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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 --TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1786.
Congress assembled. Present as yesterday.
On motion of Mr. [Charles] Pinckney, seconded by Mr. [Melancton] Smith,
Resolved, That the assay master, to be appointed under the Ordinance passed yesterday for the establishment of a mint for the United States, shall be allowed six hundred dollars, and the Master comer one thousand dollars per annum.
Resolved, That Monday next be assigned for the election of the officers above mentioned.
On motion of Mr. [Henry] Lee, seconded by Mr. [Melancton] Smith,
Ordered, That the board of treasury transmit to the several states the requisition for the year 1786, passed the 2d August last; and that the board also transmit an accompanying state of the receipts and expenditures to the 30th of June last, the balances then due, together with an estimate of the accumulation of the public debts by a failure in complying with the requisitions heretofore made.
ADDRESS TO THE SEVERAL LEGISLATURES TO ACCOMPANY THE REQUISITION OF 1786.
Impressed with a sense of the sacred trust committed to them and with an Anxious and affectionate concern for the interest, honor and safety of their constituents, The United States in Congress assembled
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have on various occasions pointed out the dangerous situation of this nation for want of funds to discharge the engagements which have been constitutionally made for the common benefit of the Union and have urged the adoption of such measures as upon the most mature deliberation, were judged best calculated to avert those evils which must inevitably flow from a breach of public faith and a violation of the principles of justice. It is painful to compare a situation of present distress with what might have been the direct reverse, had those measures been adopted. But as it is only by a serious examination of past errors that experience is gained and better systems adopted in the management of public affairs and that nothing may be concealed which may induce the several legislatures to investigate and pursue in future their essential interests, We have ordered the board of treasury to lay before them a state of the receipts and expenditures up to the 30 of June last, and of the balances then due, together with an estimate of the accumulation of the public debt by a failure in complying with the requisitions of Congress and particularly for want of an early and general adoption of the resolves of the 18 April, 1783.
The states will observe that in the present requisition no less than 1,723,626 47/90 ought to be forthwith raised for the express purpose of paying the interest and certain installments of the principal of the foreign debt which will become due in the present and in the course of the next year.
Under this heavy accumulation of the foreign debt it becomes incumbent on the several states, until a general impost or some other system of revenue adequate to the establishment of national credit and safety can be adopted, to exert themselves to fulfil that duty which they owe to their own character and the welfare of the Confederacy by enacting laws, more efficacious than those heretofore passed for bringing into the general treasury their respective quotas of the present requisition.
To effect this great and desirable object the wisdom of the respective legislatures will undoubtedly discover that the following general principles are essentially necessary.
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An attention to these principles would undoubtedly promote in a great degree the collection of the revenue and the arrangement of the federal finances.
That a brave and enlightened people who encountered every hardship and distress in opposing a system of Government which they deemed adverse to their welfare and Liberty, before they had ever experienced the mischiefs which they foresaw from its establishment, should (whilst the memory of their former principles and heroism is still fresh in their recollection) become inattentive to their own interest, their own happiness and their own honor, is a circumstance too disgraceful to admit of belief.
By the Union of the several States they have rescued themselves from the tyranny of a powerful nation and established constitutions on the free consent of the people, which are the admiration of the intelligent and virtuous parts of mankind and the firm support of the civil and religious rights of all who live under the shadow of their influence. But these constitutions cannot long outlive the fate of the general Union and this Union cannot exist without adequate funds to defray the expences of the government and to discharge those engagements which have been entered into with the concurrence of the citizens of all these States for their common benefit.
An appeal is now again made to the reason, the Justice, and the Interest of the several States. Whatever may be the fate of the measures submitted to their consideration for giving strength and reputation to the Union, the United States in Congress by virtue of the powers of the confederation call upon the different Members to pay into the general treasury at the time stipulated the quotas laid on them respectively by the present requisition for the support of the general Government.
The purposes for which the monies are to be appropriated, are fairly stated and the evils pointed out which will attend a noncompliance. The delinquent States (if such there can possibly be) must take upon themselves the responsibility for all those calamities, which
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will most assuredly flow from a disregard to the political ties which unite them with the other Members of the confederacy, and to those principles of justice and good faith which can alone support the existence of a free Government.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Charles Thomson and Roger Alden, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 24, 371. According to indorsement "Oct. 17, 1786 Question taken and lost."]
Board of Treasury,
October 17th, 1786.
Sir: We have just received from the Commissioner of the Loan Office of the State of Rhode Island a Letter of the 10th instant containing some remarks on the Act of Congress of the 18th of September last relative to the late Act of the State of Rhode Island, making their paper Currency a Tender in the payment of Federal Taxes.
Though this Act does not in direct terms order a Suspension of the issue of Interest in that State; we have not Judged it adviseable to instruct the Commissioner to proceed in that Business; because it is strongly implied by the Resolves above mentioned, that the State of Rhode Island cannot be considered as having complied with the Requisition of Congress of the 27th Sept., 1785.
As Mr. Ellery represents to the Board, that his Conduct is liable to the imputation of acting, merely from his own Authority, in the Stoppage of Issuing Indents of Interest, we submit it to the opinion of the United States in Congress, whether it might not be adviseable for that Honorable Body to pass a Resolve approving of the Conduct of the Commissioner of the Loan Office in the State of Rhode Island in suspending the Issue of Indents of Interest in that State, on the Requisition of the 27th of September, 1785.
We have the Honor to be etc.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, signed by Samuel Osgood, Walter Livingston, and Arthur Lee, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 140, II, folio 331. According to indorsement it was read October 17 and referred back to the Board of Treasury to report. Committee Book No. 190 notes the Board's report as rendered October 19.
October 17: The following committees were appointed:
Mr. [Henry] Lee, Mr. [Charles] Pinckney, Mr. [Nathan] Dane, Mr. [Charles] Pettit, and Mr. [John] Henry on the "Motions of Mr. St. Clair and Lee respectg. Indn. Affairs. Letter of 16 from board of [Secretary in the War Office] with advices from Major North." This was a renewal of the committee of September 15. The letter from Robert Pemberton, Secretary in the War Office, is in No. 150, II, folio 63. The extracts precede it and describe the situation on the western frontier.
Mr. [Melancton] Smith, Mr. [Nathaniel] Ramsey, and Mr. [Charles] Pinckney, on "Report of board treasy. on James Smith's petit." A report was rendered October 18.
Also, was referred to the Board of Treasury to take order "Their letter of 16 with a letter from Mr. Ellery for leave to issue indents to Mr. N. Brown who is represented to have applied in due time."
Committee Book No. 190.
Also was read, according to indorsement, a letter from Edward Fox accepting the appointment of Commissioner for settling accounts with Virginia.]
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