Page:Lamb - History of the city of New York - Volume 3.djvu/33

361 recommended an increase of duties on imported wines, tea, etc., and a duty on home-made liquors.

The sharpest controversy hinged on the assumption of the State debts, and the terms as to the period of payment and rate of interest of the general debt thus proposed to be established. The debts of the respective States were very unequal in amount; and investigations concerning the services rendered by each State brought to the front all the local prejudices of a century, and all manner of invidious comparisons. Another prominent question upon which the members were almost evenly divided was the payment of the whole amount, rather than the mere market value of the government paper. This paper had in most cases passed through many hands, and was immensely depreciated below its nominal value. The original creditors, therefore, and the subsequent holders, had lost in proportion to the scale of depreciation. The proposal to assume the whole debt as it stood on the face of the paper, and pay it to the present holders, was said to be inequitable, inasmuch as these had purchased it at the depreciated value, and had no claim to be remunerated for the losses of the previous holders.

Other business of grave importance came before this session of Congress in New York City, not least of which was the enumeration of inhabitants of the Union, the establishing of a uniform rule of naturalization, the providing of means of intercourse with foreign nations, and for regulating treaties and trade with the Indians, and the location of the permanent seat of government.

Meanwhile the city was gay with all manner of festivities public and private — the balls and dinners were more numerous than the evenings — and the principal statesmen were constantly meeting in social circles, and everywhere discussing the great topics of the hour. Mrs. Washington’s levees on Friday evenings were largely attended, and Mrs. Jay, Mrs. Hamilton, and Mrs. Knox each had a special evening, aside from giving dinners every week.

The residence of Washington in Franklin Square proved inconvenient on account of the great distance out of town, and as Postmaster-General Osgood wished to return to his house, having lived at his country-seat three miles to the north during the interim, the President arranged on the 1st of February for removal to the McComb mansion in Broadway, a little below Trinity Church — the former residence of the French minister. On the 3rd he tells us that he visited the various apartments of his future home, "and made a disposition of the rooms, fixed on some furniture of the Minister’s to be sold, and directed additional stables built”; on the 6th, he walked to the place to decide upon the exact site for the projected