FEBRUARY, 1797.] Negotiation with the Mediterranean Powers. [H. OF R. will serve as an apology for the detail with which they terranean Powers, beyond the sums heretofore appronow trouble him. £156,053 Sales and supposed value. 2,497 Dividends. 158,550 priated; and that the said sum of 255,759 dollars and three cents, be, and the same is hereby appropriated for that purpose; and that a further sum not exceeding 96,246 dollars and 63 cents, be, and the same is hereby appropriated for discharging the two first years annui 5,568 Deficient, supposing Mr. Donaldson can nego-ty to the Dey and Regency of Algiers, pursuant to tiate the remaining dollars, 266,000, at 5s., those of Mr. Fonnereau having cost 4s. 10d. 55.100. WEDNESDAY, February 22. The bill for the regulation of the compensation of Clerks; the bill for advancing the salary of the Attorney General; the Appropriation bill; the bill for defraying expenses incurred on account of the Western insurrection, and for allowing compensation to jurors, witnesses, &c. ; and a bill to continue in force an act for the punishment of certain crimes against the United States, were severally read the third time and passed. MEDITERRANEAN POWERS. treaty, in addition to the sum appropriated for that purpose by the act of the sixth of May, 1796." On the question being put that the bill do pass, Mr. GREENUP said he never liked the bill in any shape whatever; he would therefore express it now. He then called for the yeas and nays, which were taken, and stood ayes 63, noes 19, as follow: YEAS. Fisher Ames, Abraham Baldwin, Theophilus Bradbury, Nathan Bryan, Daniel Buck, Dempsey Burges, Thomas Claiborne, Joshua Coit, Isaac Coles, William Cooper, James Davenport, Henry Dearborn, George Dent, George Ege, William Findley, Dwight Foster, Jesse Franklin, Nathaniel Freeman, jun., Albert Gallatin, Ezekiel Gilbert, Henry Glen, Chauncey Goodrich, Roger Griswold, Robert Goodloe Harper, Carter B. Harrison, Thomas Hartley, Jonathan N. Havens, Thomas Henderson, William Hindman, Aaron Kitchell, John Wilkes Kittera, George Leonard, Matthew Locke, Samuel Lyman, James Madison, Francis Malbone, John Milledge, Andrew Moore, Frederick A. Muhlenberg, John Nicholas, Alexander D. Orr, John Page, Josiah Parker, Elisha R. Potter, John Richards, Robert Rutherford, John S. Sherburne, Samuel Sitgreaves, Thompson J. Skinner, Jeremiah Smith, Nathaniel Smith, Israel Smith, Isaac Smith, Richard Sprigg, jun., Thomas Sprigg, Zephaniah Swift, George Thatcher, Richard Thomas, Mark Thompson, Philip Van Cortlandt, Joseph B. Varnum, Peleg Wadsworth, and John Williams. NAYS.-David Bard, Thomas Blount, Samuel J. Cabell, Gabriel Christie, John Clopton, James Gillespie, Christopher Greenup, John Hathorn, John Heath, James Holland, Andrew Jackson, George Jackson, William Lyman, Samuel Maclay, Nathaniel Macon, William Strudwick, John Swanwick, Abraham Venable, and Richard Winn. On motion of Mr. GALLATIN, the_title was changed to "a bill to authorize the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES to apply further sums to defray the expenses of the negotiation with the Dey and Regency of Algiers." TREASURY STATEMENTS. Mr. HARPER moved the following resolutions: "Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be directed to lay before Congress, annually, until the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-eight, a statement of the amount of duties and drawbacks for The bill for making appropriations to defray thousand seven hundred and ninety-eight, similar aneach year, from 1792, inclusive; and after the year one the expense of negotiations with Mediterranean nual statements, each to include, respectively, the six Powers, was also read the third time. The pro-years immediately preceding the year in which it is visions of this act, (which has been the subject of the various discussions which have lately taken place with closed galleries) are to the following effect: "That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby authorized to apply a sum not exceeding 255,759 dollars and three cents, to the expenses which may have been incurred in any negotiations with Medi made. "Resolved, That the statements required by the foregoing resolution, the amount of duties and drawbacks, after the present year, on each of the enumerated articles, paying a rate of duty ad valorem; and also, on woollens, shall be separately stated; that woollens shall be distinguished into three classes; and that the said amount on all unenumerated articles paying such a rate JOHN CLEVES SYMMES. On motion of Mr. GALLATIN, the House took up the bill in addition to an act for granting certain lands to John Cleves Symmes and his associates; when Mr. Corr moved to strike out the first section. His object, he said, was to gain information, particularly with respect to the survey. Mr. GALLATIN (who was Chairman of the Committee which made the report) gave a concise history of the business; which satisfied Mr. COIT, who withdrew his motion; and the bill was ordered to be read a third time to-morrow. [FEBRUARY, 1797. have been obliged to have found him one million of acres of land, agreeably to his contract; but, at that time, lands were not raised to so high a price as they were now, and Mr. S. did not think it necessary to avail himself of his contract. On the 11th April, 1792, a petition was presented in his name, stating, that from an advance in the price of certificates, resulted the impossibility of fulfilling his contract, and prayed that an abatement might be made in the price of the land. On the 27th September, 1794, instead of saying he would not abide by the new boundary, he requests an alteration may be made in the boundary. Notwithstanding this request, Mr. S. now says, he did not know anything of the survey, though more than nine months since it was made. At first sight, it would be supposed the contract was void for want of fulfilment; but as he says he never received from the public a counterpart of the contract, (though it is generally supposed he had in some way got possession of a copy, but no proof existing of it,) the claim was not forfeited. A circumstance was mentioned which seemed to convey a strong supposition that Mr. S. was ac request he had made for the new boundary, was issued to him a patent for three hundred thousand acres, referring to that survey. Mr. S. now objects to the releasement which was given of his first purchase as not being complete. It was stated that he had taken possession of land to which he was no way entitled. The necessity of the act being immediately passed appeared from an advertisement (which Mr. GALLATIN read from a newspaper of that country) inviting persons to come and purchase, under an assurance that his original purchase would be completed. Mr. G. said that he had been offered some part of the land at a dollar an acre, he was informed that it would sell for two to settlers. Mr. G. said he knew it to be very capital land; and if the four hundred and fifty thousand acres which remained would sell for nine hundred thousand dollars, while he only gave three hundred thousand for the whole, he would have made a good bargain. The particulars of this case are as follows: John Cleves Symmes and his associates entered into a contract with the United States in the year 1787, for a million acres of land in the North-quainted with the survey. The day following the western Territory, at a time when the geography of that country was not well understood. The tract was to extend twenty miles up the Great Miami to the Little Miami; but when this line came to be measured, it was found that it cut the Little Miami in several places on land which had been reserved by Virginia at the cession of this Territory to the United States. Mr. Symmes was down in the country before he knew the line thus drawn would thus cut into the lands of Virginia. The first thing he did was to take possession of the country which is between Fort Washington and the Little Miami, and to sell as much as he could of it. General St. Clair, the Governor of that Territory, threatened to drive Mr. Symmes and the settlers off this territory to which he had no right. The innocent settlers, who had purchased the land of Mr. Symmes, sent forward representations of their case to the PRESIDENT, which, together with the representations of the Governor, produced an act to change the boundary line of the purchase, which was passed April 12, 1792. This act describes the boundary line of the tract of On motion of Mr. HARPER, the House resolved land to be between the two Miamis and the Ohio. itself into a Committee of the Whole on the reMr. Ludlow was sent to survey it in 1793, when port of a select committee on the resolution from it was found, that instead of there being one mil- the Senate respecting certain amendments to the lion of acres, there were only five hundred and Constitution, which having been read, a motion forty-three thousand nine hundred and fifty, which was made for the Committee to rise, stating that was duly surveyed, and the survey lodged in the the report was important-that, from the noise Treasury Office on the 10th of January, 1794. without, and the indisposition which there seemed Here arose the first difficulty. The act passed to to be in members to attend to business [the noise change the boundary line could not take place alluded to was the firing of cannon, drums beatwithout the consent of Mr. Symmes. In conse-ing, and fifes playing, in commemoration of the quence, the law was said to be enacted at the request of Mr. Symmes. In 1794, Mr. S. had not made any request, consequently the law was a nullity. He might at that time have said, he would not have the land upon any other than the original contract, and that it was the business of the United States to make up the deficiency; and, if he had so acted, it is probable Congress would AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION. PRESIDENT's birth day] it was doubtful whether it would meet with proper attention. The Committee rose accordingly. Mr. LIVINGSTON reported a bill in addition to an act for the relief and protection of American seamen; which was referred to a Committee of the Whole. On motion of Mr. S. SMITH, the House took up the bill for regulating the compensation of collectors, &c., at the ports and harbors of the United States; when, after having partly gone through the same, a motion was made, and carried, to adjourn. THURSDAY, February 23. A Report was received from the Secretary of State on the memorial of Antonia Carmichael, widow of the late William Carmichael, praying for compensation for her late husband's services as Chargé d'Affaires to the Court of Spain. The Secretary reported it as his opinion, that Mr. Carmichael ought to be considered as Chargé d'Af- | faires from May, 1782. to April 1790, and that his widow should have been paid for that service one thousand pounds sterling a year, and eighty-one thousand dollars for his extraordinary services. The Report was referred to a Committee of the Whole to-morrow. Mr. SWANWICK, from the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures, reported a bill making an appropriation for the prosecution of the claims of our citizens for property captured by the belligerant Powers. Referred to a Committee of the Whole to-morrow. Also, a report upon the petitions of sundry manufacturers of soap and candles, of manufacturers of cordage, and of Stephen Addington, calico printer, who severally prayed for regulations in their favor with respect to duties and drawbacks. The manufacturers of soap and candles labor under disadvantages from no drawback being allowed upon soap and candles manufactured from foreign tallow, though there be a drawback allowed on foreign candles when reexported. The committee mentioned three modes of remedying the grievance: the first, by taking off the duty on tallow imported; the second, by refusing a drawback to foreign soap and candles re-exported; the third, allowing a drawback on soap and candles manufactured from foreign tallow. The first mode was preferred; but, from various considerations, they thought it best to defer making any regulations with respect to the business this session. Similar reasons influenced the same conclusion with respect to the other petitions. The report was referred to a Committee of the Whole to-morrow. The bill in addition to an act for granting certain lands to J. C. Symmes was read a third time and passed. INDIRECT TAXES. On motion of Mr. HARPER, the House then went into Committee on the bill laying additional taxes on articles imported. [H. or R. to renew the proposition. There had been great difference of opinion on the subject of additional revenue: some gentlemen had said it could be done without, while others thought an increase absolutely necessary to supply the current wants. It was, indeed, a predominant opinion at one time that it was wanted; but many of those gentlemen now thought a very little might fully answer the demand. The last idea, he presumed, was founded on the supposition that the revenue of the present year would be as productive as the last. They were informed that the duties of the year 1796 exceeded those of 1795, four hundred thousand dollars, and it was presumed the present would be adequate to the last; but it was to be observed that the expenses of 1798 were to be paid out of the duties collected in 1797, which revenue is quite uncertain, and from two causes: the great fall of American produce in the European markets, which, in almost all articles, our merchants have felt to amount to from thirty to forty per cent. Such a loss must be severely felt. Secondly, the great depredations committed on our trade by the French Republic during the present year more than the year 1796, was another serious injury to our revenue. The revenues received in 1796, which arose from the importations of 1795, were very little injured by British spoliations, these having taken place in 1793 and 1794. The receipts of 1795, from the importations of 1794, were affected, but those of 1796 were not, as in 1795 our produce bore a very high price in Europe, and found a ready market, either of which would prevent the small depredations committed from affecting the revenue that year, and that not having been so much applicable to 1796, the revenue of 1797 would not be so productive, at least it might be fairly conceived so. In addition to this, great part of the capital of our merchants has been detained in foreign countries. By this capture we know that it has been the case to take the cargo of our vessels, and draw bills for this cargo; some few of those drawn at the commencement of this practice have been paid, but a great part not. The amount of property so captured was computed at four or five million dollars, and this, though it did not much affect 1796, will materially affect 1797. For these reasons it would plainly be seen, that the revenue of the present year, which was for the service of the year 1798, could not nearly equal that of 1796 for the service of the current year. If this be so, said Mr. HARPER, the whole foundation on which gentlemen build their opinion, without additional aid, will be taken away, and their schemes fall to the ground. He meant only to show gentlemen the precarious nature of commerce at present; this those very gentlemen had Mr. HARPER said, he had moved, in a former anticipated him in. and their arguments were stage of this subject, that one cent should be sub- then so forcible as almost to incline him to relinstituted on brown sugar, instead of half a cent;quish his support to a revenue from external taxthat motion had been rejected; but he supposedation at present; but those gentlemen since tell many gentlemen had voted against it, because they thought another, and, in their view, a preferable mode would be adopted this session; that not being to be brought forward, he had now thought us, notwithstanding their former arguments, that we are not to calculate upon the revenue of 1795 but 1796, and then we shall have enough: that, Mr. HARPER said, was the most prosperous year H. OF R.] Indirect Taxes. [FEBRUARY, 1797. that ever was known to American commerce; Mr. GALLATIN hoped the motion would not then the depredations of the British had, in a prevail; indeed, he thought it so inexpedient to great measure, ceased, and those of the French advance the duty on brown sugar in so large a were scarcely known; this was a propitious pe- proportion, that that reason alone, he hoped, exriod. They could not therefore count upon fu-clusive of any other, would be sufficient to induce ture revenue equal to that. He had no doubt but the Committee to reject the motion; nor would the revenue from our commerce could be made he have again troubled the Committee on this very great; but there might be room to doubt subject, but have left the proposition unnoticed, whether, at present, it might be prudent to go to had not the gentleman from South Carolina made those lengths which may hereafter be requisite; some observations, which, he supposed, were all the investigation of the subject he had heard, meant to be applied to him; he had reference to tended to confirm him in that opinion: but were those relating to a dereliction of opinion respectthey to reckon upon the revenue to be received in ing a direct tax. He believed he was the only any one year, the estimate should not be at the person who had said, that he was not desirous rate of that only, but make the calculation upon that the bill laying a direct tax should pass this a more regular foundation; the great fluctuation session. For it was true, that, although he was a of commerce would render it injudicious. Sup- strong advocate for a direct tax-although he pose, for instance, we were to calculate the reve- thought a sufficient permanent revenue could not nue of 1797 at six millions two hundred thousand be drawn from any other source, yet he did not dollars, the amount of the revenue of 1796, and wish the law to pass during the present session ; by the reflux of our commerce three or four hun- and the reason was, because he had not a suffidred thousand dollars short of that sum were to cient reliance upon his own opinion, to wish a come into our Treasury, this deficiency would subject of this sort to come into being against the leave the finances of the country in a situation of opinion of so many members of this House as the most serious embarrassment: it was well appeared to be opposed to it. When the United known that foreign loans could not be obtained, States shall think it necessary to go into the meaas Great Britain gave extraordinary sums of mo- sure, he trusted it would pass with great unaney to carry on the war; and Holland is so drained nimity. At present, he doubted whether a mafrom the same cause that no hopes can be built jority of the country was not against the measure, there; nor can loans be obtained in this country; especially when he not only saw so great a divithey had tried to sell the six per centum stock, on sion in that House, but apparently a local division, very advantageous terms, but could not dispose of as he believed only four members East of Hudit: even Bank shares, which would usually bear a son's river, and but five South of Virginia had good market had been obliged, by the large ad- voted for the measure, by which it appeared to be vances it had made, to be sacrificed: indeed it a mode desired only by the middle States. Until, was well known that existing circumstances call- therefore, gentlemen from those parts had reed for it, and therefore no very effectual assist- turned home and consulted their constituents ance was to be expected thence. No doubt but upon the subject; until he knew that the law the Bank would strain all its power to assist the could be carried into effect with more unanimity Government, but it would be improper to depend than at this time appeared, he did not wish to on its will alone; and if there should be a defi- press it. He was willing, therefore, to take all ciency of four hundred thousand dollars, it would the blame which was imputable to this circumbe too late when Congress again meet to pass a stance upon himself. He never wished the powlaw for raising further revenue. No, we must do ers of Congress to be exercised in a way which it now, or we shall leave our finances in this state should not meet with pretty general concurrence. of uncertainty to which it is constantly liable, Yet, had he thought the situation of the United except a more certain provision is established. States had been such, that additional revenue was absolutely necessary to support the public credit, and it could not have been conveniently raised from any other source, every other consideration would have given way to that necessity. But he did not think that anything which had been said by the gentleman from South Carolina showed that there would be any deficiency in the revenue for the present, which would require additional taxes to supply it. Mr. HARPER said, that by the proposed taxes, 300,000 dollars might be estimated; the Secretary of the Treasury only estimated 120,000 or 200,000 dollars; this, he thought, would not meet the probable expenses of Government. No. As he said before, there would be a reflux, and therefore to provide a secure sufficiency they must have four or 500,000 dollars, for which reason he should renew his motion to raise the article of sugar from a half cent, as proposed, to one cent. In addition to what he had remarked, he would say, that they had failed in the proposition of a tax on salt; it was thought a tax might as well be put on that article as on sugar; that having failed, he therefore hoped that persons who voted against this, to introduce that, would now support the amendment. He hoped it would be agreed to. Should it take place, it would be necessary to make some alterations in the bill accordingly. He would just observe, that the great argument in favor of direct taxes-an argument which had almost wrought conviction upon the mind of the gentleman from South Carolina himself-was the uncertainty of a revenue derived from commerce; and yet, from this circumstance, the friends of indirect taxes wish to extend that plan to the utmost, and raise everything from it. He should have drawn different conclusions; and from that uncertainty, he should have wished never to have gone beyond those bounds which they knew were safe. [H. of R. and expenditures of the United States, in order to show what sum of money would probably be wanted to answer the demands of the United States. As he differed considerably from the gentleman from Pennsylvania as to our real wants, he considered it as his duty to lay this statement before the Committee. He had investigated the subject with as much accuracy as possible. He had attended to the documents which had been laid before them, to the laws which would probably pass this session, and to the probable increase of revenue. The result of this examination was, that there would be a deficiency of about a million of dollars. To what the additional imposts already agreed to would amount, he could not say, but he believed they would make 200,000 dollars, which would leave a deficiency of 800,000 dollars. He made the following statement: Expenses of 1797. Civil list sions As to the receipts of 1797, Mr. G. said, we had Military and Naval Establishment and pen- Algerine appropriation Impost $634,322 1,284,532 201,000 376,500 3,471,972 614,241 400,000 50,000 171,000 7,213,567 Revenues of 1797. $5,588,961 337,255 35,000 150,000 88,636 746 6,200,598 200,000 6,400,598 812,969 7,213,567 ments of the foreign debt as would become due Probable deficiency of revenue During the next session, Mr. G. said, they should have time to compare the two systems of taxes together, and to discover which offered the best and most permanent sources of revenue. For the reasons he had given, he should be opposed to the motion. Mr. W.SMITH said, he should not adduce many arguments to show the propriety of advancing the duty upon this article any more than that upon any other; but he wished to bring before the Committee a true statement of the receipts 4th CoN.-73 It would be observed, Mr. S. said, that the gentlemen from Pennsylvania and Maryland, had calculated the impost at 6,200,000 dollars, whilst he made it only at 5,588,961, which he took from the Secretary of the Treasury's statement, and he believed this was the safest calculation. He would not go into any very long argument on this subject, because it had frequently been under discussion. Mr. GALLATIN inquired from what document Mr. SMITH took his calculations? Mr. W. SMITH answered, from the report of the Secretary of the Treasury, which was calculated upon a permanent plan. In calculations on the subject of revenue, the largest amounts should not be taken. It was not policy in gentlemen to adopt that plan; they should make allowances for deficiencies and accidents. The situation of this |