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climate, and more dispersed settlements of the Southern States, required a greater consumption of salt for their provisions; that salt might, and would be, conveyed to the fisheries without previous importation; that the effect of the duty was too inconsiderable to be felt in the cost of fish; and that the rum in the North-eastern States being, in a great degree, manufactured at home, they would have greater advantage, in this respect, than the other States could have in the article of salt; that a drawback could not be executed in our complicated government with ease or certainty.

Mr. MERCER, On this occasion, declared, that, although he thought those who opposed a general revenue right in their principles, yet, as they appeared to have formed no plan adequate to the public exigencies, and as he was convinced of the necessity of doing something, he should depart from his first resolution, and strike in with those who were pursuing the plan of a general revenue.

Mr. HOLTEN said, he had come lately into Congress with a predetermination against any measures for discharging the public engagements, other than those pointed out in the Confederation, and that he had hitherto acted accordingly. But that he saw now so clearly the necessity of making provision for that object, and the inadequacy of the Confederation thereto, that he should concur in recommending to the States a plan of a general revenue.

A question being proposed on the duties on salt, there were nine ayes: New Hampshire alone being no; Rhode Island not present.

It was urged, by some, that the duty on wine

should be augmented; but it appeared, on discussion, and some calculations, that the temptation to smuggling would be rendered too strong, and the revenue thereby diminished. Mr. BLAND proposed, that, instead of a duty on the gallon, an ad-valorem duty should be laid on wine; and this idea, after some loose discussion, was agreed to, few of the members interesting themselves therein, and some of them having previously retired from Congress.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28TH.

A motion was made by Mr. WOLCOTT and Mr. DYER to refer the half-pay to the States, little differing from the late motion of Mr. GILMAN, except that it specified five years' whole pay as the proper ground of composition with the officers of the respective lines. On this proposition the arguments used for and against Mr. GILMAN's motion were recapitulated. It was negatived, Connecticut alone answering in the affirmative, and no division being called for.

On the question to agree to the Report for a commutation of five years' whole pay, there being seven ayes only, it was considered whether this was an appropriation, or a new ascertainment of a sum of money necessary for the public service. Some were of opinion, at first, that it did not fall under that description, viz: of an appropriation. Finally, the contrary opinion was deemed, almost unanimously, safest, as well as the most accurate. Another question was, whether seven or nine votes were to decide

doubts; whether seven or nine were requisite on any question. Some were of opinion that the Secretary ought to make an entry according to his own judgment, and that that entry should stand unless altered by a positive instruction from Congress. To this it was objected, that it would make the Secretary the sovereign in many cases, since a reversal of his entry would be impossible, whatever that entry might be; that, particularly, he might enter seven votes to be affirmative on a question where nine were necessary, and if supported in it by a few States it would be irrevocable. It was said, by others, that the safest rule would be to require nine votes to decide, in all cases of doubt, whether nine or seven were necessary. To this it was objected, that one or two States, and in any situation six States, might, by raising doubts, stop seven from acting in any case which they disapproved. Fortunately, on the case in question, there were nine States of opinion that nine were requisite; so the difficulty was got over for the present.

On a reconsideration of the question whether the duty on wine should be on the quantity or on the value, the mode reported by the Committee was reinstated, and the whole report recommitted, to be included with the five per cent., ad valorem, in an act of recommendation to the States.

MONDAY, MARCH 3RD.

The Committee on revenues reported, in addition to the former articles recommended by them, a duty VOL. I.-24

of two-thirds of a dollar per one hundred and twelve pounds, on all brown sugars; one dollar on all powdered, lumped, and clayed sugars, other than loaf sugars; one and one-third of a dollar per one hundred and twelve pounds, on all loaf sugars; one-thirtieth of a dollar per pound on all Bohea teas; and one-fifteenth of a dollar on all finer India teas. This report, without debate or opposition, was recommitted, to be incorporated with the general plan.

TUESDAY, MARCH 4TH, and WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5TH.

The motion of Mr. HAMILTON, on the Journal, relative to abatement of the quotas of distressed States, was rejected, partly because the principle was disapproved by some, and partly because it was thought improper to be separated from other objects to be recommended to the States. The latter motive produced the motion for postponing, which was lost.

The Committee to whom had been referred the letters of resignation of Mr. Morris reported, as their opinion, that it was not necessary for Congress, immediately, to take any steps thereon. They considered the resignation as conditional, and that, if it should eventually take place at the time designated, there was no necessity for immediate provision to be made.

Mr. BLAND moved "That a committee be appointed to devise the most proper means of arranging the Department of Finance."

This motion produced, on these two days, lengthy

and warm debates; Mr. LEE and Mr. BLAND, on one side, disparaging the administration of Mr. Morris, and throwing oblique censure on his character. They considered his letter as an insult to Congress, and Mr. LEE declared, that the man who had published to all the world such a picture of our national character and finances was unfit to be a Minister of the latter. On the other side, Mr. WILSON and Mr. HAMILTON went into a copious defence and panegyric of Mr. Morris; the ruin in which his resignation, if it should take place, would involve public credit, and all the operations dependent on it; and the decency, though firmness, of his letters. The former observed, that the declaration of Mr. Morris, that he would not be the minister of injustice, could not be meant to reflect on Congress, because they had declared the funds desired by Mr. Morris to be necessary; and that the friends of the latter could not wish for a more honorable occasion for his retreat from public life, if they did not prefer the public interest to considerations of friendship. Other members were divided as to the propriety of the letters in question. In general, however, they were thought reprehensible; as in general, also, a conviction prevailed of the personal merit and public importance of Mr. Morris. All impartial members foresaw the most alarming consequences from his resignation. The prevailing objection to Mr. BLAND'S motion was, that its avowed object and tendency was to re-establish a board, in place of a single Minister of Finance. Those who apprehended that, ultimately, this might be unavoidable, thought it so objectionable that nothing but the last necessity would justify it. The motion of Mr.

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