Mr. Nicholas had always been of opinion, that the expense of these frigates was a useless expense; he did not believe a case could happen, except within our own jurisdiction, where these vessels could be of advantage to us; but notwithstanding this was his opinion, he should vote for the passing of this bill, because he saw the sentiments of that House and the public were strongly in its favor, from a persuasion that the measure was necessary, and that the thing would be a continual topic of dispute until it was carried into effect.
He was willing, therefore, to let the vessels go to sea, believing that nothing short of actual experience would convince the supporters of this measure that it was useless, expensive, and injurious; and hoping that by one year's experience of the plaything, finding that money was of greater value than the frigates, all parties would concur in relinquishing it.
The question was then taken on the passing of the bill, and decided in the affirmative—yeas 78, nays 25, as follows:
Yeas—John Allen, George Baer, jr., Theophilus Bradbury, David Brooks, Nathan Bryan, Dempsey Burges, Christopher G. Champlin, James Cochran, William Craik, Samuel W. Dana, James Davenport, Thomas T. Davis, John Dennis, George Dent, George Ege, Lucas Elmendorph, Thomas Evans, Abiel Foster, Dwight Foster, John Fowler, Jonathan Freeman, Nathaniel Freeman, jr., James Gillespie, Henry Glenn, Chauncey Goodrich, William Gordon, Roger Griswold, William B. Grove, John A. Hanna, Robert Goodloe Harper, Carter B. Harrison, Thomas Hartley, William Hindman, David Holmes, Hezekiah L. Hosmer, James H. Imlay, John Wilkes Kittera, Edward Livingston, Samuel Lyman, Matthew Lyon, James Machir, William Matthews, John Milledge, Daniel Morgan, John Nicholas, Harrison G. Otis, Josiah Parker, Elisha R. Potter, John Read, John Rutledge, jr., James Schureman, Samuel Sewall, William Shepard, Thomas Sinnickson, Samuel Sitgreaves, Jeremiah Smith, Nathaniel Smith, William Smith, of Charleston, Richard Sprigg, jr., John Swanwick, George Thatcher, Richard Thomas, Mark Thomson, Abram Trigg, John Trigg, John E. Van Allen, Philip Van Cortlandt, Peleg Wadsworth, John Williams, and Robert Williams.
Nays—Abraham Baldwin, David Bard, Thomas Blount, Richard Brent, Thomas Claiborne, Matthew Clay, John Clopton, Joshua Coit, John Dawson, Albert Gallatin, William B. Giles, Andrew Gregg, Jonathan N. Havens, Walter Jones, Matthew Locke, Nathaniel Macon, Blair McClenachan, Joseph McDowell, Anthony New, Tompson J. Skinner, William Smith, (of Pinckney District,) Richard Stanford, Thomas Sumter, Joseph B. Varnum, and Abraham Venable.
The title was altered from "An act for the protection of the trade of the United States," to "An act providing a Naval Armament."
Monday, June 26.
Lewis R. Morris, from Vermont, and Lemuel Benton, from South Carolina, appeared, produced their credentials, were qualified, and took their seats.
Stamp duties: Naturalization certificates: Lawyer's licenses: Conveyances.
The House went into a Committee of the Whole on the bill for laying duties on stamped vellum, parchment, and paper; when, the first section being under consideration,