[36] "Mr. Fitzsimons is a Merchant of considerable talents, and speaks very well I am told, in the Legislature of Pennsylvania. He is about 40 years old."--Pierce's Notes, _Am. Hist. Rev._, iii., 328. Col. Mason. If he were for reducing the States to mere corporations as seemed to be the tendency of some arguments, he should be for subjecting their exports as well as imports to a power of general taxation. He went on a principle often advanced & in which he concurred, that "a majority when interested will oppress the minority." This maxim had been verified by our own Legislature (of Virginia). If we compare the States in this point of view the 8 Northern States have an interest different from the five South^n States; and have in one branch of the legislature 36 votes ag^{st} 29. and in the other in the proportion of 8 ag^{st} 5. The Southern States had therefore ground for their suspicions. The case of Exports was not the same with that of imports. The latter were the same throughout the States; the former very different. As to Tobacco other nations do raise it, and are capable of raising it as well as Virg^a &c. The impolicy of taxing that article had been demonstrated by the experiment of Virginia. M^r Clymer[37] remarked that every State might reason with regard to its particular productions, in the same manner as the Southern States. The middle States may apprehend an oppression of their wheat flour, provisions &c. and with more reason, as these articles were exposed to a competition in foreign markets not incident to Tob^o rice &c. They may apprehend also combinations ag^{st} them between the Eastern & Southern States as much as the latter can apprehend them between the Eastern & middle. He moved as a qualification of the power of taxing Exports that it should be restrained to regulations of trade by inserting after the word "duty" sect 4 art VII the words, "for the purpose of revenue." [37] "Mr. Clymer is a Lawyer of some abilities;--he is a respectable Man and much esteemed. Mr. Clymer is about 40 years old."--Pierce's Notes, _Am. Hist. Rev._, iii., 328. On question on M^r Clymer's motion N. H. no. Mass. no. C^t no. N. J. ay. P^a ay. Del. ay. M^d no. V^a no. N. C. no. S. C. no. Geo. no. M^r Madison. In order to require 2/3 of each House to tax exports, as a lesser evil than a total prohibition moved to insert the words "unless by consent of two thirds of the Legislature." M^r Wilson 2^{ds} and on this question, it passed in the Negative. N. H. ay. Mass. ay. C^t no. N. J. ay. P^a ay. Del. ay. M^d no. V^a no (Col. Mason, M^r Randolph M^r Blair no. Gen^l Washington & J. M. ay.) N. C. no. S. C. no. Geo. no. Question on Sect: 4. Art VII. as far as to "no tax sh^l be laid on exports"--it passed in the affirmative. N. H. no. Mass. ay. C^t ay. N. J. no. P^a no. Del. no. M^d ay. V^a ay. (Gen^l W. & J. M. no) N. C. ay. S. C. ay. Geo. ay.