Page:The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787 Volume 2.djvu/368

 362 RECORDS OF THE FEDERAL CONVENTION Tuesday MADISON August Mr. McHenw conceived that power to be included in the power of war. Mr. Wilson. Pennsylvania exports the produce of Maryd. N. Jersey, Delaware & will by & by when the River Delaware is opened, export for N--York. In favoring the general power over exports therefore, he opposed the particular inter- est of his State. He remarked that the power had been at- tacked by reasoning which could only have held good in case the Genl Govt. had been compelled, instead of authorized, to lay duties on exports. To deny this power is to take from the Common Govt. half the regulation of trade- It was his opinion that a power over exports might be more effectual than .that over imports in obtaining beneficial treaties of com- merce. Mr. Gerry was strenuously opposed to the power over exports. It might be made use of to compel the States to comply with the will of the Genl Government, and to grant it any new powers which might be demanded- We have �given it more power already than we know how will be exer- cised- It will enable the Genl Govt to oppress the Star. es, as much as Ireland is oppressed by Great Britain. Mr. Fitzimmons would be agst. a tax on exports to be laid immediately; but was for giving a power of laying the tax when a proper time may call for it-- This would certainly' be the case when America should become a manufacturing country-- He illustrated his argument by the duties in C- Britain on wool &c. Col. Mason- If he were for reducing the States to mere corporations as seemed to be the tendency of some argu- ments, 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 Southn. States, -- and have in one branch of the legislature 36 votes agst 29. and in the other, in the proportion of 8 agst 5- The Southern

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