That the said Estimate when approved by Congress shall be a Rule for adjusting all accounts between the United States & the Individual States; that is that each State shall be debited for its just Quota or proportion on the principle aforesaid of the money theretofore advanced or paid and of the Amount in value of the supplies furnished by all the States for the Service of the United States and Credited for the money advanced & the Amount in value of the supplies furnished by such State for the Service of the United States. That the said Estimate shall operate for a term not exceeding five years as a rule for apportioning on the several States the Sums which Congress shall from time to time deem necessary and require to be raised for supporting the public Credit and Contingent Expences, and that the money which shall be paid from time to time by any State into the Continental Treasury on Account of such Quota or Apportionment be duly passed to the credit of such State on the said Account On the Question to agree to this the Yeas and Nays being required by Mr. Bland: New Hampshire Massachusetts Rhode Island Connecticut New York New Jersey Pennsylvania Mr. Gilman, ay } a ay By the United States in Congress Assembled February 17, 1788. A motion was made by Mr. Dyer Seconded by Mr. Mercer in the words following: WHEREAS by the 8th Article of the Confederation and perpetual Union it is agreed and declared that all Charges of War and all other expenses for the common defence or general Welfare allowed by the United States in Congress Assembled shall be defrayed out of a common Treasury which shall be supplied by the Several States in proportion to the value of all Land within each State granted to or surveyed for any person as such Land and the Buildings and Improvements thereon shall be estimated according to such mode as the United States in Congress Assembled shall from time to time direct and appoint. RESOLVED That the Legislature of each State be and they are hereby required to take such measures as shall appear to them most effectual for obtaining a just and Accurate Account of the Quantity of Land in such State granted to or surveyed for any person the number of Buildings thereon distinguishing Dwelling Houses from other Buildings, and the number of its Inhabitants distinguishing White from Black. That the Legislature of each State be and they are hereby also required to cause the said Account to be transmitted and delivered to Congress on or before the first day of March 1784 & that Congress will on the Second day of March 1784, or at their next sitting thereafter, appoint a Grand Committee consisting of a Member present from each State to take into their consideration the said Returns, any nine of whom concurring shall make a just and true Estimate of the value of all the Lands in each of the United States granted to or surveyed for any person and of the Buildings and Improvements thereon and shall report such Estimate to Congress to be subject only to their Approbation or rejection. That the said Estimate when appraised by Congress shall be a rule for adjusting all Accounts between the United States and the Individual States, that is, each State shall be debited for its just Quota or proportion on the principle aforesaid of the money theretofore advanced or paid, and of the Amount in value of the supplies furnished by all the States for the Service of the United States and Credited for the money advanced and the Amount in value of the supplies furnished by such State for the Service of the United States. That the said estimate shall operate for a term not exceeding five Years as a rule for Apportioning on the several States the sums which Congress shall from time to time deem necessary and require to be raised for supporting the public Credit and Contingent Expences, and that the Money which shall be paid from time to time by any State into the Continental Treasury on Account of such Quota or Apportionment shall be duly passed to the Credit of such State on the said Account. On the Question to agree to the said motion the Yeas & Nays being required by Mr. Bland: [No. 4934.] Colonel Floyd to Governor Clinton in Regard to Congressional Legislation, Taxation and War Debts. Philadelphia Feby 18th 1783. Sir, I have been honoured with your Excellencies Letter of the 6th Instant by Mr. Livingston, and am much obliged for the Information you gave me Respecting the Business before our Legislature; And also for the Information Reporting the Conduct of the people on the Grants. Chittenden's Answer to the Resolves of Congress is with a Committee, to whom I have Communicated the Information Contained in your Excellencie's Letter. I shall Endeavour to make the most of it. At this time a Majority of Congress seems to be of Different Sentiments Respecting those people from what they were Last winter; three States who were in their favour then, are now against them, yet seem to be afraid to Declare against them so pointedly as I could wish. As soon as the Committee Reports, and Congress Decides thereon, what ever their Decision may be, I shall without Loss of time, Advise your Excellency thereof, in order that if it should not be so much in our favour as we could wish, our State may have the Earliest opportunity of taking their own measures. It still appears clear to me that a Compromise with New Hampshire will be a very proper step to be taken and I do hope that our Legislature will before they Rise, do the needful on that Subject, to meet the wishes of New Hampshire as Communicated in their Letter to your Excellency last Summer. Before this Reaches you, I have no Doubt that you will have Recd the Speech of the King of Britain,* which tho it does not tell * On the 5th day of December, 1782, the King opened the third session of the fifteenth Parliament. The following extracts are taken from the speech he then delivered to the Lords touching the situation in America. "Since the close of the last session, I have employed my whole time in the care us that a general peace has taken place, yet it holds out the Great est probability that it has taken place long before this day, and hence we may Conclude that in the month of April we may again. and attention which the important and critical conjuncture of public affairs required of me. "I lost no time in giving the necessary orders to prohibit the further prosecution of offensive war upon the continent of North America. Adopting, as my inclination will always lead me to do, with decision and effect, whatever I collect to be the sense of my Parliament and my people, I have pointed all my views and measures, as well in Europe as in North America, to an entire and cordial reconciliation with those colonies. 44 Finding it indispensable to the attainment of this object, I did not hesitate to go the full length of the powers vested in me, and offered to declare them free and independent States, by an article to be inserted in the treaty of peace. Provisional articles are agreed upon, to take effect whenever terms of peace shall be finally settled with the Court of France. "In thus admitting their separation from the crown of these kingdoms, I have sacrificed every consideration of my own to the wishes and opinion of my people. I make it my humble and earnest prayer to Almighty God, that Great Britain may not feel the evils which might result from so great a dismemberment of the empire; and that America may be free from those calamities which have formerly proved in the mother country, how essential monarchy is to the enjoyment of constitutional liberty. Religion, language, interest, affections may, and I hope will, yet prove a bond of permanent union between the two countries: to this end, neither attention nor disposition on my part shall be wanting. "While I have carefully abstained from all offensive operation in America, I have directed my whole force by land and sea against the other powers at war, with as much vigour as the situation of that force, at the commencement of the campaign, would permit. I trust that you feel the advantages resulting from the safety of the great branches of our trade. You must have seen, with pride and satisfaction, the gallant defence of the governor and the garrison of Gibraltar; and my fleet, after having effected the object of their destination, offering battle to the combined force of France and Spain on their own coasts; those of my kingdoms have remained at the same time perfectly secure, and your domestic tranquillity uninterrupted. This respectable state, under the blessing of God, I attribute to the entire confidence and subsists between me and my people, and to the readiness which has been shown by my subjects in my city of London, and in other parts of my kingdom, to stand forth in the general defence. Some proofs have lately been given of public spirit in private men, which would do honour to any age and any country. "Having manifested to the whole world, by the most lasting examples, the signal spirit and bravery of my people, I conceived it a moment not unbecoming my dignity, and thought it a regard due to the lives and fortunes of such brave and gallant subjects, to show myself ready on my part to embrace fair and honourable terms of accommodation with all the powers at war. "I have the satisfaction to acquaint you that negotiations to this effect are considerably advanced, the result of which, as soon as they are brought to a conclusion, shall be immediately communicated to you. "I have every reason to hope and believe, that I shall have it in my power in a very short time to acquaint you, that they have ended in terms of pacification, which, I trust, you will see just cause to approve. I rely, however, with perfect confidence on the wisdom of my parliament, and the spirit of my people, that if any unforeseen change in the dispositions of the belligerent powers should frustrate my confident expectations, they will approve of the preparations I have thought It adviseable to make, and be ready to second the most vigorous efforts in the further prosecution of the war." be in possession of our Capital (a most Desireable Event to the Refugees of our State). We are in hourly Expectation of a full and an Official Confirmation of the News of peace, tho there still Remains a possibility that it may not happen, which holds us in a very disagreeable State of Suspence. Congress have for sometime been Endeavouring to Devise some mode for Establishing funds for the payment of the Interest of All the Debts Due from those States, and altho it is very Discouraging, to Attempt a Business of that Kind after knowing the Backwardness of some of the States to Comply with anything that will have that effect, Congress are Determined, to, so far do their Duty, as to point out our Situation And what appears to be the most proper measures to be taken under those Circumstances, and if the States will not on their parts, do what is necessary for the Restoration of public Credit and the doing of Justice, the fault will be with them and not with us. The Impost of five per Cent with some variation will again be Recommended and I believe some others of a similar Nature. The Necessity and propriety of them we shall Endeavor to Impress on the States. We have Yesterday passed Resolutions Attempting to Carry in Effect the Eighth Article of the Confederation, and as they are passed, they are Disagreeable to me, for I think they will not Opporate Justly for our State which has been so long, so much, in the power of the Enemy, but they were Carried against us by a great Majority. I expect they will be transmited to the several States with some other Matters now under Consideration as soon as they are Determined on. I am Sorry to be under the necessity of mentioning to your Excellency anything that Relates particularly to my Self, Tho two hundred pounds which your Excellency forwarded me through |