Mr. BENSON objected to some of the duties mentioned in the resolution. He thought the less the Government corresponded with particular States the better, and there could be no necessity for an officer to see to the execution of the laws of the United States, when there was a Judiciary instituted with adequate powers.

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solid objection, because the information it would furnish would more than counterbalance that article.

The question he conceived to be reduced to this, whether a confidential officer would not be more useful than any other, and whether the duties could be distributed among the officers already instituted. For his part he conceived most of them foreign to either of those officers; and that they could not be performed with advantage any other way than by an officer appointed specially for the purpose. He thought every gentleman would admit that the duties were important, and he assured them that his only reason for bringing the motion forward was, to provide for the public good. He had no personal motives in pressing it; he disclaimed every idea of serving any particular man by the arrangement, and rested it solely upon its merits.

Mr. WHITE was not convinced that there was a necessity for establishing a separate department for all or any of the duties contained in the resolution. The correspondence with the States belonged to the Executive. To see to the execution of the laws was the duty of the Judiciary. The great seal might be kept by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs; the lesser seal might be deposited in the same hands. Commissions might be made out by the departments to which the officer is connected. The Secretary of the Senate and Clerk of the House might transmit the public acts, and keep records thereof. What have Con- Mr. SEDGWICK believed the honorable gentlegress to do with the acts of States? If they in- man in his assertions, that he had no personal moterfere with the Constitutional powers of the Go- tive in pressing this business. He believed that vernment, the Judges will prevent their operation. he thought it essential, and if his sentiments were The papers of the late Congress may be distri- the same, he would join the gentleman in supbuted among the offices to which they relate; porting the motion; but, after duly considering the rest may be deposited with the officers of the subject, he was inclined to believe that the ofCongress. The want of the reports on manufac-fice was unnecessary, and that it would be squantures, agriculture, and commerce, may be sup-dering the public money, at a time when the plied by Congress. The post roads may be left to the Postmaster General. The census must be returned to Congress, and they will preserve it among their files. And it can hardly be thought necessary to establish a great department for the purpose of receiving the models, specimens, and books, presented by authors and inventors. If none of these things are requisite to be done by a great department, why should the United States incur the expense which such an arrangement must necessarily draw along with it.

greatest economy is requisite. He thought the principal part of the duties might be assigned to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs; and he would, if the committee negatived the present motion, introduce another for that purpose.

Mr. GERRY thought the burdens of the people would be sufficiently great in providing the supplies absolutely necessary for the support of the Government; therefore it would be improper to add expenses which might possibly be avoided. The people are viewing the proceedings of ConMr. HUNTINGTON thought the Secretary of gress with an attentive solicitude, and if they obForeign Affairs was not so much overcharged serve that we erect offices for which there is no with business but that he might attend to the ma- apparent necessity, they will be apt to think we are jor part of the duties mentioned in the resolution. providing sinecures for men whom we favor; they Mr. VINING said he had waited until the great will reluctantly pay what is extracted from their Executive departments were established; but earnings to a Government which they think is renone of those had embraced the duties contained gardless of economy. They will suspect a further in his proposition, which he conceived to be of view in the change of Government. They will great importance; many of the duties were as es- suppose that we contemplate the establishment of sential as those of any other department, except a monarchy, by raising round the Executive a phathe Treasury. As for their belonging to the Ex-lanx of such men as must be inclined to favor ecutive, as was said by the gentleman from Vir- those of whom they hold their places. ginia, he admitted it; but they were, nevertheTess, as proper to be put into the hands of a principal officer under the President, as the War office, or office of Foreign Affairs; the duties of these were specially within the Executive Department of the Government. He conceived that the President ought to be relieved from the inferior duties of his station, by officers assigned to attend to them under his inspection; he could then, with a mind free and unembarrassed with the minutiae of business, attend to the operations of the whole machine.

If the office was admitted to be necessary, and he was certain the performance of the duties were useful and essential, the expense could be no

Mr. VINING.-Why do gentlemen say that such an office is unnecessary, when they are forced to admit that all the duties are essential? Or how can they say it is more expensive to establish it in this way than in another? Suppose these duties distributed in the manner which some gentlemen have mentioned, is it not fairly to be presumed that the departments to which any of them are attached, will require an extra pay for these extra services? If so, will there be any economy in this mode of procedure? All that is to be wished for, is to have a confidential person employed, let his salary be what you please: if it is not worth fifteen hundred dollars per annum, let it be five hundred. But it would be better to have a prin

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Committee of Ways and Means.

cipal to manage the business than to have it consigned to clerks in the other departments.

Mr. LAWRENCE said that something was necessary to be done with respect to the business brought forward by the honorable gentleman from Delaware. He conceived that an officer of the rolls, or some inferior officer, ought to be appointed to transact the business detailed in the resolution; he did not insist upon making a great department. Mr. SEDGWICK agreed with the gentleman from New York; but, he thought, the business might be thrown into some other department, and save to the Union the expense of the one which the gentleman from Delaware wished to establish, by the name of the Home Department. He thought the resolution proposed altogether so improper, that he hoped the committee would rise. A desultory conversation arose, whether the committee should decide upon the resolution or not; after which a question was taken on the rising of the committee, and decided in the negative.

Then the question was put on the first part of Mr. VINING'S proposition, viz: "That an Executive Department ought to be established, to be denominated the Home Department;" and lost by a considerable majority.

It was then moved and seconded that the committee rise, which being agreed to, the committee rose and reported that they had, according to order, had the State of the Union under consideration, but had come to no resolution thereon.

[July, 1789.

They then reported the bill with the amendments to the House, which were ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. GERRY presented a bill for registering and clearing vessels, ascertaining their tonnage, and for regulating the coasting trade, which was read a first time, and ordered to lie on the table. Mr. BALDWIN, from the select committee to whom was committed the bill for settling the accounts between the United States and the individual States, reported, that the committee had, according to order, had the said bill under consideration, and made amendments thereto, which he read in his place, and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk's table, where the same was again read twice, amended, and agreed to by the House, and ordered to be engrossed.

A petition from Nathaniel Gorham, of the State of Massachusetts, was presented and read, setting forth that Oliver Phelps, Esq., and the petitioner, are interested, by purchase from the State of Massachusetts, in certain lands which will be materially affected by the line directed to be run between the United States and the State of New York, and praying that such measures may be taken therein as shall be consistent with a due regard to the rights of the said Phelps and the petitioner.

Ordered to lie on the table.

COMMITTEE OF WAYS AND MEANS. Mr. FITZSIMONS.-The finances of America A motion was then made by Mr. SEDGWICK, have frequently been mentioned in this House as that a committee be appointed to bring in a bill being very inadequate to the demands. I have supplementary to the act for establishing the De- ever been of a different opinion, and do believe partment of Foreign Affairs, declaring that depart-that the funds of this country, if properly drawn ment to be hereafter denominated and into operation, will be equal to every claim. The that the principal officer in that department shall estimate of supplies necessary for the current have the custody of the records and seal of the year appears very great from a report on your United States, and that such bill do contain a table, and which report has found its way into the provision for the fees of office to be taken for public newspapers. I said, on a former occasion, copies of records, and further provision for the and I repeat it now, notwithstanding what is set due publication of the acts of Congress, and such forth in the estimate, that a revenue of three milother matters relating to the premises, as the lions of dollars in specie, will enable us to provide committee shall deem necessary to be reported to every supply necessary to support the Government, and pay the interest and instalments on the foreign and domestic debt. If we wish to have more particular information on these points, we ought to appoint a Committee of Ways and Means, to whom, among other things, the estimate of supplies may be referred, and this ought to be done speedily, if we mean to do it this

this House.

And the question being put thereupon, it passed in the negative.

Another petition from Baron de Glaubeck was presented and read, praying the attention of Congress to his former petition, to be compensated for certain losses and military services rendered during the late war.

Mr. PAGE, from the committee appointed for the purpose, made a further report on Andrew Ellicott's memorial, after which the House adjourned.

FRIDAY, July 24.

The engrossed bill allowing a compensation to the President and Vice President, was read the third time; when, on motion, it was committed to a Committee of the whole House: whereupon the House resolved itself into a committee on the bill, and made some amendments therein.

session.

Mr. GERRY said, the estimate reported by a committee was as accurate as possible. From this it appeared that eight millions of dollars would be necessary for the support of Government, for the interest and instalments becoming due, and for the arrearages already due. He remarked, that we had been already dunned on this subject by foreigners, and that Congress would have to make provision for their payment. If three millions of dollars were employed to this use, it would only be carrying the arrearages into another year; but, as they must be paid at last, he recommended making an immediate exertion, as a better way

of giving satisfaction than procrastination would be. He thought it best to lay the real situation of this country before the House, and not endeavor to make things appear better than they really are.

With respect to the publication of the estimate in the papers, he knew nothing about it; he admitted that it was such a one as ought not to be published by order of Congress. He approved of the idea of appointing a Committee of Ways and Means, if it were only to ascertain what part of the interest on the debt should be paid, and what of the principal extinguished within the current year, from the funds already provided.

[H. OF R.

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this committee that the following ought to be established joint rules between the two Houses, to wit:

That while the bills are on their passage between the two Houses, they shall be on paper, and under the signature of the Secretary or the Clerk of each House respectively.

After a bill shall have passed both Houses, it shall be

duly enrolled on parchment by the Clerk of the House the bill may have originated in the one or the other of Representatives, or the Secretary of the Senate, as House, before it shall be presented to the President of the United States.

When bills are enrolled, they shall be presented by a joint committee of one from the Senate, and two from Mr. FITZSIMONS did not mean to reflect upon the House of Representatives, appointed as a standing the committee who had reported the estimate, in committee for that purpose, who shall carefully compare any thing he had said; but he thought it of such the enrolled with the engrossed bills, as proposed in the a nature as to require it to be referred to a Com-two Houses, and correcting any errors that may be dismittee of Ways and Means. He observed, that covered in the enrolled bills, make their report forthwith the arrearages were due by several of the States to the respective Houses. on the former requisitions of Congress, and if these were paid up, the great demand might be satisfied. He doubted whether the whole arrearages of interest on the domestic debt would be expected to be provided for at the first session of Congress; but he was certain, that, in a little time, the Government would be able to discharge all these incumbrances, and to pay the interest on their debt with such a degree of punctuality, as would give satisfaction to every individual cre

ditor.

After examination and report, each bill shall be signed in the respective Houses, first by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and then by the President

of the Senate.

After a bill shall thus have been signed in each House, it shall be presented, by the said committee, to the President of the United States for his approbation, it being which House the same originated; which endorsement first endorsed on the back of the roll, certifying in shall be signed by the secretary, or clerk, (as the case may be,) of the House in which the same did originate, and shall be entered on the journals of each House. The said committee shall report the day of presentation to the President, which time shall be also carefully entered on the journals of each House.

A Committee of Ways and Means was then appointed, consisting of Messrs. FITZSIMONS, VINING, LIVERMORE, CADWALADER, LAWRENCE, WADSWORTH, JACKSON, SMITH, (of Maryland,) SMITH, (of South Carolina,) and MADISON, to whom it was referred to consider the report of a committee appointed to prepare an estimate of supplies requisite for the services of the United States for the current year, and to report thereon.mittee, as provided in case of bills. The House then adjourned.

MONDAY, July 27.

The engrossed bill for settling the accounts between the United States and individual States, was read the third time, and the blanks being filled, the bill passed.

JOINT RULES FOR ENROLMENT. The House resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, on the report of the committee appointed to confer with a committee of the Senate, in preparing joint rules to be established between the two Houses for the enrolment, attestation, publication, and preservation of the acts of Congress, and to regulate the mode of presenting addresses and other acts to the President of the United States, Mr. BOUDINOT in the Chair.

After some time the committee rose, and reported, that they had had the said report under consideration, and gone through the same, and come to several resolutions thereupon, which were delivered in at the Clerk's table, where the same were severally twice read, and agreed to by the House, as follows:

All orders, resolutions, and votes, which are to be presented to the President of the United States for his approbation, shall also, in the same manner, be previously enrolled, examined, and signed; and shall be presented in the same manner, and by the same com

That when the Senate and House of Representatives shall judge it proper to make a joint address to the President, it shall be presented to him in his audience chamber, by the President of the Senate, and in the presence of the Speaker and both Houses.

that a committee ought to be appointed to prepare and Resolved, That it is the opinion of this committee, bring in a bill or bills, to provide, without the establishment of a new department, for the safe keeping of the accounts, records, and seal of the United States; for the authentication of records and papers; for establishing the fees of office to be taken for commissions, and for copies of records and papers; for making out and recording commissions, and prescribing their form; and to provide for the due publication of the acts of Congress.

Ordered, That a committee be appointed, pursuant to the second resolution, and that Messrs. SEDGWICK, MATTHEWS, and WYNKOOP, be of the said committee.

TUESDAY, July 28.

Mr. VINING, from the committee to whom it was referred to take the subject of amendments to the Constitution generally into their consideration, and to report thereon, made a report, which was ordered to lie on the table.

A message from the Senate informed the House. that they had passed the bill to regulate the collection of the duties imposed by law on the tonnage of ships or vessels, and on goods, wares, and merchandises imported into the United States, with several amendments, to which they desired the concurrence of the House.

The House immediately took said amendments into consideration, and concurred therewith.

The petitions of the Baron de Glaubeck, heretofore laid on the table, were referred to a select committee, consisting of Messrs. PAGE, SUMTER, and HEISTER.

The bill for registering and clearing vessels, and for regulating the coasting trade, was read a second time; and, on motion, the House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole upon it, Mr. BOUDINOT in the Chair; and, after making some progress in its consideration, rose, and ob tained leave to sit again.

WEDNESDAY, July 29.

[AUGUST, 1789.

Messrs. WHITE and PARTRIDGE were accordingly appointed.

Mr. WHITE, of the committee appointed to examine into the measures taken by Congress and the State of Virginia, respecting the lands reserved for the use of the officers and soldiers of said State, &c., brought in a report, which was read and laid on the table.

The House then resumed the consideration of the amendments agreed upon in Committee of the Whole, to the bill for registering and clearing vessels; which being finished, the bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading on Monday next.

A message from the Senate informed the House that they had passed the bill for establishing the Treasury Department, with amendments; to which they desired the concurrence of the House.

Mr. SEDGWICK, from the committee appointed for the purpose, brought in a bill to provide for the safe keeping of the acts, records, and great seal of the United States, for the publication, preThe House again resolved itself into a Com-servation, and authentication of the acts of Conmittee of the Whole, Mr. BOUDINOT in the Chair, on the bill for registering and clearing vessels, and for regulating the coasting trade; and agreed to some amendments thereto; but not having got through the same, rose, and obtained leave to sit again.

THURSDAY, July 30.

Mr. LIVERMORE introduced a resolution to supply each member, at the public expense, with two newspapers of the city, daily, such as he should choose. Ordered to lie on the table.

A message from the Senate informed the House that they had passed the bill for settling the accounts between the United States and the individual States, without amendment.

REGISTERING VESSELS.

The House again went into a Committee of the Whole on the bill for registering and clearing vessels, and for regulating the coasting trade; and having gone through it, reported the bill with the proposed amendments. The House agreed to some of the amendments, negatived others, and made some additional ones. The House adjourned before the discussion on the bill was closed.

Mr. SCOTT, from the committee appointed for the purpose, brought in a bill for establishing a Land Office for the Western Territory, which was read and laid on the table.

On motion,

gress, &c.; which was read and laid on the table.

MONDAY, August 3.

A message from the Senate informed the House that they had passed the bill for the establishment of light-houses, beacons, and buoys, with several amendments; to which they desired the concurrence of this House.

The amendments of the Senate were immediately considered and agreed to.

The engrossed bill for regulating the coasting trade was read a third time; and, on motion, recommitted to a Committee of the Whole, to be

taken

up to-morrow.

The bill for establishing a Land Office for the Western Territory was read a second time, and made the order of the day for Thursday.

The bill to provide for the safe keeping of the acts, records, great seal, &c., was read, and made the order of the day for Friday.

The report of the committee on amendments to the Constitution was, on motion of Mr. MADISON, made the order of the day for Wednesday sennight.

Mr. BENSON made a motion as follows:

Resolved, That a committee be appointed to join with a committee of the Senate to be appointed for the purpose, to consider and report when it will be conve nient and proper that an adjournment of the present session of Congress should take place; and to consider and report such business now before Congress, necessary to be finished before the adjournment, and such as may be conveniently postponed to the next session; and also to consider and report such matters not now before Congress, but which will be necessary should be considered and determined by Congress before an adjournment.

The bill for establishing the Treasury DepartResolved, That a standing committee be ap- ment, with the amendments proposed by the Senpointed to examine the enrolled bills, and to pre-ate, being read, were acceded to in part; the sent the same to the President for his approbation consideration of two articles was postponed till and signature.

to-morrow.

TUESDAY, August 4.

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consideration, and gone through the same, and had made several amendments thereto, which he delivered at the Clerk's table, where the same were twice read, and agreed to by the House.

Mr. BENSON'S motion of yesterday, respecting the adjournment, was agreed to by the House, and a committee appointed for the purpose, consisting of Messrs. WADSWORTH, CARROLL, and HARTLEY.

The House resumed the consideration of the amendments proposed by the Senate to the bill to establish the Treasury Department. Where

upon

Resolved, That this House doth agree to so much of A petition of sundry freeholders of the county the eighth amendment as proposes to strike out these of Cumberland, in the State of Pennsylvania, words in the seventh clause of the bill, to wit: "The whose names were thereunto subscribed, was pre-assistant to the Secretary of the Treasury shall be apsented to the House, and read, praying that the pointed by the President;" and doth disagree to such District and Circuit Judicial Courts of the United other part of said amendment as proposes to strike out States, to be established in the said State, may be the residue of the clause. fixed in some central place therein, convenient to the citizens thereof at large.

Also, a petition of Christopher Collis, of the city of New York, praying that an exclusive privilege may be granted him in the benefits of an invention which he has reduced to practice, for counting, with the utmost precision, the number of revolutions or vibrations of any wheel, or other part of any mechanical engine or machine. An engrossed bill for making compensation to the President and Vice President of the United States, was read the third time and passed, and

sent to the Senate for their concurrence.

COMPENSATION OF MEMBERS.

Mr. BURKE, from the committee appointed for the purpose, brought in a bill for allowing a compensation to the members of both Houses, and to their respective officers.

This bill provides that the compensation shall be as follows, viz:

To each member of the Senate and House, six dollars per day.

Speaker of the House twelve dollars per day. To the Secretary of the Senate, and Clerk of the House, each fifteen hundred dollars a year, and two dollars a day each during the session of the Legislature; one principal clerk to each, at three dollars a day during the session; one engrossing clerk to each, at two dollars a day during

the session.

Sergeant-at-Arms, three dollars a day during the session.

Doorkeeper to the House and Senate, each seven hundred and thirty dollars a year.

Assistant Doorkeepers, during the session, one dollar and fifty cents a day each. This bill was laid on the table.

The House, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, on the bill for registering and clearing vessels, and regulating the coasting trade. After some time being spent therein, and going through the bill

The Chairman reported that the committee had had, according to order, the said bill under

After which, the House adjourned.

WEDNESDAY, August 5.

House that they had passed an act to establish A message from the Senate informed the an Executive department, to be denominated the Department of War, with several amendments, to which they desired the concurrence of the House. That they have also passed the bill to provide for the government of the territory northwest of the river Ohio, with several amendments, to which they desired the concurrence of this House.

The House proceeded to consider the amendments to the said bills, and they were severally agreed to.

Resolved, That a committee be appointed to bring in a bill to establish the salaries of the Executive Officers of the Government, with their assistants and clerks.

Whereupon Messrs. FITZSIMONS, LAWRENCE, and GRIFFIN were appointed.

An engrossed bill for registering and clearing vessels was read a third time, and passed, and sent to the Senate for their concurrence.

The House then resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole, on the bill for allowing compensation to the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United States, and to the officers of both Houses, Mr. BOUDINOT in the Chair.

Mr. GOODHUE moved to strike out six dollars, as the pay of each member per diem.

Mr. CARROLL inquired if it was not out of order to alter principles, after they had been settled by the House?

Mr. PAGE wanted to know whether the gentleman meant to increase or diminish the sum, for he presumed it was not intended to be left a blank altogether; but he hoped the House would do neither. It had been settled, after mature deliberation, at six dollars; the House certainly thought that sum enough, and if it was more, that it would be too much: he was satisfied with this determination, and would adhere to it. Perhaps the gen