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
