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A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1782
On the report of a grand committee, consisting of a member from each State:
The grand Committee report
That it is their opinion that the western lands if ceded to the U. S. might contribute towards a fund for paying the debts of these States.
Resolved, That one million two hundred thousand dollars be quotaed on the states, as absolutely and immediately necessary for payment of the interest of the public debt; and that it be recommended to the legislatures of the respective states, to lay such taxes as shall appear to them most proper and effectual for immediately raising their quotas of the above sum.
That the States be informed that their punctual compliance with this requisition is so absolutely necessary that the Superintendant of Finance will be directed to draw bills upon the treasurer of each State to the amount of their quota to be presented for Rejected acceptance atmonths out of the taxes that may be collected for this purpose and that the creditors of the U. States who reside in each State shall in preference to others receive the bills upon the treasurer of that State so far as the demand and quota shall correspond.
That it be recommended to the several States to impose a land tax of one dollar for every 100 acres of land, a poll tax of half a dollar on all free males between 16 and 21 years of age, except such as are in the Federal army or such as are by wounds or otherwise unfit for service, a dollar on all free males between 21 and 60 except as aforesaid, and half a dollar on all male slaves between 16 and 60 years of age; also an excise of one eighth part of a dollar per gallon on all distilled spirituous liquors, and to appropriate the money to arise therefrom to the payment of the debts of the United States.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of John Rutledge, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 26, folios 353 and 354. A copy by Charles Thomson is on folio 355.]
Resolved, That the money so raised in each State shall be applied towards paying the interest due on certificates issued
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from the loan-office of such State, and other liquidated debts of the United States contracted therein, before any part thereof shall be paid into the public treasury.
Ordered, That the foregoing resolutions be referred to the grand committee to assess and report the quota of each State.
Resolved, That it be earnestly recommended to the several states to impose and levy a duty of 5 per cent. ad valorem, at the time and place of importation, on all goods, wares and merchandize of foreign growth and manufacture, which may be imported into the said States respectively, except goods of the U. S. or any of them; and a like duty on all prizes and prize goods condemned in the Court of Admiralty of such States; that the money arising from such duties be paid into the Continental Treasury, to be appropriated and applied to payment of the interest and sinking the principal of the money which the U. S. have borrowed in Europe, and of what they may borrow, for discharging the arrears due to the Army, and for the future support of the war, and to no other use or purpose whatsoever. That the said duties continue for 25 years, unless the debts abovementioned shall be discharged in the mean time. In which case they shall cease and determine. That the money arising from the said duties and paid, by any State, into the Continental Treasury be passed to the credit of such State, on account of its quota of the debt of the United States.1
[Note 1: 1 This resolution, in the writing of John Rutledge, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, II, folio 101. It is undated. The following undated motion, in the writing of Nathaniel Gorham, is on folio 103 and appears to belong to this period:
Voted that congress will on every Resolved, That each Tuesday and Thursday in every week be assigned for the consideration of the finances of the United States and for devising means for the restoration of publick credit until Congress come to some determination thereon.]
[Motion: That the Several States pass laws for levying Taxes]
That it be also recommended to the Legislatures of the Several States, as a measure absolutely necessary for establishing public Credit, to Enact Laws for Levying a Tax ofdollars in specie or other money Equivalent, to be paid into the Treasury of the United States Continental Treasury and applied solely to the payment of the Principal and Interest of money Loaned or which may be Loaned by the United States and other public debts; and by said Laws continue such Taxes as a permanent fund for the above purposes, in
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aid to the duties and imposts before recommended untill the principal and interest of all public debts are fully paid and discharged.
That the said sum ofdollars to be raised annually for the above purposes be Levied in the several States in the proportions following vizt.
New Hampshire
Massachusetts1.
[Note 1: 1 This motion, undated, in the writing of Abraham Clark, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, IV, folio 355.]
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