VII. RHODE ISLAND CONVENTION (FIRST SESSION)

BARTON says if there is not
GEORGE HAZARD says enough has been said on this Head-But we
have always found it Difficult to make the Estimate and apportion Taxes
agreeable there to in this State-He thought this Clause the best way-
our own Experience has shewn that it is impossible to obtain a Just
Estimate-Could not obtain a Just one. It Has been made clearly to
appear that on the Principle of Numbers we shall be advantaged by an
Adoption-we shall gain in a future day-
(Mr. G. HAZARD if all be confined to the sectn. I draw my Concerns-
not for myself but for my countrymen that is the Landholders of whom
I am one and unless Some Time [be] allowed. the adoption of five pct.
woud hav extricated us from this difficulty.)
Mr. JONATHAN J. HAZARD observed that this Clause is the most ma-
terial part of the Constitution-which he had objections-Shall we
Risque putting our Country into Difficult Situation for-
We know our Country is over loaded with Debt-It Draws his Atten-
tion-This Debt of 54 Millions of Dollars4 is like a Cloud cast upon
us-it eats like a Canker Worm Night & Day-
Mr. WILLIAM CONGDON objects to Mr Hazard going on-He goes on
to Observe that the Landed Interest ought to agree to this Measure-
The Farmers objected to the 5 per Cent Act5-
He heard a Merchant say he would go through a Revolution before
he would agree to the 5 per Cent
CONGDON says it has been observed that the apportionment of Taxes
in this state has been by Estimate-That if Taxes were to be assessed
on our Jamestown & Portsmouth by Numbers how unequal would it
be6-
(Mr. CONGDON-Present mode of Taxing by Numbers unequal as
between towns. James To [w] n & W Greenwich great inequality if Taxed
by Numbers-)
Mr. MARCHANT answers him that the Quota will be assessed by Num-
bers but will be Detailed.
Gen. MILLER says we stand with the United States as Jamestown is to
this state-The mode of Estimate is therefore most advantageous to us
(Genl. MILLER reverses the ob[jec]t[ion] and says we are advantaged
by the mode acordingly,)
Gen. STANTON says we ought to be honest that Gen. Miller has given
us this Argument
Mr. BENJAMIN BOURNE says That the other New England States have
not objected to this mode-Their silence on the occasion is a strong
Argument in favour of this Mode for amendment.-

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