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A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Sir Philadelphia May 14. 1781 The Circulation of the old Continental Bills is at an End in this City, and the same Effect will doubtless take Place through this and the adjoining States in a few Days. The Time limited for its Circulation by the late Law of the State expires the first of June. The Limitation is already expired in Maryland as affixed by their Law, it is probable that the late Publication of the President and Council of this State ascertaining the Rate of Exchange which is contained in the inclosed Papers (1) hath had some Effect in contracting the Period limited by Law for the Circulation of those Bills in this State. I am told that the old Continental Bills may be now obtained here for Specie at the Rate of five hundred Dollars of the former for one of Silver. As it is easy to suppose those Bills will circulate no considerable Time longer in any State, at least Northward of Pennsylvania, I cannot forbear to express my Wishes that the honorable General Assembly might immediately adopt such Mode as in their Wisdom shall appear most proper to call in the Quota of the old Bills assigned to Connecticut.
Information which I have received from different Ways, saith that the Assembly have had in Contemplation not to issue any of the new Bills emitted in Pursuance of the Resolve of the 18th March 1780, this may be a wise Measure if the Exigencies of Government & of the Continent will permit the Measure. At any Rate I would hope, not more than the four tenths assigned for the Use of the United States, should ever be issued: although I am of Opinion, had the Resolve of the 18th of March been carried into Execution without Loss of Time agreeable to the Intention of it, it might have proved the best Means & procured the greatest Relief respecting the Finances that the Nature of the Case could admit; yet by the great Delay of many of the States in their Compliance, on Paper only, and all of them in Fact, in carrying their Acts into Execution, the Plan is in a great
Page 237
MAY 14, 1781
Link to date-related documents.
Measure frustrated the Depreciation of the old Money, by its Continuance in Circulation, contaminates every new Currency.
Mr Brown the Bearer will deliver your Excellency a Pamphlet published by Order of Congress, containing the Constitutions of Government in all the States, the Declaration of Independence, Treaty with France & Articles of Confederation. I have also forwarded by the same Conveyance a Number of the Journals of Congress for the Use of the State.
The Request to obtain the Invalids belonging, to Connecticut to be stationed & employed in that State, I fear will not be obtained. The Matter is yet undetermined.(2) The Petition of the Soldiers from Westmoreland is not granted.(3) If the Connecticut Line was full without them they might obtain their Discharge.
I fear the Delegates from Connecticut have met with some Misfortune by the Way, their Chariot Wheels are long in coming.
I have the Honor to be, with every Sentiment of Esteem & Regard, Your Excellency's most obedient & most humble Servant,
Sam. Huntington
RC (Ct: Trumbull Papers). In a clerical hand and signed by Huntington.
1 For the May 2 declaration of the Pennsylvania Council changing the rate of exchange between Continental dollars and specie from 75:1 to 175:1, see Daniel Carroll to Thomas Sim Lee, May 5, 1781, note. The council's declaration and a subsequent explanation of this change were published in the May 5 and 8 issues respectively, of the Pennsylvania Packet and appeared together in the Freeman's Journal of May 9.
2 Huntington was obviously confused, inasmuch as "The Matter" had been determined in mid-March and he had already informed Trumbull of Congress' rejection of Connecticut's request. See Huntington's second letter to Trumbull March 24, 1781, note 2. For a somewhat similar anomaly involving Huntington's correspondence with the governor, see note 2 to his first letter to Trumbull of the same date.
3 With his March 7 letter to Huntington, Trumbull had enclosed two January 23 petitions from the Connecticut troops at Westmoreland which were read and referred to the Board of War on April 5, 1781. Citing continuous hazardous duty since 1777 and the exposed position of their post in the Wyoming Valley, the Westmoreland troops had requested release from their assignment. No recommendation from the Board of War or formal action by Congress on these petitions has been discovered but for Trumbull's letter and the enclosed petitions, See JCC, 19:353; PCC, item 41, 10:538-41, 544-47, item 66, 2:188-89; and Susquehannah Co. Papers, 7:79-82.
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