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

appear proper. Ordered, That the faid petition be referred to the com- mittee of the whole on the ilate of the union. Agreeably to the order of the day, the houfe went into a coauiiittee of the whole On thejtaie of the union, Mr. Lee. The articles propofed for objects of impoil again recur, I wilh therefore, that the committee proceed to confider each feparately, by this means we jliall get through the bufmcfs with expedition and facility. Mr. Goodhuk. I think when the original motion v.'as introduced, it was only intended as a temporary expedient j but from what has fallen from gentlemen on this fubjeft, I am led to believe that idea is abandoned and a permanent fyftem is to be fub- flituted in its place. I do not know that this is the beft mode of the two, but perhaps it rtiay take no more time than the other, if we apply ourfelves with affiduity to the taUi ; as it does not appear, that all the articles, pro- per to bear an additional tax, are yet feletT:ed, and as I wifh the lift to be a complete as poff.ble, that the committee may have in one view all that is intended on the occaHon, I fhajl beg to add, Upon anchors for every 112 lb. Upon every dozen of wool cards Upon wrought tin ware Upon every box of lemons Upou every barrel cf limes A. 1789. Of C O N G R E S S. 31 The committee agreed to add thefe articles to tlie li{^. Mr. Clymer Submitted it to the coniideration of the committee how far it was bell to bring propofitioi^s forward in this way, not that he objefted to this mode of encouraging manufaftures and obtaining revenue, by combining the two objecl:s in one bill, he was (ati^fied that apolitical neceifity exifled for both the one and the other, and it would not be amifs to do it in this way, but perhaps the bufinefs would be more fpeedily accomplidied by entering upon it lyllematically. It would be better to appoint a fub-committee to collate the mate- rials, and bring them before the houfe better digeftcd than they came now. He had only thrown out thefe fentiments for the coniideration of the committee, without any great degree of conlidence that they were right or founded in ftricl order. Mn. Cli AIRMAN Wa? of opinion that a motion of the kind juft mentioned would be out of order, becaufe a committee could not ap- point another committee, the houfe appoint all commit- tees. Mr. Boudinot I am forry Mr. Chairman, to hear it luggclled by any gentleman that the propofition for a temporary fyflem of revenue is abandoned it is not my fentinicnt that it iliould ; be lb. When I rife on a quefcion of this magnitude, aijd v.hich peculiarly from my local circumif ances i maybe confidered inadequate to the difcufnon of, nothing ought to be fuppo- fed toaduate me, buta^lefire of obtaining information and performing my duty ; and when my fentiments differ from thofe of well inform.ed gentlemen, they will attri- bute it to the true caufe, the want of better information, and not to a wilh to oppofe ; but the better any meaiure is digefled and underflood, the more likely we are to avoid partial ideas arid attend to what is moH: be.neficial to the general good. The fubjeft in debate was originally brought forward as a temporary expedient to obtain revenue to fup- ply die exigencies of the union. It has been changed by lucceilive motions tor amendment, ar.d the idea of a per- manent fyftem, to embrace every object connected with consmerce, manufactures and revenue, isnowheklup in its (lead ; I admit that the accompiilhment of what gentle- men have in view is very deiirable, and if we had time for the necefiliry difcuHicn, it ought immediately to engage the 32 DEBATES A, 1789% attention of the committee, but I feel fuch a want of iiifor- raationand ability, to judge of the propriety of many arti- cles already enumerated, at the fame time, I think I dif- Gover fimilar embarrallments in other gentlemen, that makes me think the prefent moment, is in fome degree, improper for deliberating, when we have lo little time tc /pare. It appears to me that this bufinefs of raifing revenue, points out two queftions of great importance, demanding much information. The firll, is what articles are proper objects of taxations, and the probable amount of revenue from each. The fecond, is the proper mode of collecting the money ariling from this fund, when the object and its amount are afcertained. There are three fources from which we may gain information onthehrft queftion, name- ly, from the revenue laws of the different Hates, for I beHeve a partial revenue has been raifed almolt in every Hate by an impoft. The fecond fource of information, and a very natural one, is the great body of merchants fpread throughout the United States ; this is a very refpeftable and well inform- ed body of our fellow-citizens, and great deference ought to be paid to their communications — they are in a peculiar lituarion under the prefent conititution to which thgy are generally eileemed lincere friends, they are alfo more im- mediately interefted in the event of the propofed meafure than any other clafs of men. To this government they look for protection and fupport, and for iucli regulations as are beneficial to commerce, for thefe reafons, I think they deferve our confidence, and we ought to obtain from them Ibch information as will enable the Congrefs to pro- ceed to a general permanent fyflem on more folid pnnci* pies. The laft fource from which we are to derive informa- tion is the executives of tlie dates, ifating the operation and production of the different revenue laws in the ilate? ref^iectively, by which we can judge of the effeft likely to be produced by the fyftem we eftablifii, as well as the ag- gregate produce of a general impoft, this will alio tend to prevent our burthening the people at large with unreafon- able duties and cramping trade without an adequate reafon. With regard to the fecond queftion the mode of colled- ing duty. I own I do not fee any information lb latisfac- tory as 1 could wifh, w!:en I recollect the numerous vo- lu".ncs of laws made to fecure and regulate this point, the A. 1789. Of C O N G R E S S. 3^ inefficacy of them all, tho' accompanied with the moft iei-~ rible denunciations and penalties and the careful obfer- vin<r eye of long experienced officers ; I fay whan I recol- lect all this, and confider it may be necefiary for the Uni- ted States to adopt a firailar plan. I own that I almoffc Ihrink from the tal!-; as an extraordinany work, requiring the moft fuperior abilities. Tho' there may be fome circum.flances which may ren- der the bulinefs more eafy, Inch as the virtue of the peo- ple and the inflexibility of the officers, yet there are alfo difficulties of a fuperior magnitude to thole encountered by other nations. When we look at the boundaries of the United States > when we contemplate the proximity of the eaftern territory and Britilh provinces ; when v/e turn to the northweft and obferveVerinont leagued with Canada, in pouring in upon the interior country the manufactures of Britain; when we confider the natural and political lltua- tion of Rhode Ifland, and judge from the nefarious prin- ciples which they have lately held, and the vicinity of their coalt to the extenuve fhores of Connecticut and Long- Ifland ; we fliall have reafon to apprehend ihe is ready to take every advantage of the United States that lavs in her power. When I obferve the Ihore of New-Jerfey, Penn- fylvania and Delaware, the wide ftretched out fhores of Maryland and Virginia, with the waters of the Chefapeake flowing between a winding courfc of 300 miles, penetra-* ting in this diifance, fix or feven times the borders of different fcates ;the coait of North-Carolina, not yet in the union ; the borders of South-Carolina and Georgia up- on theAtlantic, with their numerous inlets, altogether pre- fentfuch a group of difficulties and embarraiTments, as we cannot remove in the little time we have, nor regulate up- on the information now before us. The inference I would draw from this, is, that we Ihould not precipitate a bull- nefs which fome of us think the committee at this time in- competent to; but it is not for me, that fuch delay ihould take place, the ftate I have the honor to reprefent, being altogether agricultural, at beil ic partakes but little of the commerce of the union, therefore we ihall not be fo ma- terially injured by an improper regulation of this fubj eel, as thofe which derive greater advantages from commercial tranfadions. There are gentlemen on this floor well calculated to reprefent the mercantile interefls of this country, and ia E  34 D E B A T J: S A. ly^. Avhole integrity and abilities I have tlie highcR: confidence ; but it is the duty of the members of this body to fee that the principles upon which we acl,. are thofe calculated topro.iiote the general good and not confined to the local -interefts of a few individuals, tn* even individual ftates, lo that they v/ill decline truiting alone to this ipecies of infor- mation, v/hen other is attainable. I am aware of aiv objedion to this mode of reafoning ; it will be aliedged, that the prelfmg neceihties of the Uni- ted States for revenue requires immediate relief, and per- mits no delay, this I adaiit, and it is this which makes me prefer a temporary lyfbem for the prefent to a permanent one ; let us take then the refcjiution of Congrefs in 1703, as prelentcd by the honorable gentleman from Virginia, (Mr. Madifon) and make it the balis of ourfyftem, adding only fuch protecting duties as are neceflary to fupporc the manufactures eliabliflied by the LegiUatures of the manufacturing flates, thus far we can go with fafety, if we do not defcend into a minute enumeration ; fuch articles as are readily admitted to deferve legiilative encouragement, we may take into the lift. With regard to the collection of the revenue, I would recommend, that until a general plan can be devifed, offi- cers !houId be appointed to collect the impoft and protecting duties, in the manner and under the penalties directed by the laws of the proper itate It may be faid that there : are fome itates v/hich have no revenue laws of this kind, and confequently no officers to execute them ; I would in every fuch cafe fubject them to the laws of the next ad- joining itate. My adoDting a plan upon thefe principles, we ihali gain time fufficient to obtain full information in the manner I have pointed out, and alfo reap the harveft of the fpring importations ; the latter of thefe objects I apprehend will be totally loil by any other fyilem that has yet been fnggefted. Vv/'h-.itever permanent fyftem we may devife ought to be calculated to give emcacy to trade while it gives nipplies to ou'r treafury, this cannot be done well ifdone fpeedily '. — while on the other hand, we might get a temporary one framed againil the arrival of the Prelident without inju- ry to commerce or manufasllures, and greatly to tlie inte- reil of the union. If anygentleman thinks as I do, he will fecond me itj moviaj, that th^ coannis^tee rile and report as their opi- A. 1789. Of congress. 3^ nion, the appointment of a committee for the purpofe of framing inch a temporary law. Mr. Bland, Hoped