intended to bring on the fubjeiSl of amendments to the conlhtutiqn, on the 4th Monday of this montlj. May 5. Mr. Benfon, from thp committee appointed to confider of and report what ftyle or titles will be proper to annej; to the office of Prefident and Vice-Prefident of the United tStates, if any other than thofe given iq the Conttitution, and to confer with 4 committee of the Senate appointed for the fame purpofe, reported as followeth : That it IS not proper to anpex any Ityle or titlp to the refpedive ftyles or titles of office expreffed in the Confti- tution. And the faid report being pwice read at the clerk's table, was, on the queftionput thereupon, agreed to by the Ipul'e. Mr. Madifon from the committee apppoipted to prepar? .in addreis onthe part of this houfe to the Prelident of the United States, in anfwer to his fpeech to both houfes of Congrefs, reported as followeth : The ADDRESS of the House of Representatives to GEORGE WASHINGTON, President of the United States, ' Sip., THE Reprefcntatives of the people of the United States prefent their congratulations on the event by which your leliow citizens have atteited the pre-eminence!^ of your me- rit. You have long held the tiril place in their elteem. You have often received tokens of their affedion. You riow pollefs the only proof that remained of their gratitude for your iervices, of their reverence for your wifdoiUj, and of their confidence in your virtues. "i ou enjoy the highell, becaufe the truefl honor, of being the firlt Magif- trate, by the unanimous choice, of |;he freell people on the |ace of the earth. ' We well know the anxieties with which you muft hav?, obeyed a fummons froni the repofe referved for your de- clining years, into public Icenes, of which you had taken your leave for ever. But the obedience was due to the oc- caiion. 1: is already applauded by the univerfal joy which welcomes you to your itation. And we cannot doubt that i*- will 1)6 rewarded with all the fatisfaction with which an ardent love for your fellow citizens mull review fuccefsfiil efforts to promote their happinefs. ^. ifZg. Of C O N G R E S S. 197 This anticipation is not juftified merely by the pafl ex- perience of your fignal fervices. It is particularly fug- gefted by the pious impreffions under which you commence your adminiftration, and the enlightened maxims by which you mean to condufl it. We feel with you the ftrongeft obligations to adore the invilible hand which has l.ed the American people through fo many difficulties, to cherifli a confcious refponiibiUty for the defliny of republi- can liberty ; and to feek the only fure means of preferving and recommending the precious deppfit in a fyftem of le- giflation founded on the principles of an honelt policy, and direded by the fpirit of a diffufive patriotifm. The queftion arifing out of the fifth article of the Con- fiitution will receive all the attention demanded by its im. portance ; and will, we truft be decided, under the influ- ence of all the confiderations to which you allude. In forming the pecuniary provifions for the executive department, we fhall not lofe fight of a wifh refuUing from motives which gives it a peculiar claim to our regard. Your refolution, in a moment critical to the liberties of your country, to renounce all perfonal emolument, was among the many predigesof your patriotic fervices, which have been amply fulfilled ; and your fcrupulous adherence now to the law then impofed on yourlelf, cannot fail to demonftrate the purity, whilft it increafeis the luftreofa charader which has fo many titles to admiration. Such are the fentiments which we have thought fit to addrefs to you. They flow from our own hearts, and we verily believe that among the millions we reprefent, there is not a virtuous citizens whofe heart will difown them. All that remains is that we join in your fervent fuppli- cation for the blefiings of Heaven on our country ; and that we add our own for the choicell of thefe blefiings on the mofl beloved of her citizens. And the faid addrefs bemg twice read at the clerk's ta- ble, was ordered to be committed to a committee of the whole houfe immediately. The houfe accordingly refolved itfelf into the faid com- mittee. Mr. Speaker left the chair. Mr. Page took the chair of the committee. Mr. Speaker relumed the chair, and Mr. Page reported that the committee had, according to order, had the faid addrefs under conlideration, and made no amendment thereto. Refolved unanimoufly, that this houfe doth agree to the faid addrefs,and that the fpeaker, attended by the members cjf ttjiQ iioufe, do prefent the faid addrefs to the Prefident, i^^ DEBATES A. 1789,- Ordered, that Mr. Sinnickfon, Mr. Coles and Mr. 3mirh, (of South-Carolina) be a committee to wait on the Prefident, to know when it will be convenient for him to receive the fame. Mr. Clymer, from the committee appointed, prefented according to order, a bill for laying a duty on goods, ware? and merchandizes imported into the United grates, and the fame was received and read the firft time. Mr. Bland prefented to the houfe the application of the legiflature of Virginia, dated 14th November 1788, for the immediate calling of a convention of deputies from the feveral rtates, with full power to take into their confidera- tlon the defecis of the federal Conftitution, that have been fuggefted by the ftate conventions, and report fuch amend- ments thereto, as they fhallfind beflrfuited to promote our common intereftsi, and fecure to ourfelves and our lateft pofr terity the great and unahenable rights of mankind. After this application was read, Mr. Bland moved to refer it to a committee of the whole, o\i the ftate of the union— rhis motion was feconded by Mr. barker. Mr. BouDiNoT. According to the terms of the conftitution, the bufinefs cannot be taken up until a certain number of ftates have concurred in fimilar applications ; certainly the houfe are difpofed to pay a proper attention to the application of fa refpedable a ftate as Virginia, but if it is a bulinefs which we cannot interfere with in a conftitutional manner, we had better let it go and remain on the files of the houfe until rhe proper number of applications come forward. Mr. Blanp Thought there could be no impropriety in referring any fubjed: to a committee, but furely this deferved the ferious aiid folemn confideration of Congrefs, he hoped no gentle- jiian would oppofe the compliment of referring it to a com- initte of the whole ; befide, it would be a guide to the de- liberations of the committee on the fubjed of amendments, which would ihortly come before the houfe. Mr. Madison Said he had no doubt but the houfe were inclined to treat the prefent application with refped,but he doubted the proprie- ty of committing it, becaufe it would feem to imply that the — houfe had a right to deliberate upon the fubjeft this he believed was not the cafe until two- thirds of the ftate le- ^iftatares concurred in fuch application, and then it is out of  ; A. 1789. Of congress. 199' the power of Congrefs to decline complying, the words of the conftitution are exprefs and pofitive relative to the a- geucy Gongrefs may have in cafe of applications of this na- ture. The Gongrefs, wherever two- thirds ofbothhoufes Ihall deem it neceflary, fhall propofe amendments to this conftitution ; or, on the application of the legillatures of two-thirds of the feveral ftates, fhall call a convention for propofing amendments. From hence it muft appear, that pongrefs have no dehberative power 6n this occafion. The moft refpedtul and conflitutional mode of performing our duty will be to let it be entered on the minutes, and remain upon the files of thehoufe until fimiiar amplications come to hand from two-thirds of the flates. Mr. BouDiNoT Hoped the gentlemen who defired the commitment of the application, would not fuppofe him wanting in refpeft to the flate of Virginia,he entertained the mofl profound refpedl for her —but was a principle of refpeft to order it and propriety that he oppofed the commitment upon enough had been faid to convince gentlemen that it was im- — proper to commit for what purpofe can it be done ? what can the committee report ? the application is to call a new convention. Now in this cafe, there is nothing left for us to do, but to call one when two- thirds of the itate legifla- turcs apply for that purpofe — he hoped the gentleman would withdrav/ his motion for commitment. Mr. Bland. The application now before the committee contains a number of reafons why it is necefFary to call a convention, by the 5th article of the conftitution, Congrefs are obliged to order this convention when two-thirds of the legillatures apply for it ; but how can thefe reafons be properly weigh- ed, unlefs it be done in committee ? therefore i hope the houfe will agree to refer it. Mr, Huntington Thought it proper to let the appHcatio:! remain on th6 table, it can be called up with others when enough are pre- fented to make two-thirds of the whole flates. There would be an evident impropriety in committing, becaufe ic would argue a right in the houfe to deliberate and confe- tjuently a power to procraftinate the meafure applied for. Mr. Tucker • Thought it not riglit to difregard the application of any ftate, and inferred, that the houfe had aright to confider every application that was made j if two- thirds had not ap-  DEBATES 'plied, the fubject might A. i>8§. be taken into confideration, but if two-thirds had applied it precluded dehberation on the part of the houfe. He hoped the prelent apphcation would-be properly noticed. Mr. Gerry. The gentleman from