The writings of James Madison, comprising his public papers and his private correspondence, including numerous letters and documents now for the first time printed. |
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH. |
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 | The writings of James Madison, |  |
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH.
On the report of the Come. on Mr. Morris's letter the injunction
of secrecy was taken off without dissent or observation.
The attention of Congress was recalled to the subject of half
of the mode of referring it separately to the States to
provide for their own lines.
Mr. Mercer favored the reconsideration, representing the commutation
proposed, as tending in common with the funding of
other debts, to establish & perpetuate a monied interest in the
U. S.; that this monied interest would gain the ascendance of the
landed interest, would resort to places of luxury & splendor, and,
by their example & influence, become dangerous to our republican
constitutions. He said however that the variances of opinion
& indecision of Congress were alarming & required that something
should be done; that it wd. be better to new-model the
Confederation, or attempt any thing, rather than to do nothing.
Mr. Madison reminded Congs, that the commutation proposed
was introduced as a compromise with those to whom the idea of
pensions was obnoxious & observed that those whose scruples had
been relieved by it had rendered it no less obnoxious than pensions
by stigmatizing it with the name of a perpetuity. He said
the public situation was truly deplorable. If the payment of the
capital of the public debts was suggested, it was said & truly said
to be impossible; if funding them & paying the interest was proposed,
it was exclaimed agst. as establishing a dangerous moneied
interest, as corrupting the public manners, as administering poison
to our republican constitutions. He said he wished the revenue
to be established to be such as would extinguish the capital as
well as pay the interest within the shortest possible period; and
was as much opposed to perpetuating the public burdens as any
one. But that the discharge of them in some form or other was
essential, and that the consequences predicted therefrom could
than a violation of the maxims of good faith and common
honesty. It was agreed that the report for commuting ½ pay
should lie on the table till to-morrow, in order to give an opportunity
to the Delegates of Connecticut to make any proposition
relative thereto which they should judge proper.
The report of the Comme. , consisting of Mr. Ghoram Mr. Hamilton
Mr. Madison Mr. Rutledge & Mr. Fitzsimmons, was taken
up. It was proposed that in addition to the impost of 5 Per Ct.
ad valorem the States be requested to enable Congs. to collect a
duty of 1/8 of a dollar per bushel on salt imported; of 6/90 per Gallon
on all wines do. and of 3/90 per Gallon on all rum & brandy do.
On the first article it was observed on the part of the East:
States, that this would press peculiarly hard on them on acct. of
the salt consumed in the fisheries; and that it would besides be
injurious to the national interest by adding to the cost of fish.
And a drawback was suggested.
On the other side it was observed that the warmer climate &
more dispersed settlements of the Southern States, required a
greater consumption of salt for their provisions, that salt might
& 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 & that the rum in the N. E. 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
governt. with ease or certainty.
Mr. Mercer on this occasion declared that altho' 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,
& that he had hitherto acted accordingly. But that he saw now
so clearly the necessity of making provision for that object, and
in recommending to the States a plan of a general revenue.
A question being proposed on the duties on salt there were 9
ays, N. H. alone being no, R. I. not present.
It was urged by some that the duty on wine should be augmented;
but it appeared on discussion & some calculations,
that the temptation to smuggling wd. be rendered too strong, &
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.
| The writings of James Madison, | |