Daniel Heister, from Pennsylvania, appeared, produced his credentials, and took his seat in the House.
Wednesday, January 1, 1794.
Uriah Forrest and Thomas Sprigg, from Maryland, appeared, produced their credentials, and took their seats in the House.
Thursday, January 2.
Isaac Coles, from Virginia, and William Barry Grove, from North Carolina, appeared, produced their credentials, and took their seats in the House.
Friday, January 3.
Commerce of the United States.[48]
The House resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House on the Report of the Secretary of State on the privileges and restrictions on the commerce of the United States in foreign countries.
Mr. Madison, after some general observations on the report, entered into a more particular consideration of the subject. He remarked, that the commerce of the United States is not, at this day, on that respectable footing to which, from its nature and importance, it is entitled. He recurred to its situation previous to the adoption of the constitution, when conflicting systems prevailed in the different States. The then existing state of things gave rise to that Convention of Delegates from the different parts of the Union, who met to deliberate on some general principles for the regulation of commerce, which might be conducive, in their operation, to the general welfare, and that such measures should be adopted as would conciliate the friendship and good faith of those countries who were disposed to enter into the nearest commercial connections with us. But what has been the result of the system which has been pursued ever since? What is the present situation of our commerce? From the situation in which we find ourselves after four years' experiment, he observed, that it appeared incumbent on the United States to see whether they could not now take measures promotive of those objects for which the Government was in a great degree instituted. Measures of moderation, firmness, and decision, he was persuaded, were now necessary to be adopted, in order to narrow the sphere of our commerce with those nations who see proper not to meet us on terms of reciprocity.
Mr. M. then read the following resolutions: