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SATURDAY, July 25, 1789.] THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE ♦• t f 0 AND' GAZETTE of the STATE. 1- ——-- -‘--1.. 1 —■— ■> - - - • FREE DO M of the PRES S, and TRIAL by JU R .Y, to remain inviolate forever. Csnjiiiution ts Ctorgia • - ■ ■—* ■■■■ ■■ ■■ " ■■■■ AUGUSTA: Printed JOHN E. SMI T.H* .Printer to ths State*, Efays. Article: cf Intelligence, Advertisements , lAc* will be gratefully received, and every kind of Printing fcrfcrmeS^ PROCEEDINGS of CONGRESS. Xh the HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES of the UNITED STATES. (Continued from our laji.) Wedntjday y May 13. MR. Thatcher presented a petition from the merchants of Portland, in the state of Maflachufetts, the prayer of which was, that the proposed duty on molaftes ■fliotiM no; be eftabliihed by law. The House then formed into a committee of the whole, on the import bill. China, earthen, rtone ware, looking glartes and brushes, were added to the lift of enu merated articles, at 7 1-a per cent, ad va lorem. Saltpetre was added to the articles exempt ed from import. Mr. Parker introduced a proportion for a clause to be added to the bill, by which an rmoort of ten dollars should be aflefted on * every fiave imported into the United States. This occasioned a debate ; in opposition it was said, “ that it is a most unequal and par tial tax, and peculiarly oppreftiv? to some of the southern states, and is so odious, that it will not be fubtnitted to without grievous complaints—it will be conf’dered as a direct tax, which, considering the present ideas of the people, will be highly impolite.** la‘ support of the proposed import it was urged, “ that the predominant sentiment of the people is in favor of a tax prohibitory of the importation of Haves. Congress must juftify this sentiment, otherwise, it will be considered that we mean tacitly to counte nance the Have trade; on the principles of pplicy and humanity, a heavy duty ought to be nnpofed—this will conduce to the advan tage of tliofe verypfrtates that confider their interest so deeply involved in the queftiou— their prosperity being intimately connected with an abolition of slavery—The business is difgraceful and pernicious in a political and moral view, and tends to diyninirti the rela tive rtrength and importance of those Hates where it most generally obtains.’* Mr. Parker withdrew his motion, in order Id introduce a separate bill providing for this tax. The article of hemp it was proposed Ihould be rtruck out of the lift ; but after some ob servations, the question being taken, it was loft. A petition of ]ohn Fitch, relative to fleam boats, was presented. Adjourned. 7 "hurfday y May 14. A message from the Senate was received, Informing the House, that they had appointed a committee to join with a committee on their part, for the purpose of determining upon the number of newspapers it will be proper ♦or the members of both Houses to be furmih cd with at the public expence. A petition from A. M'Lean, of the city of New-York, Printer, was read, offering hi 3 fcrviccs to Congress in the line of hispro fciTiou, to perforto any part of the priuting business for the United State*. A petition of Mr. Morse was committed, A petition of the inhabitant* of New-jer sey was referred to the committee of clcitk ne, GEORGIA. ... A petition of John Fitch was referred to a special committee. A memorial from the diftillcrs of Phila delphia, upon the fubjert of the proposed du ties on foreign rum and moialfes, was read.- It stated that the duty on molafles was in their opinion too high, compared with the duty on foreign rum. In committee of the whole House, The import Bill was resumed, and having proceeded as far as the clsufe providing for a drawback on goods r* fliipped, on which the import had been paid, the blank refpeft ing the time allowed was filled with twelve, and the sum to be retained, from the import paid in such case, one per cent. To counterbalance thelofs of revenue which would arise from the drawback on fait, the three following articles, exported to foreign slates, weredutied at five cents each. Dried fifli, per quintal. Pickled firti, per barrel. Salted provisions, do. Drawbacks were proposed on some parti* cular articles, when Mr. M Mijcn arose, and made some ob servations upon the of adopting them, and pointed out so fully their perni cious coniequences that the motion was with drawn. Mr. Smithy of Maryland, introduced a clause to be added to the Import Bill, which provided for the allowance of a difeount of per cent, on all the duties imposed on goods, wares and merchandize, imported in American vcfl'els belonging wholly to citi zens, or a citizen of the United States. Mr. White oppol’ed the addition of this clause, as it would increase the weight of that diferiinitiation between foreign rtiipping and American, which already bore fufficient ly heavy on the southern Hates. He conceiv ed that they had already gone as far as a ma jority of that House would think proper. . Mr. Sherman, upon the general principle of opposition to drawbacks, ami to prevent a diminution of the revenue, which he appre hended from the proposition should it be adopt ed, thought that it would be more eligible to enhance the duties on goods imported in fo reign veflcls. Mr. Sylvejier observed, that as these draw backs will place the Treasury of the United States in a very aukward and uncertain hala tion, by taking away with one hand what is put in with the other, he must be opposed to the measure. Mr. Lawrence was in favor of the clause : He pointed out inftanccs in which it would prove salutary; thediferimination which the ftace of New-York had made, had pro duced a very fepfibie increase in her ibipping. Mr. IVadjax'orth: Port charges, Sir, are against this country in all foreign ports : 7 he American thipping pays from 50 to 100 per cent, more in those .ports than foreigners pay in outs : We certainly, in jultic? to ourfclvcs, ought to place this matter more on a par; ’ and as the proposition before the House will conduce in some degree to thatobjert, I with it may be adopted. Mr. Jaek/om I took it for granted, Sir, » that this fubjert of a diferiininarioa on ton nage, had beeu fufiicieotly attended to—l thought, Sir, that theintcrcrt of the southern governments had been fully burthened to cu ' courage the northern navigation*—Sir ; tha * » ‘iVofcTll. No. CXLVII.] • [ fituatiefa of Great-Britain and America, are quite different—That nation, situated on a little illand, has need of all the encourage* ment polliblc to inertfafe her navy, and ex tend her commerce—How is it in America ? We, Sir, arc a nation of farmers, agricul tiue is the great lupport of this country—on that we must depend ; but, Sir, how is it neglected? How is it factificed in favor of navigation and manufartures ? This proposition, Sir, tends to the leflening of our revenue, and encourages fiiip building a. that expence, as this drawback is taken di reflly from it: This, Sir, will operate mofl unjultly and oppredively, for the revenue paid by the southern slates, will be as a bounty tu the northern rtiipping—What, Sir, may wc not expert ?—A dry tax will come next—this is a moll odious difcriinination : Our agri culture and produce are already fufficiently burthened ; a Uavy is but a fccondary confix deration in comparison with agriculture; but admitting it to be of ever so great impor** tance, it is already fufficiently encouraged ; this will prevent the (hips of foreign nations from coming to our ports; we have not fuf ficient of our own; what is not to be appre hended ? -Let gentleman tnit—coufidcr how the states of Georgia, South and North-C’a rolina, must be alferted and injured 1 Wo are willing to give a preference to our bre thren to the eartward, but for God’s fake do not refl the whole of that encouragement on us; we arc but children yet; do not require that we should run before we can walk. £ call upon the juflice of this House, that we may not have our eifcntial interell, the agri culture of the southern states, totally facri ficed I hope, Sir, the proposition will not be adopted. Mr. Gerry observed, in answer to Mr. Jackson, that Great-Britain is jtiflly tenacioun of her navigation laws: As 10 their salutary and extensive operation, Hie owes the flou rithing condition of her agriculture and com merce—navigation gives a fpriog to agricul ture, tu iudurtry and inanufartures; and the most effectual method to prevent the increase and lale of the southern produce, is to en courage and extend the American rtiipping. Mr. bland was opposed to the claufe,*as . it would operate dcmonftratively to the lef— fcning of the revenue ; which he endeavoured to (licw by dating the following instance, a# an example, viz. A vessel of 500 tens will pay —fay 300 dollars tonnage—one hundred thousand pounds value in goods, maybe im ported ina ship of that burthen—the import on such z, cargo at 5 percent, is 5,000!. * drawback of 10 per cent, on the sum is 5001. which will prove a very great dedurtion front the revenue. * Mr. Smith, of Maryland, dated a variety of farts, refperting the difference of the im* positions on foreign and American vertiels iit foreign countries. Mr. Livermore—l was, Sir, in favor of a diferiinitiation between our own diipping and that of foreign nations, as a wife and just encouragement to our own navigation ; but I cannot consent to the proposition before the Ileufe, as it would operate very unequal ly against ibjfe parts of the Union who are obliged to import their good* chiefly in fo leigu bottoms. Ma. Lu aren't observed, that notwith ftaudiog it hid been laid, that the agriculttw , t