Part 319

Address of House to President.--In committee, on answer to the President's Address; clause respecting the Western expedition against the Indians under consideration, 256; alarm occasioned by the Greek treaty, 256; secret articles thus early, 256; sufferings of the people of Georgia, 286.

Encouraging navigation considered, 257; too early for the House to commit itself, 257; mode of expression might conduce to the exclusion of foreign bottoms, 257; expressions of the President, 257; amendment proposed, 257; exclusion ruinous to Southern States, 257; the words of the report and amendment, 257; not be hasty to declare all exports shall be in American bottoms, 257; tonnage duties paid in Georgia, 257; a substitute proposed, 258; no reason to think the House will be committed by adopting the Address, 258; two modes of answering the Address, 258; amendment lost, 258.

Answer to the Presidents Speech, debated, 532; note, 532; the House should not bow so much to the President as to approve of his proceedings without knowing what they were, 532; he says his policy in regard to foreign nations is founded in justice; we intend to convey a general sentiment of approbation, 532; the amendment proposes substantial approbation, 532; the distinction is trifling, 532; the mission of Mr. Jay should not be approved till we know his instructions, 532; better withdraw the motion than to bring it forward at such an expense of temper, 533; motion withdrawn, 533; amendment moved relating to self-created societies, 533; an excitable expression, 533; self-created societies of the country, 533; as improper to pass a vote of censure as one of approbation, 534; the conduct of these people had tended to blow the insurrection, 534; objected that these societies will acquire importance by a vote of censure, 534; amendment of no weight, 535; leave the societies to their own conscience, 535; this declaration from the House will tend to discourage Democratic Societies, 535; persons most violent against the excise laws had been equally so against the insurgents, 535; the President did not want them to intermeddle with the societies, 536; the societies had produced Western insurrection, 536; the effects of the societies, 536; the societies composed of patriots, 537; amendment can answer no purpose but that of disturbing the public peace, 538; the evils arose from the excise laws, not from Democratic Societies, 538; the Democratic Societies in a great measure originated the late disturbances, 539; misinformation existed, 540; amendment lost, 540.

Answer to President's Message to 1st Session of 4th Congress, considered in the Senate, 594; nothing should be contained in it such as to force the Senate to precipitate decisions, 594; note, 594; two clauses objectionable; our situation is not in every way auspicious, 594; nothing reasonably objectionable, 594; some members could not vote for the Address without palpable inconsistency, 595; every article of the Treaty objectionable, 595; the term "firm" applied to the Executive improper, 595; the ratification of the Treaty in all its aspects is advisable, 595; the objections considered, 595; the clauses record a fact, 596; further consideration of the objections, 596.

Answer to President's Speech, 1st Session of 4th Congress, considered in the House, 605; practice of addresses disapproved, 605; practice coeval with the constitution, 605; moved to strike out certain words, 606; clause goes too far, 606; the confidence of a part of the people was diminished, 607; motion denies confidence of the House and the public in the President, 607; such a thing was once supposed impossible, 607; what are the facts? 607; defence of the President, 608; recommitted, 608.

African Slaves.--Motion to bring in a bill relative to their importation, 84. See Duties on Imports and Slavery.

Algerine War, report of the committee on, 475; resolution to build four ships of forty-four, and two of twenty guns considered, 475; cannot be done in a year, 475; two points to be considered--do the Algerines act from their own impulse in this matter? if so, they can be bought, 475; if excited by Britain, they cannot be bought, 475; there is danger of a British war from fitting out the ships, 475; the combined powers would regard their equipment as an opportunity to pick a quarrel, 475; the ships would be too small to be important in Europe, 475; British would attempt to search them, hence a quarrel, 475; bribery alone can purchase security from the Algerines, 476; not a match for the Algerines, 476; harbors for American ships in Europe, 476; views on the subject, 476; no security if we buy a peace, 477; an armament urged, 477; Britain is the cause, Algiers the instrument, 477; this expedient unlikely to answer the purpose, 477; competency of the ships examined, 478; the charge against Britain unfounded, 478; this country not in a state for war, 478; note, 478; six vessels sufficient, 479; the bill regarded as affording protection to commerce against the Algerines, and as the foundation of a permanent Naval Establishment, 480; various objections urged to this view, 480; the question is simply whether our commerce requires protection against the Algerines, and whether this is the best course to protect it, 482; these points considered, 482; objections to the bill reviewed, 482; argument against a Naval Establishment considered, 482; passage of the bill, 482.

Allegiance, Foreign.--See remarks of Madison and Jackson, 97 and 98.

Amendments to the Constitution.--Application of the Legislature of Virginia for a convention to consider defects, and report amendments, 47; debate, 47; this application should remain on the files until proper number of applicants come forward, 47; any subject can be referred to a committee, 47; the propriety of committing it doubtful, 47; Congress has no deliberative power on this occasion, 48; the application of a State should be respected and regarded, 48; it should be entered at large on the files of the journal, 48; so ordered, 48.

Proper mode of amending considered, 133; proposition to insert after the words "We the people," in the first paragraph, a brief clause, 133; not the proper mode of amending the constitution, 133; it should be done by supplement, 133; moved to amend by a resolution declaring, "That the following articles be proposed as amendments," &c., 133; form of less importance than substance, but there is a neatness and propriety here in incorporating articles, 134; method proposed by the resolution incompatible with the constitution, which requires amendments to form a part of the constitution, 134; all amendments should stand separate from the constitution--see precedents, 134; supplementary form most desirable, 134; by incorporation the original instrument may be entirely gone, 135; can the mode make any possible difference, 135; how can amendments be incorporated, 135; report of committee founded on recommendation of State conventions, 135; the original constitution should remain inviolate, and not be patched from time to time like Joseph's coat, 136; magna charta never altered by incorporation of amendments, 136; arguments for incorporation considered, 136; motion lost, 137; see note, 137.

Freedom of conscience considered, 137; proposition to insert the words, "no religion shall be established by law, nor shall the equal rights of conscience be infringed," 137; the words liable to a wrong construction--have a tendency to abolish religion altogether, 137; amendment unnecessary--Congress no authority to make religious establishments, 137; many sects think they are not well secured, and the effect of amendment will be conciliatory for the new government, 137; some States had desired it, 137; reason thereof, 137; experience of Rhode Island, 137; apprehensions of the people, 138; result, 138.

Right of instruction considered.--On a motion to insert the words, "to instruct their representatives," an amendment proposed, 138; arguments against the right, 138; its propriety in this country, 139; if our constituents have a constitutional right to instruct, we are bound to obey, 139; the words are calculated to mislead by conveying the idea to the people that they have a right to instruct, 139; duty of a representative, 139; dangerous tendency of the doctrine, 140; what may be the consequence of binding a man to vote according to the will of others in all cases, 140; arguments in favor, 140; this amendment is of a doubtful nature, and will have a tendency to prejudice the whole system, 141; if sovereignty resides with the whole people, they cannot, in detached bodies, contravene an act established by the whole, 141; the clause would not bind representatives, 141; it will operate inconveniently to the more distant States, 141; under its adoption, one member as good as many, 141; no law of the House would be of force if a majority were instructed against it, 141; subversive of the principles of the constitution, 141; must members violate the constitution if instructed, 142; objections further considered, 142; no instruction should have binding force, 143; right of State Legislature to instruct the House opposed, 143; absolute necessity of adopting the amendment, 143; no right of obligation claimed for instructions heretofore, 144; constitutions of several States recognize the right, 144; motion lost, 144; another motion, 144.

Amendments proposed in the Senate relative to the judiciary power of the United States, 445; do. passed in Senate, 446.

AMES, FISHER, Representative from Massachusetts, 21, 175, 255, 315, 388, 527, 637; on duty on molasses, 30; on duty on hemp and cordage, 37; moves duty on barley and lime, 38; remarks on tonnage duties, 48; remarks on tonnage duties, 54; on the scale of duties on imports, 59, 62, 65; would make no bargain or compromise relative to duties on imports, 69; further remarks, 70, 71; opposes the motion to lay duty on African slaves, 74; thinks a limitation of the impost bill injurious to public credit, 79; further remarks, 80, 84; on the admission of Rhode Island, 101; on the President's power to remove officers, 106; on the organization of the Treasury Department, 110; on the compensation of the Vice President, 122; on the right of instructions, 143; on the location of the seat of government, 158; further remarks, 160; on manner the Secretary of the Treasury shall make his report, 177; on the discrimination between foreign and domestic debts, 195; on discrimination of public creditors, 215; moves to strike out "Potomac," and insert Germantown as seat of Government, 249; on excise officers, 271; further, 272; on the commitment of the bill for a Bank of the United States, 273; do. speech on the bank, 278; on report of Secretary at War, 317; on the bill for the encouragement of the Cod Fisheries, 353; on attendance of Secretary of War, 391, 392; on discharging Committee on defeat of St. Clair, 393; on petition of Warner Mifflin, 397; on official conduct of Secretary of Treasury, 436; on the commerce of the United States, 468; on fighting the Algerines, 477; in favor of taxing salt, 506; urges duties on manufactured tobacco and refined sugar, 507; on the advance of money to France, 514; on an increase of the army, 515; on raising a force for protection of S. W. frontier, 517; on the President's speech, 532; on resolutions of thanks to General Wayne, 545; on the renunciation of nobility for citizenship, 562; on reference of letter of Secretary of War, 568, 569; on the execution of the British treaty, 743.

AMY DARDIN'S horse, claim for, 763; note, 763.

Apportionment Bill, see Ratio of Representation; veto of, 374; action of the House on, 374.

Appropriations.--Bill for the appropriations for 1792 considered, 330; various amendments proposed, 330; bill recommitted, 330.

The Right of Congress to withhold appropriations from existing establishments considered, 625; note, 625; moved to strike out all appropriated for the officers of the mint, 625; such motion cannot regularly be brought forward, 626; the bill is conformed to the state of the public engagements, 626; an investigation should be made on an independent footing, 626; a discretionary power in the House to appropriate or not, 626; when legal establishments are made, neither branch has a right to withhold its assent to appropriations conformable to the public engagements, 626; illustration, 626; the House is not to pass an appropriation bill as a matter of course, 627; amendment agreed to, 627; in the House, moved to strike out all appropriated to the mint, 627; motion to strike out an appropriation for the purpose of bringing the policy of a law into discussion, is repugnant to legislative duties, 627; doctrine of discretionary power not correct, 627; no appropriation should obtain sanction unless the House were convinced of the propriety of the law, 627; otherwise the House becomes a mere office for registering edicts, 628; House has no right to obstruct the operation of the laws while they exist, 628; otherwise, the House has a right to refuse an appropriation to pay a just debt, 628; a constitutional view, 628; mode of getting rid of an establishment by refusing appropriations not the constitutional one, 628; expenditure of Washington's administration, note 629.

The bill providing appropriations for military, &c. establishments considered, 763; debate on the value of rations and the amount appropriated, 764; the army had been reduced, but not the expenses, 764; various sums proposed for the gross amount for different objects, 765; other items considered, 766; note 767.

ARMSTRONG JAMES, votes for, as Vice President, in 1789, 10.

ARMSTRONG JAMES, Representative from Pennsylvania, 455, 528.

Army, Memorial of Officers of, 397.

Army, Reduction of--Resolution for the appointment of a committee to bring in a bill for the reduction of the United States Military Establishment considered, 398; reasons and necessity of the motion, 398; expenses, charges, and increase of the War Department, 398; note, 398; the protection of the frontiers considered if the army is disbanded, 399; amount of reduction suggested, 399; expense of militia expeditions, 399; improper time to disband the army when negotiations of peace are going on, 399; been warring with our finances to keep up an army, 400; dangerous so suddenly to alter the system, 400; strange statements of members considered, 400; referred to Committee of the Whole, 401; calculations examined, 401; circumstances requiring a force, 401; history of the frontier wars, 402; superiority of regular troops over militia shown, 402; case of Major Adair, 402; successes of Clark and Sevier, 402; improper to take militia to fight Indians, 403.

Improper to adopt the motion under the present circumstances of the country, 404; former law gave President power to exercise his discretion, 404; have circumstances so changed as to render it proper for the Legislature to interfere? 404; the great object of the additional armament is peace, 404; cannot rely upon the backwoods riflemen to turn out as often as wanted, 404; the President has practised economy in organizing the troops voted for, 404.

The motion only goes to prevent the raising any more troops, it does not disband a man, 405; militia always more spirited soldiers, and fitter for fighting the Indians than regulars, 405; experience with militia, 405; no peace can be obtained from the Indians unless dictated by British agents in Canada, 406; any immediate alteration of the system dangerous under present circumstances, 406; the spirit of the motion in regard to the prevention of standing armies is good, 407; the reduction of the military establishment will neither put an end to the savage war, nor to the enormous expense, 407; consider the state of the exposed parts of the Union, 407; these people demand the protecting arm of Government, 408; commenced wrong in warring with the Indians, 408; if public officers have misapplied the public money, the constitution pointed out a mode to punish them, 408; the defence of the frontier is of superior concern to the redemption of the public debt by savings to be made by a reduction of the army, 408; a particular plan is set in operation, and it should be tried, 409; confidential communications referred to, 409; this protection of the frontiers is a test of the Government, 409; this Indian war differs from any other, 410; not sufficient information respecting the prospect of peace to warrant a reduction of the army, 410; any abuses in the war establishment are insignificant, 410; regular troops grow experienced, and by a line of forts trade can be cultivated with the Indians, 411; the most important question before the House--on its decision are suspended the hopes of the people for peace and their fears of a standing army, 411; the principle of keeping up standing armies, though highly obnoxious to the people, has not been equally so to the Government, 411; effects of standing armies, 411; much deliberation is not necessary to form an opinion of military establishments, 411; the arguments of the opponents lead to four points, 412; these points considered, 412; although a war establishment is objectionable, this system should not be arrested at the moment of its efficiency, 414; a standing army is impossible so long as this House holds the purse-strings, 414; motion lost, 415; further considered, 416.

The Pay of Soldiers proposed to be increased from three to four dollars per month, 459; motion to add a fifth dollar, 459; no proportion between the wages of ordinary labor and that of military service, 459; it was justly due, 460; no reason for this increase of wages, 460; better to increase the rations, 460; six dollars had secured some of the most respectable kind of people in Pennsylvania, 460; further considerations offered, 461; motions withdrawn, 461.

Bill to increase the Army, lost, 511; bill to increase the military force and to encourage recruiting, considered, 515; principle of the bill wrong, 515; is it proper to intrust the President with a discretionary power to raise an army of ten thousand men owing to the particular state of the country? 515; if we have war, it is economy to be prepared beforehand, 515; no danger to trust the President, 515; the force can be discontinued at our pleasure, 515; it would involve the country in useless expense, 515; the interests of the country promoted by vesting the President with this power, 515; what would be the consequence if he cannot make preparation when he sees the war approaching, 516; no such immediate prospect of war as could induce the House to violate the constitution, 516; under the constitution one branch of the government raises an army, and the other conducts it, 516; it encroaches upon a salutary principle of the constitution, 516; bill rejected, 516.

Amendments of the Senate, fixing the military establishment considered, 759; number of troops sufficient without this amendment, 759; amendment to keep a larger number of troops, negatived, 759; moved to retain the Major General, 759; question debated, 760; lost, 760.