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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, OCTOBER 6, 1786.
Congress assembled. Present, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia; and from Rhode Island, Mr. [Nathan] Miller.
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On motion of Mr. [Charles] Pinckney, seconded by Mr. [Arthur] St. Clair,
Resolved, That Congress now proceed to the election of a Superintendent for the Southern district, agreeably to the Ordinance for the regulation of Indian Affairs, and that he be directed immediately to proceed to the states of North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, for the purposes mentioned in the said Ordinance.1
[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of Charles Pinckney, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 30, folio 301. Attached to it is the following, also in Pinckney's handwriting: "That Tomorrow Monday be assigned for the election of the said Superintendant of the northern district."]
Congress proceeded to an election; and, the ballots being taken,
Mr. James White of North Carolina, was appointed, having been previously nominated by Mr. [Arthur] St. Clair.
On motion of Mr. [Charles] Pinckney, seconded by Mr. [Arthur] St. Clair,
Resolved, That the oaths required of the Superintendents of Indian Affairs, be taken before any one of the Judges of the supreme court in any of the United States.2
[Note 2: 2 This motion, in the writing of Charles Pinckney, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, III, folio 313.]
Congress proceeded in the Consideration of the report of the Committee, on the motions touching the settlement of Accounts between the United States and individual States, and having gone through the same, and made sundry amendments,
Ordered, That it be transcribed in form of an Ordinance; and that Monday be assigned for the second reading.
An Address from the United States in Congress Assembled to the Legislatures of the several States:
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It is with the most painful anxiety that they are compelled to declare, that, having been denied the means of satisfying the engagements
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which they have constitutionally made for the common benefit of the Union it is now their duty solemnly to warn their constituents that the most fatal evils will speedily and inevitably flow from a breach of public faith and a violation of the principles of justice, which are the solid basis of the honor and prosperity of Nations.
The States were called upon the last year to pay into the general Treasury the sum of three millions of dollars, of which one million was to be discharged by Specie and two millions by discounts of interest on the domestic debt. The objects for which the monies proposed to be raised were to be appropriated, were then distinctly pointed out; By this it appears that the sum of eight hundred and forty thousand dollars were absolutely and indispensibly necessary to defray the charges of the Civil government and the interest of the foreign debt.
What have been the effects of this requisition? Notwithstanding the serious and interesting appeal of Congress to the justice and wisdom of the several States which soon followed it, and in which after stating the public receipts and expenditures for the four preceding years, it is proved that the receipts of the last fourteen months were not adequate to the bare maintenance of the federal government, on the most economical establishment, and in time of profound peace, only eight ten states out of the thirteen have passed acts apparently complying with it, and by such as have complied not more than the sum of 100,000 dollars, has been paid into the general Treasury to the present date in actual Specie.
In examining the proceedings of the different States in consequence of the Resolves of the 27th. Sept. 1785, the following statement is the result:
In the Act of New Hampshire, the Specie directed to be raised is to be assessed on the polls and ratable estates within that State, agreeably to the last proportion of taxes, for the several Towns and places, but as it does not appear by this Act, at what rate the polls and real property are rated, or whether those funds are burthened with any other engagements it is impossible to form a judgement of what may be expected from the provision made. If the funds are the same as have been relied on for paying that State's quota of the requisition of the 27th. and 28th. of April, 1784, experience demonstrates that no dependance can be placed upon their efficacy.
By the Act of Massachusetts it appears that there is assessed on the different Counties of that State the sum of £300,439:1:3 Lawful
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money, out of which the sum of 1£45,665, equal to 485,550 dollars (the Specie quota of that State) is to be paid into the general Treasury on or before the 1st. of January, next.
From the whole sum there is to be deducted: For the support of Civil government, £25,784:1:3; for the payment of interest on their State debt, £29,000:0:0; for redeeming army Notes payable 1784, 1785, and 1786, £100,000:0:0; for replacing sums drawn out of the treasury for support of the members of Assembly, £1,101:18:0.
It does not appear by this Act that any preference in payment is to be given to the requisition of Congress and as more than one Moiety of the sum proposed to be raised, is for State purposes, in which the support of the government and the particular interests of their Citizens are concerned, it may be inferred that the first monies collected will be appripriated for the objects last mentioned; of course the Specie payments of the requisition will be procrastinated, and any deficiency in the general Tax, will fall on the sum which is appropriated for federal purposes. From Rhode Island no specie payments on the last requisition is to be expected, that State having set off, against this requisition, the balances due the contractors for ox teams in the service of the United States for the year 1781, notwithstanding the balance which remained due on the requisition for 1784; this together with the amount of their liquidated payments to Invalids, in pursuance of the Resolution of Congress of the 7th June, 1785, will very probably absorbe the Specie sum of the requisition of the 27th. September, 1785; nor can a further payment of the balance due on that of 1784, be calculated on, as a paper currency in that State is made receivable in all taxes whatever.
Connecticut having passed no Act in compliance with the last requisition nothing can be expected from her.
By the Act of New York, though the treasurer of the State is directed to pay into the general treasury the full proportion of her quota on the last requisition, at the periods therein specified, no funds appear by the said law, to be provided for effecting this object. By a law enacted in the last sessions of the Legislature of that State, a paper Currency is made receivable in all taxes whatever from the first of May last; from this circumstance little dependance can be placed in receiving in the course of the present year, her full Specie quota.
Jersey having passed no act upon the last requisition, nothing is to be expected from her.
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Pennsylvania by an act of the 8th. of March, 1786, directed their Treasurer to pay to the order of the United States, such a sum in specie, as together with the sums paid on account of the requisitions of the 27th. and 28th. of April, 1784, and 27th. of September, 1785, would make the sum of 557,091 dollars in Specie and the further sum of 593,684 dollars in receipts on Certificates of interest; but it is to be observed, that the sum directed to be paid by discounts of interest is 86,657 dollars more than the State has a right to avail itself of on the requisition of the 4th. of September, 1782, 27th. of April, 1784, and 27th. of September, 1785, and that the amount directed to be paid is short (by the above mentioned overplus in indents of interest) of the Actual sum of Specie required of that State, by the requisitions of the 27th. and 28th. of April, 1784, and 27th. of Sept. 1785.
The State of Delaware has passed an Act in compliance with the last requisition which ill probably be productive of her quota.
The State of Maryland did at their last sessions, pass an Act providing for the payment of 94,350 dollars in Specie being the proportion of Specie required of that State by the last requisition but it does not appear that any provision has been made for the payment of the indents of interest required by the said requisition.
Virginia passed an Act of the 21st. of January last, in full compliance with the last requisition, but the revenue laws referred to in the said Act, do not shew what monies may be relied on from them.
From North Carolina nothing is to be expected on the last requisition no act having passed in pursuance of it.
In the State of South Carolina the last requisition is fully covered by the Credit she has obtained in the treasury, for supplies in 1782 and 1783.
The State of Georgia by an Act of the 13th. of February last, directed their treasurer to pay into the General Treasury the quotas assigned to that State, by the resolves of the 4th. Sept., 1782, 27th. and 28th. of April, 1784, and 27th. of Sept., 1785; but as the said act refers to a revenue law of which a Copy has not accompanied it, no certain Opinion can be formed how far the compliance may be operative, but as nothing has yet been paid on either of the aforesaid requisitions, little expectation can be entertained of payments under this Act, which seems to have created no new funds.
To the above statement nothing need be added to manifest the exhausted State of the federal Treasury, except that of the requisition
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of the 27th. and 28th. of April, 1784, heavy balances are Still due as appears from the following statement thereof to the 30th. of June last.
{table}
Of the Requisition of the 4th. of September 1782 considerable balances are also due, but as the States were permitted to apply their respective quotas, in the payment of interest due on the Loan Office Certificates and other liquidated debts of the United States, contracted therein and few of them have caused regular returns to be made, how far they have acted upon the said requisition, the balances cannot now be ascertained.
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[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Henry Remsen, jr., and Roger Alden, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 24, folio 347. According to indorsement it was read October 6 and made the "Order of the day for Monday." This committee report is based upon the report of the Board of Treasury which was read in Congress August 31 and is there printed. The omitted opening paragraph is identical with the August 31 report, as is also the omitted last part of the above, with the excepting of two inconsequential verbal changes. Thomson's indorsement gives the committee as noted on September 7. See ante, August 31 and September 7.]
Springfield, 3d. October, 1786.
Sir: I wrote your Excellency from Hartford on the 1st instant, and just gave the outlines of the proceedings at this place. General Sheppard wrote two letters to me which will be transmitted to Congress from the War Office. These letters will inform more fully of the state of affairs here.
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The object of the discontented was to prevent the Supreme Court from sitting. This was in the event effected, although in a manner different from their intentions. The Court was opened on tuesday, and continued until thursday, when they adjourned without day, finding it impossible to proceed in business, surrounded with hostile parties: On the same day both bodies by agreement dispersed to their respective homes.
There were 900 men in support of government under Major General Sheppard of the militia, well armed. General Sheppard found himself constrained to take about four hundred arms, and one field piece from the federal magazine; all of which are returned, and will be well cleaned at the expense of this State.
The mal-contents were much more numerous, but not well armed. They were headed by a Captain Shays of the militia, and formerly in the continental army, but who resigned a considerable time before the conclusion of the war. They were embodied in a military manner, and exceedingly eager to be led to action, but the prudence of their leader prevented an attack on the Government troops. Had this event taken place it is probable from the goodness of the Governmental militia, and the excellency of their officers, that the mal-contents would have met with an utter defeat.
The horror of a civil war was a powerful consideration to restrain the Governmental party from commencing an attack, although confident of the superiority of their appointment and discipline. The disaffection to the government which exists in this county (Hampshire) and Berkshire, is risen to an alarming height, and will probably terminate most seriously. The granting of the supplementary funds to the United States appears to have been the immediate cause of its bursting forth in such a violent manner.
The stores of the United States in this place are critically circumstanced. I find that General Sheppard thought it most proper not to place a small guard over them, and a large one was out of his power after the mal-contents had dispersed. The stores must either be protected, or withdrawn. The first is most eligible on several accounts, and I shall immediately repair to Boston in order to concert measures with the governor for that purpose. If any decisive measures can be agreed on, I shall do myself the honor to communicate them to Congress, for their approbation.
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I well know the situation of the federal treasury, and shall endeavour to prevent, as far as possible, any expenses to be incurred, which may occasion any immediate draughts thereon. For any further particulars I take the liberty of referring your Excellency to the bearer Mr. Stagg a gentleman employed in the war office.
I have the honor to be, etc.
H. Knox.1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 150, I, 587. According to indorsement it was read October 6.
October 6: The petition of James Smith was read praying for interest and expenses. It was referred to the Board of Treasury to report and a report rendered October 11. The petition, dated October 5, is in No. 42, VII, folio 263.
Also was read the petition of Abraham Whipple, for reimbursement for sundry expenditures and losses. It was referred to the Commissioner of Marine Accounts to report, which he did, October 10.
Also, the Board of Treasury's report on "Their report of the sums advanced to the delegates of the several States" was referred back to the said Board to report.
Also,the committee of October 2 on the proceedings of the Georgia Assembly on Indian Affairs was discharged.
Committee Book No. 190.]
His Excellency,
The President of Congress.
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