confession in open court;" and on the question, (the negative states thinking the words superfluous,) it was agreed to.
New Hampshire, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, ay, 7; Massachusetts, South Carolina, Georgia, no, 3; North Carolina, divided.
Article 7, sect. 2, as amended, was then agreed to, nem. con.221
Article 7, sect. 3, was taken up. The words "white and others" were struck out, nem. con., as superfluous.
Mr. ELLSWORTH moved to require the first census to be taken within "three," instead of "six," years from the first meeting of the legislature; and on the question,—
New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, ay, 9; South Carolina, Georgia, no, 2.
Mr. KING asked what was the precise meaning of direct taxation. No one answered.
Mr. GERRY moved to add to article 7, sect. 3, the following clause:—
"That, from the first meeting of the legislature of the United States until a census shall be taken, all moneys for supplying the public treasury by direct taxation shall be raised from the several states, according to the number of their representatives respectively in the first branch."
Mr. LANGDON. This would bear unreasonably hard on New Hampshire, and he must be against it.
Mr. CARROLL opposed it. The number of representatives did not admit of a proportion exact enough for a rule of taxation.
Before any question, the House adjourned.
In Convention.—Gov. Livingston, from the committee of eleven, to whom were referred the propositions respecting the debts of the several states, and also the militia, entered on the eighteenth instant, delivered the following report:—
"The legislature of the United States shall have power to fulfil the engagements which have been entered into by Congress, and to discharge, as well the debts of the United States, as the debts incurred by the several states, during the late war, for the common defence and general welfare.
"To make laws for organizing, arming, and disciplining the militia, and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the United States; reserving to the states, respectively, the appointment of the officers, and the authority of training the militia, according to the discipline prescribed by the United States."
Mr. GERRY considered giving the power only, without adopting the obligation, as destroying the security now enjoyed by the public creditors of the United States. He enlarged on the merit of this class of citizens, and the solemn faith which had been pledged under the existing Confederation. If their situation should be changed, as here proposed, great opposition would be excited against the plan. He urged, also, that as the states had made different degrees of exertion to sink their respective debts, those who had done most would be alarmed, if they were now to be saddled with a share of the debts of states which had done least.
