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

adding weight where it is wanting. In this way, we may remedy her defeats to the fatisfaftion of all Concerned ; but if we proceed now to uiake alterations, we may deface a beauty, or deform a well proportioned piece of workmanlhip ; in ihort, Mr. Speaker, I am not for amend- ments at this time, but if gentlemen (hould think it a fub- jecl deferving of attention, they will fnrety no: negleft the more important bulinei's, which is now unfinillied before them. Without we pals the collection bill, we can get no revenue, and without revenue the v/heels of government cannot move, lam againil taking up the fubje(St at prefent, and fhall therefore be totally againfl the amendments, if the government is not organized, that 1 may fee whether it is grievous or not. When the propriety of making amendments fl:all be ob- vious from experience, 1 trull there will be virtue enough in my country to make them. Much has been (aid by the opponents to this coniiitution, relpefting the ihfecurity of jury trials, that great bulwark of perfonal fafety ; all their objeftions may be done away, by proper regulations on this point, and I do not fear but fuch regulations wrll take place. The bill is now before the ienate, and a proper attention is Ihewn to this bullnefs. Indeed I cannot con- ceive how it could be oppofed ; I think an almotl: omnipo- tent emperor would not be hardy enough to fet himfelf againll it. Then why Ihonld we fear a power which cannot be improperly exercifed. We have proceeded to makefome regulations under the conllirurion, but have met with no inacuracy nnlefs it may be faid, that the claufe refpedliug veflels bound to or irons A. 1789- Of CON GUESS. 417 one Itatc be obliged to enter, clear, or pay duties in ano- ther," is fomewhat obfure, yet there is not lufficient, I truit> in tiny gentleman's opinion to induce an amendment* But let me aik what what will be ths confeqaence of taking up this fubjecl? are we going to finifh it in an hour ? I believe not it will take us more than a day, a week, a ; — monrh it will -take a year to complete it and will h be ! doing our duty to our country to negleft or delay putting the government in motion, when every thing depends upon its being fpeedily done ? Let the conilitution have a fair trial, let it be examined by experience, dilcover by that teft what its errors are, and then talk of amending but to attempt it now is doing ; it at rilk, which is certainly imprudent. I have the honor of coining from a ibate that ratified the conllitution by the unanimous vote of a numerous convention: the people of Georgia have manifeited their attachment to it, by adopt- ing a itate conititution framed upon the fame plan as this. But alchouo_h they are thus latisfied, I Ihall not be an-ainft Inch amendments as will gratify the inhabitants of other ftates, provided they are judged of by experience and not theory. For this reafon I vvifh the confideration of the iubjecl poftponed until the firft of March, 1790. Mr. Goodhue. I believe it would be perfe.ftly right in the gentleman who fpoke lad, to move a poftponement to the time he has mentioned ; becaufe he is oppoled to the confideration of amendments altogether. But I believe it will be proper to attend to the fubjed: earlier becaufe it is the wiih of ma- ; ny of our conflituents that fameihing ihould be added to the conititution to fecure in a itronger manner their liber- ties from the inroads of power. Yet I think the prefenc time premature innfmuch as we have other bufmefs be- ; fore us, which is incomplete, but eHential to the public intereit ; when that is linilhed, 1 ihall concur in taking up the fubjeft of amendments. Mr. Burke Thought amendments to the conftitution necelTary, but this was not the proper time to bnn<,»- them forward ; he wiflied the government completely organized before they entered upon this ground The law for collecling the : revenue was. immediately necellary, the treafury depart- ment mull b^ceitablillied till ihefe, and other i'nportant ; fubjefts were determined, he was againfl: taking this up. He laid it might interrupt the harmony of the houVCj  4i8 DEBATES A. 1789. which was neceffary to be preferved to difpatch the great objects of legiflation. He hoped it would be poftponed for the prefent, and pledged himfelf to bring it forward again, if nobody eife would; Mr. Madison. The gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Jackfon) is certainly right in his oppofiiion to my morion for going into a com- nuttee of the whole, becaule he is unfriendly to the objeft I have in contemplation ;but I cannot fee that the gen- ilemen^; who wifli for amendments behig propofed at the prefent felTion, fland on good ground when they objeQ le the houfe going info committee on this bulinel's. Vv'heu 1 firft hinted to the houfe my intention of calling their deliberations to this objeft, I mentioned the prefure of other important fubjefts, and fubmitted the propriety of poitponing this till the more urgent bufmefs was dif- patched ; but finding that bufmefs not difpatched, wiieu fhe order of the day for confidering amendments arrived, I thought it a good reafon for a farther delay, 1 nioved the ^ftponement accordingly. I am forry tlie fame reafor*- llill exills in fome degree ; but operates with lefs force when it is confulered, tb;U it is not now propoled to enter intoafull and minute difcufiion of every part of thefubjec^, but merely to bring it before the houfe, that our conlli- tuents may fee we pay a proper attention to a fubje<Si; they . have much at heart and if it docs not give that full gra- ; tification which is to be willied, they will difcover that it- proceeds Iroai the urgency of bufincis of a very impor- tant nature. But if we continue to poftpone from time to time, and refuie to let the fubjes^ come uito view, it may gccalion fufpicions, which, though not well founded, may tend to inflame or prejudice the public mind, againlt our decifions :they may thiiik we are not lincere in our defire to incorporate fuch amendments in the conllhution as will fecure thofe rights, which they coniider as not fufficiently guarded. The applications for amendments come from a very refpeftable number of our confticuents, and it is cer- tainlyproper for congrefs to coniider the fubjeft, in order to quiet that anxiety which prevails in the public mind: I'Udecd I think it would have been of advantage to the government, if it had been prac'ticable to have make fome propoiitions amevidmcnts the firitbuilnefs we entered^ f"or upon; it would Jlifle the voice of complaint, and make ri-iends cf niany who doubted its merits. Our future mea- fupcs would then have been more univerfally agreeable  \ A.iyBg. O f C O N G R E S S. 415, and better fupported ; but the jultifiable anxiety to put the government in operation prevented that ; it therefore remains for us to take it up as foon as pofllble. I wi(h then to commence the confideration at the prefent moment ; I hold it to be my duty to unfold my ideas, aif^ explain my- felf to the houfe in fome form or other without delay. I only wilh to introduce the great work, and as I (aid before I do not expeft it will be decided immediately ; but if fome ftep is taken in the bulinefs it will give reafon to believe that we may come at a final refult. This will in. fpire a reafonable hope in the advocates for amendments, thai full jultice will be done to the important fubjeft and; I have reafon to believe their expedation will not be de- feated.' I hope the houfe will not decline n)y motion for going into a committee. Mr. Sherman. I am willing that this matter fhould be brought before the houfe at a proper time. I fuppofe a number of gen- tlemen think it their duty to bring it forward fo that', there is no apprehenfion it will be palled over in filence : Other gentlemen may be difpofed to let the fubjed" reft until the more important objeds of government are attend- ed to ; and I fliould conclude from the nature of the cafe, that the people exped the latter of us in preference ot altering the conftitulion ; becaule they h.ive ratified that inftrumenit, in order that the government may begin to operate. If this was not their wijh, they might as well have rejeded the conftitutioii, as North-Carolina has done, until the amendments look place. 1 he itate 1 have the honor to come from, adopted this fyitem by a very rreat majority, becaufe they wiihed for the government ; but they delired no amendments. I fuppofe this was the cafe in other Ifates ; it will therefore be imprudent to neglcd; much more important concerns for this. The executive part of the government wants organization ;the bulinefs of the revenue is incomplete, to lay nothing of the judi- ciary buhnefs. iSlovv, will gep.tlemtn give up thefe points to go into a difcufiion of a'.jiendments when no ad- vantage can arile from them ? for my part, I quefiion if any ^Iteration which can be now propofec! would be an amend- ment in the true fenfe of the word ; but neverthclefs 1 am willing to let the fubjed be introduced ; if the gentleman pnly delires to go into committee for the purpofe of re- ceiving his propolitions, I Ihall confent ; but I have llrong Qbjed;ions tp being interrupted in completing the mere 420 DEBATES A. 1789. important bufmefs ; becaufe I am well fatisfied it will alarm the fears of twenty of our conltituents where it will pleafe one. Mr. White. I hope the honfe will not fpend much time on this fub- jeft till the more preilingbuiinels is difpatched, but, ar the lame time, 1 hope we ihall not difinii's it altogether ; be- caufe 1 think a majority of the people, who have ratified the conftitution, did it under an expeftation that congrefs ^vould, ar lome convenient time, examine its texture, and point out where it was defedive, in order that it might be judicioudy amended. Whether, wliile we are without ex- perince, amendments can be digefted in fuch a manner as to <Tive fatisfartion to a conJiituiional majoriry of this*hou!e, I will not pretend to fay, but 1 hope the fubjeft niay he confidered with all convenient fpeed, I think it would tend to tranquillize the public mind ; therefore I ihall vote in favor of gouicr into a committee of the whole, and after receivino- the fubjed Ihall be content to refer it toafpecial committee to arrange and report. I tear if we refule to take up the fubjecf it will irritate many of our conftituents, which I do not wilh to do If we cannot, alter mature con- : fideration, gratify their wilhes, the caufe of complaint will be lefiened if not removed ; but a doubt on this head will not be a good reafon why we ihould refufe to enquire. I do not fay this as it affects my imnu^diate conllituents, be- cau'e I believe a majority of the diltritt which eledcd me do not require alterations ; but I know there are people in other parts who will not be fatisfied unleis fome amendments are ^.ropofcd.