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/so cents, as a temporary duty, and proposed,
that after two years, the impost Ihould be
one dollar, or 100 cento per hundred weight.
Upon taking the vote, it pilletl in favor of
so cents per hundred.
The article malt wd« detied at 10 cents per
Bushel.
Mr. Ames proposed the articles of’ barley
and lime Ihould be added to the general enu
meration, which being voted in the affirma
tive, barley per bulhel was dutied 6 cents;
liine per hhd. 100 cents. Nails, spikes,
tacks, and brads, were the next articles.
These, Mr. Lee proposed, Ihould be struck
out, and was seconded by Mr. Maddifon and
Mr. Bland : The latter gentleman observed,
tflat it would operate as an iiuojlerab'e bur
then upon the Southern States, especially as
the quantities which are mauufa flu red in
fume of the Hates, are not adequate to the de
mand of those Hates.
Mr. Good but ftippofetk; that the quantity
which now was, or easily might be made in
the commonwealth of Mafiachufetts was e
qual to the demands of the Union.
Mr. Atnes. Sir, lam in favor of the ar
ticles being retained in the Relolve ; to Hrike
them out would be to Itrike at one of the bed
and aioft accommodating manufaftures that
could possibly be eflablilhed. It is now usual
in Mafiachufetts, fur house-keepers in the
country towns, to cred a linall forge in their
chimney corners, and in winter, on even
ings, when no other work could be done, it
is almort incredible what quantities of nails
are made even by children. These nails are
produced in such quantities, that the exporta
tion of them is become a very confiddrable
branch of commerce. And fliall we dis
courage so tfeful, so extenlive a ma
nufacture? Every principle of policy for
bids it. Manufactures in Europe and ’Ame
rica are upon quite different fmndations : In
Europe, necejjity is a competent ftimulous;
but with us, every encouragement is neces
sary, to prop and cherirti our infant attempts;
lie was theiefore againH the motion.
Mr. Lberman observed, That as our coun
try abounded in iron, the manufacture under
debate, was prosecuted with perhaps greater
advantage, thon almoft’ any other; that it
promoted an intercourse'with the neighbour
ing Hates : Connecticut for inHance, which
manufactured this article to a large amount,
bartered the nails for naif rods, with their
neighbours in the Hate of New-York, he was
therefore oppofed'to the motion.
Tucker, Mr. Tartiidge, Mr. Fitzfi
mons, and Mr. Carrol, severally spoke upon
the motion, which was filially withdrawn.
Tacks and brads were then struck out, and
one cent per pound duty, was imposed upon
nails and spikes.
Salt was the next article read, to which
Mr. Burke and Mr. Huger were severally
opposed to aliening any duty, as it w >uld ope
rate very unequally upon the southern govern
ments, wheie the price was greatly enhanced
by very extenlive land carriage.’
Mr Lawrence observed, that a tax upon fait
would be equal throughout the Hates, and as
it was an article on which a certaiu revenue
could be realized, he was of opinion, that a
duty of fix cents per bulhel would not be
burtheufome ; he therefore.propofed that sum.
Mr. Tucker expatiated upon the unequal
operation of this duty, and the extieme in
jury it would produce to the poorer part of
the people in the southern states, whose fate
would be extremely level e, deprived of this
necefTary article, already so high with them,
that it was scarcely attainable. He was de
cidedly opposed to any duty whatever.
Mr. i>co:t. The article of fait, Sir, is
transported to a diltance of 500 miles front
the Atlantic Ocean, and cannot be procuied
nearer, chief of the way on horseback, two
haikets to a load. Four dollars a buthel is
the price of this article where I live. Sir, to
add to this exorbitant price by a tax, would
in my opinion be impolitic at this early period
of the national government, it may be our
wisdom to make the most favorable irn
preffions upon the minds of the back country
people. Ido got pietend to the gift of pro
phecy, but the effects of a measure of this
kind would certamijpbe unfavorable upon the
minds of thole people ; nature, it Ihould lccrn
fad fuffteiently taxed this article by the dis.
ficnlties ihcthtew in the way of obtaining it
t-w a gicat proportion of mankind. Mr.
Mooic laid loniethiug upon the lubjeft. hut
we could nut Udliaftly heat bin,
Mr. Smith (South-Carolina) was opposed
tD*:hc duty, and combated it by a variety of
obfervatious which had reference principally
to the- local circumstances of South-Carolina,
its attachment to the Constitution, the expen
fivc land' carriage, *&c. &c. but time
had elapfedf and no profpeft of
bringing the fubjeft to an immediate decision,
Mr. Lawrence moved that the committee
lhould rife.
The farther consideration was therefore
portponed; the committee arose, and the
House adjourned.
[To be continued.]
— a O ,a © #c <3* —■ ■
In the SENATE of the UNITED STATES,
Tue/day , April zi, 1789*
A COMMITTEE of the Senate, confin
ing of Mr. Strong and Mr. Izard,
conuufted the Vice-President to the Senate
Chamber, and Mr. Langdon, the President
P'o tempore, left the Chair, and, addrefling
the Vice-President, laid, ‘ that he had it in
charge from the Senate to introduce him to
, the Chair of the House, and to congratulate
him on his appointment to the office of Vice-
Pielideut of the United States of America.*
He then condufted the Vice-President to the
Chair, who addrefled the Senate to the fol
lowing purport:
Gentlemen of the Senate,
Invited to this refpeftablc Situation by the
fuffrages of'our fellow-citizens, according to
the Constitution, I have thought it my duty
chearfully and readily to accept it. Unac
customed so refufe any public service, how
ever dangerous to my reputation, or dispro
portioned to my talents, it would have been
inconsistent to have adopted another maxim
of conduct at this time, when the prosperity
of the country, and the liberties of the peo
ple, require perhaps, as much as ever, the
attention of those who pofteis any Share of
the public confidence.
1 should be destitute of sensibility, if, upon
my arrival in this city, and prefemation to
this Legislature, and especially to this Senate,
I could fee, without emotion, so many of
thoSe charafters of whofe' virtuous exertions
I have lo often been a wituefs, from whose
countenances and examples I have ever de
rived encouragement and animation, whose
disinterested friendfhip has supported me in
many intricate conjunctures of public affairs
at home and abroad ; those celebrated de
fenders of the liberties of this country, whom
menaces could not intimidate, corruption se
duce, or flattery allure ; those intrepid afier
ters of the rights of mankind, whose philo
lophy and policy have enlightened the world
in zo years, more than it ever was before
enlightened in many centuries by ancient
schools and modern universities.
I must have been inattentive to the course of
events, if I were either ignorant of the fame,
or insensible to the merit, of those other cha
rafters in the Senate to whom it has been my
misfortune to have been hitherto personally
unknown.'
It is with fatisfaftion that I congratulate
the people of America on the formation of
a National Coriftitutiou, and the fair profpeft
of a confident administration of a good go
vernment ot laws; on the acquisition of a
Houle of Representatives chosen by them
selves; of a Senate thus corapnfed by their
own State Legislatures ; and on the profpeft
of an executive authority in the hands of one
whose portrait I (hall not presume to draw.
Were I blessed with powers to do julLce to
his charafter, it would be impoflible to in
crease the confidence oraffeftion of his coun
try, or make the fnulleft addition to his glo
ry. This can only be effected by a difeharge
of the prefeut exalted truss, on the fame
principles, with the fame abilities and vir
tues, which have uniformly appeared in all his
f liner conduct, public or private. May I,
neverrhelefa, be indulged to inquire, if we
look over the catalogue of the firlt magiflrates
of nations, whether they have been denomi
nated Prefidentsor Consuls, Kiugs or Princes,
where lhall we find one, whose commanding
talents and virtues, whose overruling good
fortune, have so completely united all hearts
and voices iu his favor ? Who enjoyed the
efleem and adininillratiou of foreign nations
and fcllow-citi/ens with equal unanimity
Qualities so uncommon are no common blcfling
to the country that poffeiies them. Hy those
great qualities and their Leuign effcfti, has
Providence marked out the head of this na
tion with a hand so dilliuftly visible as to
have been seen by all men, and mistaken by
none.
It is not for me to interrupt your delibera
tions by any general observations on the state
of the nation, or by recommending any par
ticular measures. It would be fuperfluous,
to gentlemen of your great experience, to
urge the neceflity of order. It is only necef
lary to make an apology for myfeif. Not
- wholly without experience in public aflembly,
I have been more accustomed to take a lhate
in their debates than to preside in their deli
berations. It lliall be my conllant endeavour
to behave towards every Member of this molt
Honorable body, with all the confideraticn,
, delicacy and decorum, which becomes the
dignify of his station and charafter : But if,
from inexperience or inadvertency, any thing
lhould ever elcape me, iuconfiftent with pro
priety, I must entreat you, by imputing it
to its true cause, and not to any wane of re
fpeft, to pardon aud excuse it,
A trust of the greatest magnitude is com
mitted to this Legislature, and the eyes of
- the world are upon you. Your country ex
perts, from your deliberations, in concur
rence with the other branchesof government,
conlideration abroad and contentment at
home ; Order, Justice, Peace, and
Liberty : And may God Almighty’s provi*
dente aflift you to aniwer their just expefta
ttons.
GEORGE-TOWN, April 17.
Extrait of a letter from an American gentleman
in New-Or leans, 10 bis friend in this county ,
tiuted b ebt uary 16
“ An unfortunate event has lately taken
place in this part of the world, which may
probably break the late efiabljfhed harmony
between the Spaniards and our states. You
have no doubt been informed oi the port of
New-Orleans being opened to our country
men fettled on the Wetfern Waters; in con
sequence of which the Miffifippi has been co
vered with fleets of boats from Cumberland,
Kentucke, icc. floating'down great quantities
of provision, flour, plank, &c. which, on ac
count oL the diftreflid situation the inhabitants
wete reduced to, by the late fire, has been
dilpofed of to great advantage.
“ T-he last tranfpoTt (as we are informed
here) arrived from the Cumberland fettle—
lileiSts, at the Natches*, about one week ago,
owned by a Col. Armstrong, confiding of fix
large boats manned by 30 hands. The gar
rilon Handing in need of provilion, though
not willing to pay the price which was de
manded the Commandant refufed to grant
them the uecelTary passports to proceed to
New-Orteans : Our people, however, dif
pefed of their cargo to some Ameiicans fet
tled at the Natches, and weie on their way
home, when the Commandant of the f >rt feut
an officer with 50 Span;lh soldiers after them,
to arrefi Col. Armstrong, and bring him to
the tort; the Colonel refufed to obey the or
, ders of the Spanish Commandant; told the
officer that, as an American, and within the
lines of, the territory of the United States,
he was luhjeft to no controul of any power
on the face of the earth, except to the lawi»
of his own'country ; he begged ihe officer to
desist from any aft of violence, as such would
be accompanied with the 1110 ft serious and fa
tal consequences.
The officer still perflfting to execute his or
ders, and one of the Spanidi fold ers impru
dently preienting a gun at the Colonel’s breast, *
the Americans took to their rifles, the Spa
niards firing firft. An engagement followed,-*
and the 24 Cumberlanders made 53 Dons
take to their heels, leaving 5 killed and
12 wounded, on the field of battle, the of
ficer being amongst the dead.
“ Ihe affair has made much noise in this
place, and exposes those f;w of our country
men now residing here to the malice of the
Spaniards ; they have given our countrymen
the name of Blanco Savagot, owing to some
of Col. Armstrong’s men handling the tomaw„
hawk pretty freely in the late engagement.”
# il fort fill in pojfejjion of the Spaniards
antht MiJJijippi , mil bin the limit* of Georgia.
t No American boat it permitted to go to
Aw Or leant me it bout entering at the tori, n't*
predating apaffpoet,
4 moMttf j***%•.>