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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TUESDAY, MARCH 11. |
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 | The writings of James Madison, |  |
TUESDAY, MARCH 11.
The Report entered on Friday, the 7 of March was taken into
consideration. It had been sent by order of Congs. to the Supt. of
Finance for his remarks which were also on the table. These
remarks were in substance: that it wd. be better to turn the 5
per ct. ad valorem into a Tariff, founded on an enumeration of
the several classes of imports, to which ought to be added a few
articles of exports; that instead of an apportionment of the residue
on the States, other general revenues from a land tax, reduced
to 1/4 of a dollar Per Hundred Acres, with a house tax
regulated by the numbers of windows, and an excise on all
Spirituous liquors to be collected at the place of distillery ought
with the public debts; the whole to be collected by
persons appd. by Congs. alone. And that an alternative ought to
be held out to ye. States, either to establish these permanent revenues,
for the interest or to comply with a constitutional demand
of the principal within a very short period.
In order to ascertain the sense of Cons. on these ideas it was
proposed that the following short questions sd. be taken:
Shall any taxes to operate generally throughout the States,
be recommended by Congs. other than duties on foreign commerce?Shall the 5 Per C. ad valorem be exchanged for a tariff?
Shall the alternative be adopted, as proposed by the Superintendt.
of Finance?
1.
2.
3.
On the 1st. question the States were, N. H. no, Mas: no, Cont.
no, N. J. no, Maryd. no, Virga. no, 6 noes & 5 ays.
On the 2d. question there were 7 ays.
The 3d. question was not put, its impropriety being generally
proclaimed.
In consequence of the 2d. vote in favor of a tariff, the 3 first
paragraphs of the Rept. were recommitted together with the letter
from the Superintendt. of Finance.
On the fourth Par. on motion of Mr. Dyer, after the word
"war," in line 5, was inserted "agreeably to the resolution of the
16 of Decr. last."
A motion was made by Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Wilson to strike
out the limitation of 25 years and to make the revenue co-existent
with the debts. This question was lost, the States being N. H.,
no, Mas., no, Contt. divd., N. Y., ay, N. J., ay, Pa., ay, Del., ay,
Maryd., ay, Va., no, N. C., ay, S. C., no.
A motion was made by Mr. Hamilton & Mr. Wilson to strike
out the clauses relative to the appointment of Collectors, and to
provide that the Collectors sd. be inhabitants of the States within
which they sd. collect should be nominated by Congs., and appointed
by the States, and in case such nomination should not
be accepted or rejected within—days it should stand good.
On this question there were 5 ayes and 6 noes.[67]
"Another week has passed without affording the least relief from our suspense
as to the progress of peace. At New York they are so much in the dark
that their curiosity has recourse to the gleanings of the Philada. gazettes. The
length of the negotiation may be explained, but the delay of all parties to notify
its progress is really astonishing. Our last official information is nearly 5
months old & that derived from the royal speech upwards of three months.
"The peremptory style & publication of Mr. M[orris]'s letters have given
offence to many without & to some within Congress. His enemies of both descriptions,
are industrious in displaying their impropriety. I wish they had less handle
for the purpose.
"The plan before Congress for the arrangemt. of our affairs is to ask from the
States a power to levy for a term not exceeding 25 years the 5 Per Ct. impost,
with an additional impost on salt, wine, spirituous liquors, sugar & teas; to
recommend to them to establish & appropriate perm̃ant revenues for a like term
for the deficiency; the proceeds to be carried to their credit; the whole to be
collected by persons amenable to Congs., but appd. by the States; to complete
the territorial cessions; to enable Congs. to make abatements in favor of suffering
States; Congs. on their part declaring that all reasonable military expenses
separately incurred by the States without their sanction either by sea or land shall
be part of the common mass; and proposing to the States a substitution of numbers
in place of a valuation of land; 3 slaves to be equal to 1 freeman. The fate of
this plan in Congs. is uncertain, & still more so among the States. It makes
a decent provision for the public debts & seems to comprehend the most
dangerous sources of future contests among ourselves. If the substance of it is
rejected, and nothing better introduced in its place. I shall consider it as a
melancholy proof that narrow & local views prevail over that liberal policy &
those mutual concessions which our future tranquillity & present reputation call
for.
"Mr. J. is still here, agitated as you may suppose with the suspense in which
he is kept. He is anxious as myself for your going into the Legislature. Let
me know your final determination on this point."—Madison to Edmund Randolph,
March 11, 1783. (Italics for cypher.) Mad. MSS.
| The writings of James Madison, | |