The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States, First Congress, First Session, Volume 1 Page: 107
2, iv-xiii, [654], xxx p. ; 25 cm.View a full description of this book.
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107
April 9, 1789 j
OF DEBATES IN CONGRESS.
108
Duties on Imports.
[H. of R.
trotluce to the committee a subject, which ap
peais to me to be ot the gieatest magnitude;
a subject, su, that lequues oui hist attenlion,
-Uxl oui united e\ei'ions
No gentleman heic can be unacquainted with
the numeious claims, upon oui justice, nor with
the impotency which pitventcd Ihe late Con-
giessof the United States from cauying into
«ftect the dictate ot giatitudeand policy.
The union, by Hie establishment of a inoic
effective gov eminent, having lecoveied fiomthe
state of imbecility that heietofoie pievented a
peitounance of its duty, ought, in its fast act,
to iciiu those piinciplcs ol honoi and honesty
that have too long lain doimant
The deficiency in our Tieasuiy has been too
notonous to make it necessaiy foi me 10 ani-
madveit upon that subject Let us content
oui selves with endeavoung to lemedy the evil.
To do this a national tevenue must be obtained;
but Ihe system must be such a one, that, while
it secuies the object of levenue, it shall not be
oppiessn e (o oui constituents Happy it <s foi
us that such a sj stem is within oui poweijfoi
I appiehend that both these objects may be ob-
tained fiom an impost on ai tides unpolled in
to the United Slates
In pin suing this measuie, I know I hat two
points occur foi oui consideiation The fiist
respects the general legulation of commeice;
which, in my opinion, ought to be as fi ce as the
policy ol nations will admit The second te-
lates to ie\euue alone; and this is the point I
meanmoie paiticuJ.nly to bt m^ into the viewol
the committee
Not being at piesent possessed of sufficient
materials foi fully elucidating these points, and
oui situation admitting ot no delay, 1 shall pio-
pose such ai tides ol icgulanons only as aie
likely to occasion the least difficulty
The piopositions made on tins subject by Con
gieos in 1783, having leceived, gencially, the
appiobition ol the serial States of the Union,
in some lonn oi othei, seem well calculated to
bfcome (he basis ol the tempoi aiy system, vv Inch
I wish (he committee to adopt I im well
uv.ue (hat Ihe changes which have taken place
in many of the States, and in oui public en
cunibtaiicts, since that pennd, will lequue, in
some degice, a deviation fiom the scale of du
lies then affixed neveitheless, foi the sake of
that expedition which is necessaiy, in oidei to
embiace the spnng lmpoititious, I should le
< ommend dgene)al adheience (o the plan
This, &n, with the addition of a clausi oi two
on the subject ol tonnage, I will now i cad, and,
with leave, submit it to (he committee, hoping it
may meet then appiobation,,isan etpedicntien-
dered eligible by the uigent occasion theie is foi
the speedy supplies of the fedeial tieasury, and a
speedy teseue ot oui trade fiom its piesent an-
aichy.
lie&olved, As the opinion of this committee, that the
following duties ought to be levied on goods, vaies,
and men handise, unpolled into the United Statei, vi7
9
On mm, pei gallon,------of a dollai; on all
othei sumtuous liquors------; on molasses------;
on Maclena wine------; on all other wines------;
on common bohea teas pei lb.------; on all othei
teas------; on peppei------; on blown sugais------;
on loaf sugars------; on all othei sugars------; on
cocoa and coffee------on all othei ai tides------pei
cent, on their ^ aluc at the time and place of im-
putation.
That theie ought, moieover, to be levied on
all vessels in which goods, waies? oi meichan-
dises shall be impoited, the duties following,
viz. On all vessels built within the United
States, and belonging wholly to citizens theieof,
at the late of------per ton.
On all vessels belonging wholly to the subjects
ot Poweis with whom the United States have
foi med ti eaties, oi partly to the subjects of such
Poweis, and paitlyto citizens oi the said States,
at the rate of------
On all v essels belonging wholly oi in pait to
the subjects ot othei Poweis, at the 1 ate of------
Mi Boudii\ot—The necessity of adopting
some measuie, like the one proposed by the
honorable gentleman fiom Vnginia, is too ap-
paient to need anyaigumcnt in its suppoit. The
plan which he has submitted to the committee
appears to be simple and sufficiently complete
loi the piesent puiposc;I shall, therefore, tor
my own pait, be content with it, and shall move
you, sn, that (he blanks be filled up in the
mannei they weie lecommended to be charged
by Congress in 1783 My reason foi this is,
that those sums have beenappioved by the Le-
gislatuies of eveiy State lepiesented on this
flooi, and of consequence must have been
agi eeable to the sense of oui constituents at that
time; and, [ believe, nothing since has inter-
vened to give us i eason to believe they have
made an alteiatiun in (lieu sentiments
Mi Wmrr —I wishfillmguptheblanksmay
be defened until the business is moie matuied;
noi will this be attended with a loss of time,
because die lonns necessaiy to complete a bill
will icquiie so much as to give gentlemen lei-
suie to colisulei thepiopei quantum ot impost
to be laid, a well on theenuineiated ai tides as
on the common mas9 of meichandise lated ad
valoiem; foi, as wis hinted by my colleague,
something may have occuued to lendei an al-
teration in the sums lecommended in 1783 in
some degiee necessaiy; and if so, time will be
given to con&idei the subject with moie atten-
tion in the piogiess of the bill, and no unneces-
saiy delay can anse; wheiefoie, I move you, sir,
that the committee now use, lepoit progiess,
anil ask leave to sit again.
Mi Madisois — I do not considei it at (his
moment necessaiy to fill up the blanks, noi had
I it in contemplation at (he time I offeied the
piopositions. I supposed that most of the gen-
tlemen would wish time to think upon the pnn-
ciples geneiallv, and upon the ai tides paiticu-
laily; white othois, who, fiom then situation and
advantages m hl>, aie moie conveisant on this
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Gales, Joseph, 1761-1841. The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States, First Congress, First Session, Volume 1, book, 1834; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc29465/m1/56/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.