Page:Joseph Story, Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States (1st ed, 1833, vol II).djvu/400

 392 by the United States. The latter committee reported, that the legislature of the United States shall have power to fulfil the engagements, which have been entered into by congress, and to discharge, as well the debts of the United States, as the debts incurred by the several states during the late war, for the common defence and general welfare. This proposition (it may be presumed) has no reference whatsoever to the clause in the draft of the constitution to lay taxes. The former committee (of five) at a later day reported, that there should be added to the first section of the seventh article (the clause to lay taxes) the following words, "for payment of the debts and the necessary expenses of the United States, provided, that no law for raising any branch of revenue, except what may be specially appropriated for the payment of interest on debts or loans, shall continue in force for more than ——— years." It was then moved to amend the first clause of the report of the other committee, (on state debts,) so as to read as follows: "The legislature shall fulfil the engagements and discharge the debts of the United States," which (after an ineffectual attempt to amend by striking out the words, "discharge the debts," and inserting the words, "liquidate the claims,") passed unanimously in the affirmative. So, that the provision in the report, to assume the state debts, was struck out. On a subsequent day, it was moved to amend the first section of the seventh article, so as to read: "The legislature shall fulfil the engagements, and discharge the debts of the United States, and shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts,