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

Fitzfinions from the coin.nittee appointed, prefent- ed according to order, a bill to regulate the colledion of duties, impofed on goods, uares and merdund /.es, im- ported into the United States, and the fauie was leceived, and read the firll time. May 28. The houfe proceeded to receive and consider the ame^d- menrs made yelterday, by the com.nittte of the whole 'houle, to the bill, impoHng duties on tonnage, and the faid ainendinents were fcverally twice read at the clerk's table, and agreed to. Ordered, that the faid bill with the ainendments, be engroifed, and read the third time to-m<"rrow. On motion, refolved, that every fuch member of the prelent congrefs, as is not yet furnilhed with a fet of the journals of the late congrefs, fliall, on application lo the keeper of the records and papers of the faid late congrefs, be entitled to receive a complete fet of fuch journals. Ordered, that the clerk of this houfe do carry the faid refolution to the fenate, and defire their concurrence. The houfe proceeded to confider the two reports, one inade the nineteenth inflant, the other the twenty-Hxth in- ilant, by the committee appointed to confer with a com- mittee of the fenate, to conlider and report what news- papers the members of congrefs Ihall be furnhhed with at the public expence, and to receive propofals for printing ¥he atls, and other proceedings of congrefs; and the firit report in the words following, viz. " That in their opinion, public ceconomy requires that the expence heretofore incurred by the public, of fupply- inp- every member of congrefs with all the news-papers pfiilted at the feat cf congreis, ihouid be retrenched in future but as your coannictee con!ider the publication cf ; r.cv.'s- papers to be hiahlv benetic.al in diileminatrng ufeful knowledge throughout the United States, and deierving of public encouragement, they recovmend, that each mem- ber of congrefs be fupplied at the public expence with one paper, leaving the choice of the laaie to each uieinber, and that it be fhe duty of the fecretary of the fsnate, and clerk of the'houfe'of rcprefentatives, to give the neceflary di- r€in:ions to the different printers, to furnifh tach member^ A. 1789. Of C O N G Pv E S S. 399. with fuch paper as he (hall chule," being again read, and debated. Refolved, that this houfe doth difagree to the faid re- port. The oiher report being again read, and ammended to read as followeth : '* That it would be proper that ii fliould be left to the fecretary of the fenate, and clerkof thehonfe of reprefen- tatives, to contraft with fuch perton as ihall engage to ex- ecute the printing and bindiiig bniinefs, on the inoit rea« Ibnable terms, the p3per being iurniihcd by the faid I'ecre- tary and clerk to fnchperfon, at the public expence. 7'hat fuch perfons as they ihallcoiurad with, ihall be obliged to render a llate of his accounts quarterly, and that fix hun* dred copies of the afts of congrefs, and feven hundred co-. pies of the journals be printed, and dliiributed to the ex- ecutive and judicial, and heads of depr.rtments of the go- verninen!; of the United Stares, and the executive, legifla- tive, and judicial, of the feveral Itates." Refo.ved, that this houfe doth agree to the faid report. Ordered, that the clerk of this iioufe do acquaint the fenate therewith. The houfe on motion of Mr. Scott, went into a com- mittee of the whole on the (late of the union, for the pur- pofe of conlidering certain refolutions he had prepared refpedling the difp<jfal of the land in the wellern territory. Mr. Trumbull in the chair. Mr. Scott Prefumed there was little need of argument to prove to the committee the necelfity of taking fpeedy meafures with refpeft to the imfettled lands in the wefiern territory. The dilTolution of the board of treafury, and the death of the geographer of the United States, are adventitious cir- euailtauces which tend to encreafe the necelFuy. Gentle- men are acquainted with the wumbcr of lales which have been made to fome of the citizens of the United States; they confequently know, that the United States are under an obligation to complete the furveys of thole lands which they have njade lale of. They know alio, that until ihis is done they cannot receive a farthing of the millions of dollars due on thofe contracts ; they will not only be un- able to receive the principle, but will be paying interell for the fame. Befide this, tliere are other confiderations for putting the buiinefs o.T a neu- fooling. The mode hitherto purfued of  400 DEBATES felling lands, has been very cxpenfive to thf United Stares^ A. 1789 perhaps on enquiry we ihall fiad, that the I'pecie ithascoli us in gettinir the land lurveyed and iales completed, would have purchafed as 'inny curtificates as we get for the lale of thfland. The lands are alio propofed to be iold in too great quanliies, it is very d'lficulf to form a company for the purchafe of a million atrts. it onght to be fold in fmall qiK^ntiiies, to make the files more certa n ai)d numerous, and conlequently eiKreafe the public iiicome. On this prin- ciple it will be well to open a land oiiice, and grant the foil in fuch quantities as may luit the a, plication. By this means, more may be expeded for the p'lrchale than when it is ftruck oflFat a wholefale price, by the million a.res ; and in this way, the landofhce will be conducfed without expence, which will be fixed on the purchaf.-r lo that the ; whole money the lands fecth, will co.i.e into the irealury without deduction. There are other confiderations why a land-office fhould be opened for the fale of that territory in the way jult mentis oned there are at this moment a great number of people ; on the ground, who are willing to acquire by purchafe a right to the foil they are icared upon ; allured by its fer- tility, the agreeahleiiefs of the climate, and th" profped of future eaie to themiclves and families, tli y would not leek a change. Kentucky already full, at lealt there are no valuable lands to be got ihcie, with a clear title, can re- ceive no more emigrants} they thi.relore turn their wdh- ful eyes upon the lands oi the union they hope to get ; theai of coiigrefs upon .ts good terms as they are to pro- cure them oi the fpeculacors. W h;it will ihefe men think, who have placed theiiftlves on a vacant Ipot, auxioudy waiting its dir[)olition by the government, to hnd their pre- emption right engrofled by the purchafer of a million of acres? Will they ex()ofe theml'elves to be preyed upon bjr thefe men ? They might fubmit to this, but they have other offers. There arefeven ihoufaud fouls waiting for lands; they willhave tiiem here or ellewh.re,bui ihere islom.- danger if they cannot be accommodated within the boundaries of the United States. They will do one of two things, either move into the Spanilh territory v. here they are not alto- getiier uninvited, and become an accellion of pouer to a foreign nation forming to us a dangerous trontier, or they will take this conrie ; move on the Unued States territory, Mild take polfellion ^^ili^out your leave : what then will be  . A. 1789. Of t O N G K E S S. 4df the cafe ? they will not pay you money ? will you then raife a force to drive them off? That has been tried : Troops were raifed, and fent under general Harmer, to effeft that purpoie ; they burnt the cabins, broke down the fences, and tore up the potatoe patches ; but three hours after the troops were gone, thefe people returned again, they re- paired the damage, and are now fettled upon the lands in open defiance of theauthority of the union ; but neverthelefs they are willing to pay an equitable price for thofe lands ; and, if they may be indulged with a pre- emption to the purchafe, no men will be better friends to the government. They went on the ground with an in- tention of purchafmg, and are kept there by a hope that the government will fee their intereft, and difpofe of the land upon reafonable terms. But if yoii do not liften to their requeft, if you negledl: or defpile their offers, a^id they prove too weak to refift the omnipotent arm of go- vernment, they will have recourfe to a neighbouring power for protection. Hopes of that protedion are now held out to them ; it is my duty, faid he, to inform you of the fad:. I know fuch hopes are held out to them ; they will be lead to think their interefl is feparate from yours on the Atlan- lie fhores. It will take prudent management to prevent the fatal effedls of a commotion in that country. One of the molt unhappy things we could do, would be to refufe ielling thofe lands in lefs quantities than by the million acres ; it would certainly be a caufe of difgult, if not of. feparation. If the objeft was to prevent the fettlement of the country it would be another thing ; but that cannot be accomplllhed,' it is not in the power of any force on earth to prevent the encreafe of the population now begun ; it is therefore much better that we Ihould incline them to friendlhip than oblige them to become our enemies. The emigrants who reach the weftern country, will not (top until they find a place where they can- fecurely feat theni- felves. Your lands firft offer their fertility and agree- ', ablenefs will tempt them to pitch there ; biit, to fecure them, they m-uit have a well grounded hope that the lands they cultivate may become their own. To encourage this, you mult open that territory to them, and let them have lands tor pay : You mult go farther, you muft open the land-off.ce in that country, becaufe it will be impoflible for the indigent in that country ,to travel far for an office- right. You can then eflablHh a government among them, and derive advantages from tliein which are now totaU/ E e e 402 loir. DEBATES A. 1780. They vvilh for your government and laws, and will be gratified with the indulgence, but they wiih alfo to ac- quire property under them they wilh for your lands, and ; what good reafon can be offered to warrant a denial ? If they cannot get your land, they nuiil ga farther and obtain it ot forcigneis, who are defirous of having them at any rate, who will give them lands without pay. 'ihcfe obfervations are fufiicient, no doubt, to evince the neceffity of doing fomething with refpeft to the wefteru territory, and fomething different from what has hitherto been done. In order that the comnnttee may have a full view of my ideas, I will read the plan 1 have in my hand upon which a law may be founded. He liere read a previous refolution, to be followed by the plan, whicli was to this effect Refolved, that it is the : opinion of this committee, that an ad; of congrefs ought to pafs for effablifhing and regulating a land-ofKce, for the i'ale of the vacant and unappropriated land in the weflern territory. Here, by way of feparate refolutions, followed in detail the conllituent parts of this office, and the routine in v.'liich the bufinels ibould be conducted, direcT.ino; the expence of the office to be fupported by the fees p<iyable before the warrants and patents were delivered.