legislature necessary; and that, in that mode, no opposition would be excited; whereas, an absolute prohibition of paper money would rouse the most desperate opposition from its partizans.

Mr. SHERMAN thought this a favorable crisis for crushing paper money. If the consent of the legislature could authorize emissions of it, the friends of paper money would make every exertion to get into the legislature in order to license it.

The question being divided, on the first part, "nor emit bills of credit,"

New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, ay, 8; Virginia, no, 1; Maryland, divided.

The remaining part of Mr. Wilson's and Mr. Sherman's motion was agreed to, nem. con."

239

Mr. KING moved to add, in the words used in the ordinance of Congress establishing new states, a prohibition on the states to interfere in private contracts.

Mr. GOUVERNEUR MORRIS. This would be going too far. There are a thousand laws relating to bringing actions, limitations of actions, &c., which affect contracts. The judicial power of the United States will be a protection in cases within their jurisdiction; and within the state itself a majority must rule, whatever may be the mischief done among themselves.

Mr. SHERMAN. Why then prohibit bills of credit?

Mr. WILSON was in favor of Mr. King's motion.

Mr. MADISON admitted that inconveniences might arise from such a prohibition; but thought on the whole it would be overbalanced by the utility of it. He conceived, however, that a negative on the state laws could alone secure the effect. Evasions might and would be devised by the ingenuity of the legislatures.

Col. MASON. This is carrying the restraint too far. Cases will happen, that cannot be foreseen, where some kind of interference will be proper and essential. He mentioned the case of limiting the period for bringing actions on open account-that of bonds after a certain lapse of time-asking, whether it was proper to tie the hands of the states from making provision in such cases.

Mr. WILSON. The answer to these objections is, that retrospective interferences only are to be prohibited.

Mr. MADISON. Is not that already done by the prohibition of ex post facto laws, which will oblige the judges to declare such interferences null and void.2

240

Mr. RUTLEDGE moved, instead of Mr. King's motion, to insert, "nor pass bills of attainder, nor retrospective [in the printed Journal, "ex post facto,"] laws."

On which motion,

New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, ay, 7; Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia, no, 3.

Mr. MADISON moved to insert, after the word "reprisal,"

(article 12,) the words, "nor lay embargoes." He urged that such acts by the states would be unnecessary, impolitic, and unjust.

Mr. SHERMAN thought the states ought to retain this power, in order to prevent suffering and injury to their poor.

Col. MASON thought the amendment would be not only improper but dangerous, as the general legislature would not sit constantly, and therefore could not interpose at the necessary moments. He enforced his objection by appealing to the necessity of sudden embargoes, during the war, to prevent exports - particularly in the case of a blockade.

Mr. GOUVERNEUR MORRIS considered the provision as unnecessary; the power of regulating trade between state and state, already vested in the general legislature, being sufficient.

On the question,

Massachusetts, Delaware, South Carolina, ay, 3; New Hampshire, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, no, 8.

Mr. MADISON moved, that the words, "nor lay imposts or duties on imports," be transferred from article 13, where the consent of the general legislature may license the act, into article 12, which will make the prohibition on the states absolute. He observed, that as the states interested in this power, by which they could tax the imports of their neighbors passing through their markets, were a majority, they could give the consent of the legislature, to the injury of New Jersey, North Carolina, &c.

Mr. WILLIAMSON seconded the motion.

Mr. SHERMAN thought the power might safely be left to the legislature of the United States.

Col. MASON observed, that particular states might wish to encourage, by impost duties, certain manufactures, for which they enjoyed natural advantages, as Virginia the manufacture of hemp, &c.

Mr. MADISON. The encouragement of manufactures in that mode requires duties, not only on imports directly from foreign countries, but from the other states in the Union, which would revive all the mischiefs experienced from the want of a general government

over commerce.

On the question,

New Hampshire, New Jersey, Delaware, North Carolina, ay, 4; Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, no, 7. Article 12, as amended, was then agreed to, nem. con.

Article 13, was then taken up.

Mr. KING moved to insert, after the word "imports," the words, "or exports;" so as to prohibit the states from taxing either; and on this question, it passed in the affirmative.

New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, North Carolina, ay, 6; Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, no, 5.

Mr. SHERMAN moved to add, after the word "exports," the words, "nor with such consent, but for the use of the United States;

so as to carry the proceeds of all state duties on imports or exports into the common treasury.

Mr. MADISON liked the motion, as preventing all state imposts; but lamented the complexity we were giving to the commercia system.

Mr. GOUVERNEUR MORRIS thought the regulation necessary, to prevent the Atlantic States from endeavoring to tax the Western States, and promote their interest by opposing the navigation of the Mississippi, which would drive the western people into the arms of Great Britain.

Mr. CLYMER thought the encouragement of the western country was suicide on the part of the old states. If the states have such different interests that they cannot be left to regulate their own manufactures without encountering the interests of other states, it is a proof that they are not fit to compose one nation.

Mr. KING was afraid that the regulation moved by Mr. Sherman would too much interfere with the policy of states respecting their manufactures, which may be necessary. Revenue, he reminded the House, was the object of the general legislature.

On Mr. Sherman's motion,

New Hampshire, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, ay, 9; Massachusetts, Maryland, no, 2.

Article 13, was then agreed to, as amended.

Article 14, was then taken up.

Gen. PINCKNEY was not satisfied with it. He seemed to wish some provision should be included in favor of property in slaves. On the question on article 14.

New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, ay, 9; South Carolina, no, 1; Georgia, divided.

Article 15 being then taken up, the words, "high misdemeanor," were struck out, and the words, "other crime," inserted, in order to comprehend all proper cases; it being doubtful whether "high misdemeanor" had not a technical meaning too limited.

Mr. BUTLER and Mr. PINCKNEY moved to require "fugitive slaves and servants to be delivered up like criminals."

Mr. WILSON. This would oblige the executive of the state to do it at the public expense.

Mr. SHERMAN saw no more propriety in the public seizing and surrendering a slave or servant than a horse.

Mr. BUTLER withdrew his proposition, in order that some particular provision might be made, apart from this article. Article 15, as amended, was then agreed to, nem. con. Adjourned.

In Convention.

WEDNESDAY, August 29.

- Article 16 being taken up,

Mr WILLIAMSON moved to substitute, in place of it, the words

of the Articles of Confederation on the same subject. understand precisely the meaning of the article.241

He did not

Mr. WILSON and Dr. JOHNSON supposed the meaning to be, that judgments in one state should be the ground of actions in other states; and that acts of the legislatures should be included, for the sake of acts of insolvency, &c.

Mr. PINCKNEY moved to commit article 16, with the following proposition: "To establish uniform laws upon the subject of bankruptcies, and respecting the damages arising on the protest of foreign bills of exchange."

Mr. GORHAM was for agreeing to the article, and committing the proposition.

Mr. MADISON was for committing both. He wished the legislature might be authorized to provide for the execution of judgments in other states, under such regulations as might be expedient. He thought that this might be safely done, and was justified by the nature of the Union.

Mr. RANDOLPH said, there was no instance of one nation executing judgments of the courts of another nation. He moved the following proposition:

"Whenever the act of any state, whether legislative, executive, or judiciary, shall be attested and exemplified under the seal thereof, such attestation and exemplification shall be deemed in other states as full proof of the existence of that act; and its operation shall be binding in every other state, in all cases to which it may relate, and which are within the cognizance and jurisdiction of the state wherein the said act was done."

On the question for committing article 16, with Mr. Pinckney's motion,

Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, ay, 9; New Hampshire, Massachusetts, no, 2. The motion of Mr. Randolph was also committed, nem. con.

Mr. GOUVERNEUR MORRIS moved to commit also the following proposition on the same subject:

"Full faith ought to be given, in each state, to the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings, of every other state; and the legislature shall, by general laws, determine the proof and effect of such acts, records, and proceedings;" and it was committed, nem. con.

The committee appointed for these references, were Mr. Rutledge, Mr. Randolph, Mr. Gorham, Mr. Wilson, and Mr. John

son. 242

Mr. DICKINSON mentioned to the House, that, on examining Blackstone's Commentaries, he found that the term "ex post facto related to criminal cases only; that they would not, consequently, restrain the states from retrospective laws in civil cases; and that some further provision for this purpose would be requisite.

Article 7, sect. 6, by the committee of eleven reported to be struck out, (see the 24th inst.,) being now taken up,—

Mr. PINCKNEY moved to postpone the report, in favor of the following proposition:

"That no act of the legislature for the purpose of regulating the commerce of the United States with foreign powers, among the several states, shall be passed without the assent of two thirds of the members of each House."

He remarked, that there were five distinct commercial interests: 1. The fisheries and West India trade, which belonged to the New England States. 2. The interest of New York lay in a free trade. 3. Wheat and flour, the staples of the two Middle States, (New Jersey and Pennsylvania.) 4. Tobacco, the staple of Maryland and Virginia, and partly of North Carolina. 5. Rice and indigo, the staples of South Carolina and Georgia. These different interests would be a source of oppressive regulations, if no check to a bare majority should be provided. States pursue their interests with less. scruple than individuals. The power of regulating commerce was a pure concession on the part of the Southern States. They did not need the protection of the Northern States at present.

Mr. MARTIN seconded the motion.

Gen. PINCKNEY said, it was the true interest of the Southern States to have no regulation of commerce; but, considering the loss brought on the commerce of the Eastern States by the revolution, their liberal conduct towards the views of South Carolina, and the interest the weak Southern States had in being united with the strong Eastern States, he thought it proper that no fetters should be imposed on the power of making commercial regulations, and that his constituents, though prejudiced against the Eastern States, would be reconciled to this liberality. He had himself, he said, prejudices against the Eastern States before he came here, but would acknowledge that he had found them as liberal and candid as any men whatever.

Mr. CLYMER. The diversity of commercial interest of necessity creates difficulties which ought not to be increased by unnecessary restrictions. The Northern and Middle States will be ruined, if not enabled to defend themselves against foreign regulations.

Mr. SHERMAN, alluding to Mr. Pinckney's enumeration of particular interests, as requiring a security against abuse of the power, observed, that the diversity was of itself a security; adding, that to require more than a majority to decide a question was always embarrassing, as had been experienced in cases requiring the votes of nine States in Congress.

Mr. PINCKNEY replied, that his enumeration meant the five minute interests. It still left the two great divisions, of northern and southern interests.

Mr. GOUVERNEUR MORRIS opposed the object of the motion, as highly injurious. Preferences to American ships will multiply them, till they can carry the southern produce cheaper than it is now

He meant the permission to import slaves. An understanding on the two subJects of navigation and slavery, had taken place between those parts of the Union, which explains the vote on the motion depending, as well as the language of General Pinckney and others