[No. 4688.] Governor Clinton Writes to Robert Morris on the Subject of State Taxes and the Market for Wheat and Flour. Pokeepsie, 2d Augt. 1782. Dear Sir, I was favored with your Letter of the 11th June a few Days before the late Meeting of the Legislature. While they were together I had not a Moment's Leisure to acknowledge the Receipt of it & I have since been prevented by a visit I made. immediately on their rising to the Frontiers of Ulster County. I enclose you a copy of the Titles of the Laws of the Session by which you will perceive that some Efforts are made to aid the public Treasury. The Tax to be levied is payable in Cash only & to be collected immediately. I have ever been fully sensible of the Weight of the Objections ag't a Tax in specified Articles. It was not, however, an easy Task to convince the bulk of the People of the Impropriety of the Measure. Congress first introduced it by substituting Supplies for the Army in Specific Articles to be furnished by the different States instead of so much cash. This was held out as a matter of Ease & convenience to the People & they were led to conclude it be so from the Opinion they entertained of the Wisdom of that respectable Body without giving themselves the Trouble of thinking on the Subject & determining for themselves. When specific Supplies was abolished & Cash demanded in Lieu of them the People murmured & complained of their want of Money. This introduced the receiving of Wheat at a certain Price pr. Bushel in Payment of Taxes & tho an expensive & bad expedient, it was perhaps the only one that could then have been adopted without increasing the Discontent which was too generally prevalent. It was the most natural & easy Transition & the State well knew that Wheat could easily be converted into money, & in the Mean Time it was believed that the People being gratified would begin to reflect & abandon so Troublesome & unprofitable a system. & this I am persuaded is already pretty generally the Case, so that I expect in future it will have but few Advocates. Congress in fixing the Quotas of the different states I am sensible must be embarrassed by the extraordinary Merit each State ascribes to itself from its Exertions, but of these they are the proper Judges, and if there be any who have exhausted their Resources from extraordinary Zeal, Sense of immediate Danger or whatever else may have been the motive, the public Burthens ought now to be apportioned accordingly, for it is idle to ask more of any State than it is able to contribute as, whenever this is the Case, & I am certain it was in the last Quota demanded of us, instead of promoting, it is most likely to discourage & prevent all kind of Exertion. You are certainly much deceived when you suppose we could have no other Mart for our Wheat than the Contractor. The current Price of Flour was sixteen shillings per lb. when the Contractor commenced purchasing-it continued so until lately & they might have had all that belonged to the State at that moderate Price. About two months ago it began to rise & though there was a Prospect of its still rising higher, as it actually did, being now from 18s to 20s for common Flour, yet the State Agent had Orders & did sell his to the Contractors at the then current Price.* I sincerely wish the people would be persuaded • Our great Missfortune is, that our Country is so much wasted & destroyed by the Inroads of the Enemy that we have comparatively but little to spare beyond what is sufficient to Barter for Salt and other Articles and necessary. to forego the use of Luxuries & even of Articles which habit has in some measure made the Necessaries of Life & apply the monies they expend in that way to the support of the War, but I fear it will require more than human Rhetoric to persuade them the force of Example is very strong & if it could be began at the Seat of the American Gov't. I should have hopes of its prevailing. In a Line which I recd. by Mr. Wm. Paulding, you mention a Desire of being inform'd of the objections of the Council of Revision ag't the Bill for suspend'g suits ag't public Officers. I now enclose you a Copy of them. There was another Objection which you will allow had Weight (tho' it could not be included with those of the Council) vizt. that of their being exempted from Suits only until September, after which you will readily agree they would have rushed in upon them like a Torrent & this Temporary Exemption proved their Rescue. I am &c &c Govr. Morris, Esqr. G. Clinton [No. 4690.] Alexander Hamilton Begins to Gather Information for the Great Work That Lies Before Him. Albany, Aug 3d, 1782. Sir, I have lately received a letter from the Superintendent of Finance inclosing a copy of a circular letter from him to the several States dated the 25th of July '81; in which he requests information upon the following important points. "What supplies of every kind, money, provisions transportation &c. have been furnished by this State to the United States, since the 18th of March 1780." "The amount of the money in the treasury, the sums expected to be there, the times they will probably be brought in, the appropriations." "The amount of the different paper currencies in the Statethe probable increase or decrease of each and the respective rates of depreciation." "The acts passed since the 18th of March 1780, for raising taxes, furnishing supplies &c. the manner they have been executed, the time necessary for them to operate, the consequences of their operation, the policy of the State relative to laying, assessing, levying and collecting taxes." In his letter which is circular to the Receivers he says the answers he has had to these inquiries are few and short of the object, and he therefore urges me to take the "most speedy and effectual measures in my power to enable him to form a proper judgment on such of the Subjects referred to, as the actual State of things renders it important to know." In compliance with this I request the favour of Your Excellency to inform me what steps have been taken on the several heads of which the above is an abstract and what progress has been made in the business, particularly with respect to the first article. I shall also be much obliged to you to direct Mr. Holt to furnish me without delay with copies of the acts mentioned in the inclosed list. Your Excellency must have been too sensible of the necessity of enabling the Superintendent to form a just judgment of the true state of our affairs to have omitted any measure in your power to procure the fullest information on the several matters submitted to you, and I am persuaded the business is in such a train that little will be left for me to do. I intreat you will do me the honor to let me hear from you as soon as possible on the subject. I am with perfect respect, Your Excellency's Most Obedient Servant A. Hamilton. P. S. It would promote the public business if you would be so good as to direct Mr. Banker to supply me with such information as I might call upon him for. He is very obliging, but without some authority for the purpose, there is a delicacy in calling upon him. His Excellency Governor Clinton. Lists of the Acts of this State wanted for the use of the Superintendent of Finance. When passed. Third Session. Third Meeting. Fourth Fourth Approving the act of Congress of the 18th of March 1780 relative to the finances of the United States and for redeeming this States proportion of the bills of Credit to be emitted. To provide the troops of this State in the service of the United States with cloathing and other necessaries. Authorising the Governor to grant warrants of impress. To procure supplies for the army, prevent a monopoly of cattle and prevent their being carried to the enemy. In raising levies to reinforce the army of the United States. Approving of the act of Congress of the 18th of March 1780 relative to the finances &c. To provide pasturage for the use of the army. To complete the Continental battalions raised under the direction of this State. More effectually to draw forth the quota of supplies allotted to this State, to procure further supplies and to repeal the laws prohibiting the exportation &c &c &c To continue the act authorising the governor to grant warrants of impress. To liquidate and settle the accounts of the troops of this state. To revive and further continue and amend the several laws relative to the impresses of teams forage timber and fuel for the use of the army. To expedite the payment of taxes. To procure a sum in specie for redeeming one sixth of the bills emitted on the credit of this State, pursuant to the act of Congress of the 18th of March 1780 for discharging the interest of such bills. To complete the quota of the troops of this State &c to serve during the war. Authorising certain persons to make contracts on behalf of this State with respect to provisions to be procured within the same for public uses. For raising a sum equal to 150,000 dollars in specie. |