Obrázky stránek
PDF
ePub

H. OF R.

Military Peace Establishment.

JANUARY, 1802.

Butler, Matthew Clay, Manasseh Cutler, Samuel W. Dana, John Davenport, Thomas T. Davis, John Dennis, William Dickson, Ebenezer Elmer, Roger Griswold, William Barry Grove, Seth Hastings, Archibald Henderson, Thomas Lowndes, Ebenezer Mattoon, Thomas Moore, Lewis R. Morris, Joseph H. NicholWilliam Shepard, John Cotton Smith, Josiah Smith,

from sundry other citizens of the said District, presented on the twenty-ninth ultimo, "that a bridge may be erected from the western and southern extremity of Maryland avenue, in the City of Washington, to the nearest and most convenient point of Alexander's Island, in the river Potomac," was presented to the House and read.-Re-son, Elias Perkins, John Randolph, jr., John Rutledge, ferred to the committee appointed, on the eighth ultimo, to inquire whether any, and, if any, what, alterations are necessary in the existing government and laws of the District of Columbia.

Mr. FEARING presented a law of the Legislature of the Territory Northwest of the Ohio, for the division of that Territory into three Governments, the Western, Middle, and Eastern, and pointing out the boundaries for States as laid out by the Old Confederation. Mr. F. moved to refer

it to a select committee.

Mr. GILES observed, that the law would place the people of that Territory in a very disagreeable situation, and it should be decided as early as possible. He had in his hands petitions signed by above one thousand inhabitants of that Territory against the law. The law would remove them further from a State government. Its only tendency would be to perpetuate the office of Governor and the Territorial Legislature.

Mr. DAVIS moved to refer the law to a Committee of the whole House, as it would give an earlier decision to the subject.

It was referred to the Committee of the Whole, made the order of the day for to-morrow, and ordered to be printed.

Mr. GILES then presented the petitions he alluded to, and moved a reference to the Committee of the Whole, and one of them to be printed; which was agreed to.

Mr. DAVIS mentioned that he had received a communication from the Treasury Department respecting the location of military land warrants, which he moved should be printed; agreed to. Mr. JACKSON moved that the ordinance of 1787, respecting the Northwestern Territory, should be printed for the use of the members; which was agreed to.

On motion, it was

Resolved, That the Committee of Ways and Means be authorized to cause to be printed under their inspection, all such reports and documents, touching the matters referred to them, as may appear necessary to the committee, previous to the

presentation of the same to the House.

MILITARY PEACE ESTABLISHMENT. The House then took up the amendments to the bill fixing the Military Peace Establishment.

Mr. BAYARD moved to strike out the office of Brigadier General. He said there could not be any occasion for such an officer, as the men were scattered over the whole extent of our frontiers and Atlantic coast, and placed in small divisions. This brought on a debate which was continued until after three o'clock.

The question was taken by yeas and nays for striking out-36 against it, 54 for it, as follows: YEAS-Willis Alston, James A. Bayard, William

John Stanley, Joseph Stanton, jr., John Stratton, Benjamin Tallmadge, Samuel Tenney, Thomas Tillinghast, George B. Upham, John P. Van Ness, and Lemuel

Williams.

Bishop, Richard Brent, Robert Brown, John CampNAYS-John Bacon, Theodorus Bailey, Phanuel bell, Thomas Claiborne, John Clopton, John Condit, Richard Cutts, John Dawson, Lucas Elmendorf, William Eustis, John Fowler, William B. Giles, Calvin Goddard, Edwin Gray, Andrew Gregg, John A. Hanna, Daniel Heister, Joseph Heister, William Helms, Joseph Hemphill, William Hoge, David Holmes, Benjamin Huger, George Jackson, Charles Johnson, William Jones, Michael Leib, John Milledge, Samuel L. Mitchill, James Mott, Anthony Newton, jr., Joseph Pierce, Nathan Reid, John Smilie, Israel Smith, John Smith, of Virginia, Samuel Smith, Henry Southard, Richard Sprigg, Richard Stanford, John Stewart, John Taliaferro, jr., Philip R. Thompson, Abram Trigg, John Trigg, Philip Van Cortlandt, Joseph B. Varnum, Isaac Van Horne, Benjamin Walker, and Henry Woods.

Mr. BAYARD moved to strike out the office of

Colonel, and add one to the number of Majors; but it was not agreed to.

The bill proposed to give those officers who should be deranged, three months' pay when they were dismissed from the service.

Mr. GRISWOLD moved to strike out three months," that a greater compensation might be given to those who have grown gray in the service of their country. He thought more was due to them than what the bill proposed to allow.

Mr. VARNUM said, his own opinion was in favor of a greater compensation; but he owed it to a majority of that House to yield his opinion to what they had fixed it at. He said there was nothing due to those officers, as nothing had been promised them.

Mr. MITCHILL was in favor of striking out, for tionate to the length of time the officers had been the purpose of inserting a compensation propor

in service.

down by gentlemen. When officers were wanted Mr. BACON differed as to the principle laid there was great competition for the appointments. ments. He did not think there was anything due. They were desirous to receive the pay and emoluto them.

this business, and keeping to a uniform principle. Mr. S. SMITH was for pursuing some system in When a reduction was made in 1796, six months' pay and subsistence was granted. He would be in favor of that at this time.

Mr. DANA believed those officers accepted their manent Peace Establishment, and therefore someappointments under an idea of its being the perthing was due to them when dismissed from the public service.

[blocks in formation]

Mr. SMILIE said, they knew the terms on which they entered the service, and they entered voluntarily. How could anything, then, be due to them? It would be more proper to give the men something when disbanded than to provide for the officers. It was not long since that about forty were wanted, and there were thirteen hundred applications. Men could not always be obtained. When the ten regiments were ordered to be raised, the officers were soon obtained; but, after recruiting a long time, the proper number of men could not be procured.

The question for striking out was taken by yeas and nays-for it 26, against it 56, as follows:

YEAS-James A. Bayard, Manasseh Cutler, Samuel W. Dana, John Davenport, William Eustis, Calvin Goddard, Roger Griswold, William Barry Grove, Joseph Hemphill, Archibald Henderson, Charles Johnson, Thomas Lowndes, Samuel L. Mitchill, Lewis R. Morris, Thomas Morris, Elias Perkins, Nathan Read, John Rutledge, William Shepard, John Cotton Smith, John Stanley, Benjamin Tallmadge, Samuel Tenney, George B. Upham, Benjamin Walker, and Lemuel

Williams.

NAYS-Willis Alston, John Bacon, Theodorus Bailey, Phanuel Bishop, Richard Brent, Robert Brown, William Butler, Thomas Claiborne, Matthew Clay, John Clopton, John Condit, Richard Cutts, Thomas T. Davis, John Dawson, William Dickson, Lucas Elmendorf, Ebenezer Elmer, John Fowler, William B. Giles, Edwin Gray, Andrew Gregg, Seth Hastings, Daniel Heister, Joseph Heister, William Helms, William Hoge, David Holmes, George Jackson, William Jones, Michael Leib, Ebenezer Mattoon, John Milledge, Thomas Moore, James Mott, Anthony New, Thomas Newton, jr., Joseph H. Nicholson, John Randolph, jr., John Smilie, Israel Smith, John Smith, of Virginia, Josiah Smith, Samuel Smith, Henry Southard, Richard Sprigg, Richard Stanford, John Stewart, John Taliaferro, jr., Thomas Tillinghast, Philip R. Thompson, Abram Trigg, John Trigg, Philip Van Cortlandt, John P. Van Ness, Joseph B. Varnum, and Isaac Van

Horne.

Mr. S. SMITH made a motion to raise it to the same as was granted in 1796.

Mr. EUSTIS advocated it, but it was not carried, there being 26 for it, and 45 against it.

Mr. S. SMITH moved a section repealing former laws that came within the purview of this.

Mr. BAYARD did not think such a section necessary; at any rate, he wished time to consider what laws came within the purview of this, before he agreed to it.

Mr. GILES advocated the section; which was agreed to.

The bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading to-morrow.

THURSDAY, January 21.

A petition of Anthony Addison, of Prince George's county, in the State of Maryland, was presented to the House and read, praying that he may be authorized by law to erect a bridge over the Eastern Branch of the river Potomac, at, or near the place where a ferry belonging to the petitioner is now kept.

[ocr errors]

H. OF R.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee appointed, on the eighth ultimo, to inquire whether any, and, if any, what, alterations or amendments may be necessary in the existing government and laws of the District of Columbia.

On motion of Mr. NICHOLSON, it was

Resolved, That the committee appointed, on the fourteenth ultimo, "to inquire and report whether moneys drawn from the Treasury have been faithfully applied to the objects for which they were appropriated, and whether the same have been regularly accounted for ; and to report, likewise, whether any further arrangements are neCessary to promote economy, enforce adherence to Legislative restrictions, and secure the accountability of persons intrusted with public money," be, and they are, authorized to cause to be printed, for the use of the members of the House, such papers and documents relating to the subjects of their inquiry as they may think necessary.

Mr. DAVENPORT, from the Committee of Revisal and Unfinished Business, presented a bill to continue in force an act supplementary to an act, entitled "An act regulating foreign coins, and for other purposes;" which was read twice and committed to a Committee of the whole House on Monday next.

A message from the Senate informed the House that the Senate adhere to their fourth and sixth amendments, and recede from their seventh amendment to the bill, entitled "An act concerning the Library for the use of both Houses of Congress," on their disagreement to which this House hath insisted.

On motion, it was

Ordered, That Mr. NICHOLSON be excused from serving on the committee appointed, on the fourth instant, "to inquire whether any, and what, alteration should be made in the Judicial Establishment of the United States; also, to report a provision for securing the impartial selection of juries in the courts of the United States," and that Mr. GILES be appointed of the said committee, in his stead.

Mr. BAYARD, from the managers appointed on the part of this House to attend a conference with the Senate on the subject-matter of the amendments depending between the two Houses to the bill, entitled "An act concerning the Library for the use of both Houses of Congress," made a report; which was read and considered: Whereupon,

Resolved, That this House doth recede from their disagreement to the fourth and sixth amendments, adhered to by the Senate to the said bill.

MILITARY PEACE ESTABLISHMENT. An engrossed bill fixing the Military Peace Establishment of the United States was read the third time.

Mr. BAYARD observed that he should vote for the bill, because he thought it better than the former system, and it would be of much saving as to expense. He was, however, very far from being pleased with a part of that bill, that part relating

[blocks in formation]

to the Brigadier General and his aid de camp. This office he knew to be a perfect sinecure; no such officer was necessary; he could have no duties to perform. He would not, however, vote against the whole bill on account of this.

Mr. RUTLEDGE.-The first section was very disagreeable to him, as it went to the establishment of a perfect sinecure. He was willing to do homage to the merit of the officer who was to benefit; but he rather thought it would be more consonant with justice. if money must be needlessly sported with, to suffer such money to be given to those who have been long in service-some fifteen or twenty years-and who are now by this bill suddenly forced to quit their present, to seek some new way of obtaining a livelihood, in circumstances, many of them perhaps, not enviable.

Mr. R. was not pleased with the so great reduction of the artillery; he thought the retention of the artillery of more importance than that of the infantry. He had hoped the artillery would have been retained to keep in order the forts already built in different part of the United States; the small number remaining was quite incompetent to preserving them in order, or preserving them from decay. The Secretary of War mentions one fort in South Carolina. There are, sir, four forts in the harbor of Charleston alone, some of which must go to decay. He should vote for the bill, because it went to make great reductions of expense, which reductions circumstances now allow us to afford; but the sinecure was obnoxious to him, and he was not pleased with the reduction of the artillery.

On the question that the bill do pass, it was resolved in the affirmative-yeas 77, nays 12. as follows:

JANUARY, 1802.

MEDITERRANEAN TRADE.

mittee of the whole House on the bill for the proThe House again resolved itself into a Comtection of the commerce and seamen of the United States in the Mediterranean and adjoining seas.

Mr. BAYARD offered an amendment, the purport of which was to give to the President the power of granting letters of marque and reprisal, to affect Algiers and Tunis as well as Tripoli. Mr. B. thought that it would be unsafe to neglect a cautionary step like this, because there was great danger, from the similarity of religion and manners, of a union taking place between Tunis, Algiers, and Tripoli; they may be brought into the war with It would be a matter of pruTripoli against us. dence to be prepared.

Mr. DANA thought it very probable that further information would be received from the Barbary Powers, when we shall be the better enabled to judge what will be expedient. He did not like the appearance of the amendment; it seemed to invite war.

Mr. BAYARD considered there was a great difference between the Barbary Powers and civilized nations; it was on account of the perfidiousness of those Powers, that he wished it left to the direction of the President to exercise the power vested in him when he should think proper; there was no trusting to them. He wished the President to do this by the authority of law; this would prevent those doubts that have been expressed, by some, of the constitutionality of his measures the last Spring and Summer; though for his part he was disposed to approbate the proceedings of the Executive on that occasion. As to its having the appearance of threatening, he did not think so; nor did he believe it would have any effect on those Powers; he hardly believed that the Dey of Algiers ever read the acts of Congress.

Mr. GILES was against the amendment; he thought it had the appearance of inviting them to an attack, of challenging them to combat, of irritating and provoking them: he believed there would be ample time to act on this matter hereafter, when they would have a better knowledge of circumstances, and of what to expect.

YEAS-Willis Alston, John Bacon, James A. Bayard, Phanuel Bishop, Richard Brent, Robert Brown, William Butler, John Campbell, Thomas Claiborne, Matthew Clay, John Condit, Manasseh Cutler, RichMr. DANA was opposed to considering the subard Cutts, Samuel W. Dana, Thomas T. Davis, John Dawson, John Dennis, William Dickson, Lucas El-ject at present; he was for postponing till further information should be received. mendorf, Ebenezer Elmer, William Eustis, Abiel Foster, John Fowler, William B. Giles, Edwin Gray, Andrew Gregg, William B. Grove, John A. Hanna, Seth Hastings, Daniel Heister, Joseph Heister, Wm. Helms, Joseph Hemphill, Wm. H. Hill, William Hoge, James Holland, Benjamin Huger, George Jackson, Charles Johnson, Wm. Jones, Michael Leib, Thomas Lowndes, John Milledge, Samuel L. Mitchill, Thomas Moore, Thomas Morris, James Mott, Anthony New, Thomas Newton, jr., Joseph Pierce, Nathan Reed, John Rutledge, Israel Smith, John Cotton Smith, John Smith, of New York, John Smith, of Virginia, Samuel Smith, Henry Southard, Richard Sprigg, Richard Stanford, John Stanley, Joseph Stanton, jr., John Stewart, John Taliaferro, jr., Benjamin Tallmadge, Samuel Tenney, Philip R. Thompson, Abram Trigg, John B. Upham, Philip Van Cortlandt, John P. Van Ness, Joseph B. Varnum, Isaac Van Horne, Killian K. Van Rensselaer, Peleg Wadsworth, Lemuel Williams, and Henry

Woods.

NAYS-John Davenport, Calvin Goddard, Roger Griswold, Archibald Henderson, Ebenezer Mattoon, Lewis R. Morris, Elias Perkins, John Randolph, jr., William Shepard, Josiah Smith, John Stratton, and Benjamin Walker.

Mr. BAYARD said he was by no means disposed to withdraw his motion. You are at war with one of these nations; the others are connected with them by their religion and habits, by their government some, and by their interest more. I have been told that there is no connexion between my amendment and the bill; but I am confident there is the same connexion that there is between Tripoli and the other Powers; and it is proper Algiers, as well as Tripoli. The gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. DANA) says there are no doubts on his mind but that the President has a Constitutional right, as the Commander-in-chief of the Army and Navy, to do as he has done; but it should be remembered that many have doubts;

to extend the bill so as to embrace Tunis and

[blocks in formation]

and why should the gentleman be opposed to this amendment, which will preclude all doubt on the subject?

The amendment was not carried.

DIRECT TAXES.

The House went into Committee of the Whole, on the bill for amending the act for laying and collecting a direct tax.

The first section repeals the thirteenth section of the act of 1798, which prescribes that lands on which taxes remain unpaid for one year, shall be sold, subject to the right of redemption within two years after sale.

Mr. RANDOLPH stated that the provisions proposed to be repealed were unsusceptible of execution, inasmuch as the expenses of advertising required, exceeded in many cases, by four or five times, the amount of the tax, and which exceeded the per centage allowed; and inasmuch as no person would buy the land offered for sale, when he might be deprived of it by a redemption within

[blocks in formation]

statement.

Mr. S. SMITH Opposed the repeal, as going to deprive the owners of lands of the right of redemption; which he deemed a valuable provision; without which the owners of land, particularly non-residents, would be deprived of their property, without a knowledge of the tax imposed, or being able, however desirous, to pay it.

Mr. RUTLEDGE also opposed the repeal, as im posing hardships upon those who have not paid the tax, which were not imposed upon those who have paid. He further stated that the non-payment in the Southern States had arisen, not from indisposition to pay, but from want of collectors to carry the law into execution; the compensation allowed having been so inadequate as in many districts to have disabled the Government from obtaining officers.

Messrs. GRISWold, Milledge, STANLEY, and MORRIS, delivered their sentiments against the first section; when, on motion of Mr. MACON, the Committee rose, and asked leave to sit again, which was granted.

FRIDAY, January 22.

Another member to wit: ROBERT WILLIAMS, from North Carolina, appeared, produced his credentials, was qualified, and took his seat in the House.

An engrossed bill for the protection of the commerce and seamen of the United States in the Mediterranean and adjoining seas, was read the third time, and passed.

Mr. JACKSON, from the committee appointed, on the fourteenth instant, presented a bill for the relief of Isaac Zane; which was read twice and committed to a Committee of the whole House on Monday next.

Mr. JOHN C. SMILIE, from the Committee of Claims made report on the petition of William Kilty, Chief Justice of the District of Columbia. The committee were of opinion that when he

H. OF R.

accepted of his appointment he knew the duties required from him and the salary; they were not therefore in favor of increasing his salary.

The House concurred with the report, and leave was granted to withdraw the petition.

The House then went into Committee of the

Whole on the unfinished business of yesterday, viz:
a bill respecting the arrearages of the direct tax.
The first section of the bill was struck out, and
Mr. ELMENDORF proposed some amendments.
Mr. GRISWOLD moved that the Committee should

rise, that the bill might be referred back to a select
committee, as it was difficult to settle the detail
of a bill in the House. The Committee rose and
the Committee of Ways and Means.
were discharged. The bill was recommitted to

Mr. DENNIS proposed two resolutions, one respecting the establishment of a Chancery Court in the District of Columbia; the other relating to the public lots, squares, and streets, in the City of Washington, which had never yet been properly conveyed to the United States. There were also different plans of the city; he considered it important that public sanction should be given to the more correct one.

of indemnities under the treaty with France a large sum was put down for captures which were not brought into the United States, and which were condemned. Those made by the public armed vessels amounted to $122,000. He wished to know how far the commanders of the public and other vessels were authorized by their instructions in making these captures. He proposed a resolution, nearly as follows: Resolved, That the Secretaries of State and the Treasury be directed to lay before this House copies of all the instructions given to every description of vessels to capture

Mr. RANDOLPH observed that in the statement

French vessels.

Mr. EUSTIS, from the select committee appointed on the subject, made a report which proposes to give four months' pay to the representatives of the officers, seamen, and marines, who were on board the Insurgent, and that the widows and children should have half pay for five years.

The resolutions were twice read, referred to a Committee of the whole House, and made the order of the day for Tuesday.

DUTIES ON IMPORTS.

Mr. RUTLEDGE rose and observed, that he intended to move a resolution calling the attention of the Committee of Ways and Means to the articles of brown sugar, bohea tea, and coffee. There was not a hut or log house in this extensive country where these articles were not used. The duty on sugar and tea was fifty per cent. on the original cost, and coffee forty per cent. It was, he said, essentially necessary to reduce these high duties on what may fairly be termed necessaries of life. The general peace in Europe would be followed by a reduction in the price of articles generally, and the earnings of labor in this country would not be so much as heretofore, as the price of produce would not be so high in the coming period as in the past.

[blocks in formation]

From this view of the subject, it became them to look into the duties, and see whether they would not reduce those on the necessaries of life. These articles, from the customs and habits of the poor, might be deemed as much the necessaries of life as salt. Mr. R. was sorry the article of salt was not permitted to go to the Committee, when proposed the other day by his honorable friend from Delaware. When gentlemen said they were pleased to see it emanate from the quarter it did, he expected a unanimous vote in favor of the resolution respecting salt; he did not revert to what so suddenly took place when gentlemen immediately changed their minds.

Mr. R. said, what he was about to propose was a very favorite project with him, not only that it should go to the Committee, but be carried through the House.

We are told that such is the prosperity of the country that we may reduce even the taxes on luxuries-carriages, stamps, &c., have been particularly mentioned.

Mr. R. then read his resolution, as follows: "Resolved, That the Committee of Ways and Means be instructed to inquire into the expediency of reducing the duties on brown sugar, coffee, and bohea tea."

There was a call for the question, and also that it should be taken by yeas and nays.

JANUARY, 1802.

resolution are nearly all doubled in war, and the duty is not to fall with the fall of prices in time of peace, yet the ad valorem duties come down with the prices of the articles.

Is there, said Mr. D., a single principle of finance in favor of the inequality? The same proportion of duties to prices should be observed in peace as in war, or it would be a great temptation to smuggle. Wicked people would engage in it, if strong temptation were thrown in their way. For this reason the duties should be reduced.

There was another point of view in which this subject should be considered-that the duties were paid chiefly by the commercial part of the community.

Mr. D. said he knew they were doomed to bear whatever certain gentlemen chose to lay upon them; but he would not be laughed out of the object which his duty pointed out to him. The articles in the resolution were more used in the Northern than Southern States, and were paid chiefly by the poor; therefore, the proposed inquiry was perfectly proper, unless gentlemen were determined the internal duties should first be repealed, before any consideration should take place, as to what duties were most proper to be reduced.

Mr. S. SMITH observed, that he did not rise to offer any arguments against the resolution, as he did not consider it intended for that House, but for the public. He was opposed to the resolution because the subject was already generally before the committee.

Mr. CLAIBORNE hoped the resolution would be treated as it deserved. He was surprised when he saw gentlemen who were formerly so fond of this mode of taxation, now so strenuous against it. He could not view the resolution in any other light than being introduced merely for popularity. Mr. RUTLEDGE said, he would state, for the inHe did not blame gentlemen for a wish to be pop-formation of the gentleman from Maryland, that ular; he liked the principle, but would vote against he might not hereafter misunderstand him, that the resolution, and still he would maintain his he always had one meaning in what he said to popularity. Unless gentlemen would show him that House. The good of the people was the obthey could repeal the internal taxes, and part with ject he had in view. some of the remaining revenues, and yet leave sufficient for the exigencies of Government, he would not agree to this resolution. Do gentlemen, who are for taking the funds from the present Administration, like it less than they did the last? He thought they did not. Mr. C. hoped the mover of the resolution would let it lie for consideration.

The question was again called for.

Mr. DANA hoped the proposition would be treated as it ought, and that it would not be scouted from the House without consideration, because it interfered with a favorite measure of some gentlemen.

Mr. D. said, upon general principles, he was in favor of the resolution going to the committee, that a fair comparison between the external and internal duties might be made. The duties on articles then before the House, were specific and not ad valorem duties, and they were laid with a view to war prices, and not what they would be in time of peace. Thirteen per cent. was about the average rate of ad valorem duties, and twenty per cent. the highest, and those were the articles consumed by the wealthy.

The report of the Secretary of the Treasury shows clearly that the price of the articles in the

Mr. GRISWOLD said, according to his idea, this subject was not before the committee; they had the subject of duties generally before them, and would make a general report; but if these three articles are referred, they must report on them, and the House must decide specifically on these three. Were gentlemen afraid to let the House decide on these three?

He was at a loss to see any reasons for such an objection. The tax on sugar and coffee was fifty per cent. on the first cost, and on tea more. It becomes a matter of serious consideration, said Mr. G., whether you can retain the present taxes on them in time of peace, and prevent smuggling. It is a clear principle, that revenue is diminished when taxes are carried too far. When we connect with this truth, the fact that these articles are of prime necessity, and used principally by the poor, and it is determined the rich shall not pay for their carriages, &c., it cannot be denied that this resolution ought to go to the committee for their consideration?

Mr. DANA thought it prudent for the gentleman from Maryland to decline answering the arguments urged in favor of the resolution. The duty on the articles included in it amounted to $220,000.

« PředchozíPokračovat »