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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 --FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1785.
Congress assembled. Present as yesterday.
On application of Mr. W. Livingston, one of the Commissioners of the board of treasury, for leave of absence for fifteen days,1
[Note 1: 1 Livingston's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 140, II, folio 99.]
Ordered, That leave be granted to him accordingly.
Congress resumed the consideration of the requisition for 1785; and the following paragraph being under debate, viz.
As more than two thirds of the sum called for, is to be applied to the payment of interest on the domestic debt; the Committee are of opinion, that the several legislatures may so model the collection of the sums called for, that one third of any sum being paid in actual money, the other two thirds may be discharged by the interest due upon loan office certificates, and upon other certificates of the liquidated debts of the United States; and to ascertain the evidences of interest due upon loan office certificates, the holders thereof respectively shall be at liberty to carry them to the office from which they issued, and the holders of other certificates of liquidated debts of the United States, to carry the same to the loan office of that state, wherein they are inhabitants, or, if a foreigner, to any loan office within the United States, and to have the interest due thereon, settled and certified to the last day of the year 1784.
A motion having been made by Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry, seconded by Mr. [John] Kean, to amend, by inserting the words, "from the last day of the year 1782," immediately after the words, "settled and certified." And the amendment being negatived, a motion was made by Mr. [Rufus] King, seconded by Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry, to reconsider the vote, in order to admit the proposed amendment.
And on the question to reconsider for the purpose above mentioned, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry,
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So it passed in the negative.
A motion was made by Mr. [Charles] Pinckney, seconded by Mr. [William] Grayson, to amend the paragraph by striking out the words "more than two thirds," and in lieu thereof inserting, "a considerable part," and changing "one third" into "two thirds," and "two thirds" into "one third."
Whereas, several of the states in the union having large demands against the U. S. have not from the particular circumstances of their situation arising as well from the assumptions of the said states of debts due from the U. S. to individuals as from the want of Coms. to settle their accounts been enabled to liquidate and adjust their accounts, and until such settlements are made, certificates and evidences of the sums due bearing interest cannot be obtained. As the paragraph now under debate is intended to enable the legislatures of the different States, so to model their taxes as to allow two thirds of the present requisition to be paid by discount of interest with the domestic creditor which will tend to create a very great difference between the states that have been able to adjust their demands and those whose peculiar and distressed situations have hitherto prevented
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such settlement. And as it would be highly impolitic at this time to make a requisition upon principles so unequal, Resolved that the words "as more than two thirds" in the first line of the said paragraph be struck out and the words "a considerable part," be inserted in lieu of them, and the words "one third" in the third line and "two thirds" in the fourth same line be also struck out and "two thirds" and "one third" inserted in their places respectively so as to read That the several Legislatures be allowed so to model the collections of the sums called for, that two thirds of any sum being paid in actual money, the other one third may be discharged by discount of interest with the domestic creditors.1
[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of Charles Pinckney, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, III, folio 131. It is dated as of September and appears to have been made on this or an approximate date.]
And on the question to agree to this amendment, the yeas and nays bring required by Mr. [Charles] Pinckney,
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So it passed in the negative.
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A motion was then made by Mr. [James] McHenry, seconded by Mr. [Samuel] Hardy, to amend by changing "one third" into "three fourths," and "two thirds" into " one fourth."
And on the question to agree to this Amendment, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [James] McHenry,
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So it passed in the negative.
A motion was then made by Mr. [James] McHenry, seconded by Mr. [Samuel] Hardy, to amend the paragraph, by changing "one third" into "one half," and "two thirds" into "half."
And on the question to agree to this amendment, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [James] McHenry,
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So it passed in the negative.1
[Note 1: 1 Also, according to indorsement and Committee Book No. 190, was read a letter, dated September 22, from the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, inclosing a letter from Ignace Palyart relating to commerce with Portugal, and draft of a proposed reply. Jay's letter and draft are in No. 80, I, folios 413--414. The matter was referred back to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs to take order. The proceeding is entered, with all the papers, in Resolve Book No. 123.]
That the Secretary at War report to Congress an estimate of the expences of the Invalid establishment under the resolutions of the 7th day of June last.2
[Note 2: 2 This motion, in the writing of David Howell, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, II, folio 129. According to Committee Book No. 190, the matter was this day referred to the Secretary at War to report, which he did September 26.]
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