Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, Vol. 2 (of 16)United States. Congress
History
Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, Vol. 2 (of 16)
United States. Congress
Law -- United States; United States -- Politics and government
Mr. HARTLEY said, that the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. MACON) had
voted against both of the bills which had been referred to. He knew no
difference between the Constitution of the United States and that of
Pennsylvania, yet a vote in their House had been carried unanimously. He
thought the law for the relief of the sufferers of St. Domingo perfectly
in point; for, notwithstanding what was said about negotiation, the
distress of those people had consumed all the money before the six
months were expired. If ever there was a case in which they could grant
relief, this was one. The losses at New York and Charleston would bear
no comparison with that of Savannah; they were rich and flourishing
places, whilst Savannah was a small city of a new State, and the
sufferers generally poor. He hoped, therefore, the resolution would be
agreed to.
Mr. MOORE said, the laws which had been adduced as precedents were not
in point; for the one sum we were to have credit with the French
Republic, and the other was in consideration of past services. The
distress of the people of Savannah was not an object of legislation;
every individual citizen could, if he pleased, show his individual
humanity by subscribing to their relief; but it was not constitutional
for them to afford relief from the Treasury. If, however, the principle
was adopted, it should be general. Every sufferer had an equal claim.
Lexington, in Virginia, contained only one hundred houses, and all
except two had been destroyed by fire. He should therefore move to add
Lexington to Savannah in the resolution before them; though he would
observe, as he did not approve of the principle, he should vote against
them both.
Mr. VENABLE did not see the difference between the two cases which was
so distinguishable to the gentleman last up. Because Savannah was a
commercial city, its distress, according to that gentleman, was
indescribable, but when a like scene was exhibited in a small town, it
was no longer an object which touched his feelings. His humanity went no
where but where commerce was to be found. He asked whether the United
States might not as well lose revenue in the first instance, as put
money into the people's pockets to pay it with? Humanity was the same
every where. A person who lost his all in a village, felt the misfortune
as heavily as he who had a like loss in a city, and perhaps more so,
since the citizen would have a better opportunity by means of commerce
of retrieving his loss. He was against the general principle, as he
believed, if acted upon, it would bring such claims upon the Treasury as
it would not be able to answer.
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