1

Resolved, That the assistant secretary at war be directed to cause the goods imported in the ship Amazon, and not delivered to the British or German prisoners of war, to be forthwith examined and compared with the passport under which they have been imported, by proper persons; and that his excellency the president and the supreme executive council of the state of Pennsylvania, be requested to nominate one of the said persons.

Resolved, That the assistant secretary at war be directed to report to. Congress the result of the said enquiry, together with the number of the said prisoners, and of the clothing and other necessaries imported in the said vessel, which have been delivered for their use.

SATURDAY, January 25, 1783.

The grand committee, consisting of a member from each state, report, "That they have considered the contents of a memorial presented by the army, and find that they comprehend five different articles.

1st. Present pay.

2d. A settlement of accounts of the arrearages of pay and security for what is due.

3d. A commutation of the half-pay allowed by different resolutions of Congress for an equivalent in gross.

4th. A settlement of the accounts of deficiencies of rations and compensation. 5th. A settlement of the accounts of deficiencies of clothing and compensation:" Whereupon,

Resolved, As to the first, that the superintendent of finance be directed conformable to the measures already taken for that purpose, as soon as the state of public finances will permit, to make such payment and in such manner as he shall think proper, until the further order of Congress.

Resolved, With respect to the 2d article, so far as relates to the settlement of accounts, that the several states be called upon to complete, without delay, the settlements with their respective lines of the army, up to the first day of August, 1780, and that the superintendent of finance be directed to take such measures as shall appear to him most proper for effecting the settlement from that period.

On a question to substitute "the 1st day of August," for "the 31st day of December," the yeas and nays being required by Mr. Gilman,

N-Hampshire, Mr. Gilman,

White,

Massachusetts, Mr. Osgood,

Gorham,

Rhode-Island, Mr. Collins..

Delaware, Mr. Dickinson,

ay

Wharton,

ay

ay

no

no

no

Maryland,
Virginia,

Mr. Carroll,

ay

Mr. Jones,

ay

no2

no

Madison,

ayay

no

Bland,

ay

Mr. Hawkins,

ay

Wolcott,

Dyer,

ay

Williamson,

New-York,

Mr. Floyd,

Hamilton,

ay

Mr. Rutledge,

ay

Ramsay,

ay

Izard,

ay

Condict,

ay

ay

ay

Gervais,

ay

Pennsylvania, Mr. Miffin,

ay

Fitzsimmons, ay

As to what relates to the providing of security for what shall be found due on such settlement:

Resolved, That the troops of the United States in common with all the creditors of the same, have an undoubted right to expect such security; and that Congress will make every effort in their power to obtain from the respective

states substantial funds, adequate to the object of funding the whole debt of the United States, and will enter upon an immediate and full consideration of the nature of such funds, and the most likely mode of obtaining them.

Ordered, That the remainder of the report be referred to a committee of five: the members, Mr. Osgood, Mr. Fitzsimmons, Mr. Gervais, Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Wilson.

Ordered, That it be an order of the day for Monday next, to take into consideration the means of obtaining from the several states substantial funds, for funding the whole debt of the United States.

MONDAY, January 27, 1783.

Mr. Lee, a delegate for Virginia, attended, and took his seat.

The delegates of Virginia laid before Congress an act of their legislature, repealing the act entitled "an act to enable the Congress of the United States to levy a duty on certain goods and merchandises, and also on all prizes;" also sundry resolutions of the legislature.

Congress proceeded on the order of the day, but came to no resolution

thereon.

TUESDAY, January 28, 1783.

The commander in chief having in a letter of the 20th, informed Congress of the death of major-general lord Stirling.

On motion of Mr. Peters, seconded by Mr. Dickinson,

Resolved, That the president signify to the commander in chief, in a manner the most respectful to the memory of the late major-general the earl of Stirling, the sense Congress entertain of the early and meritorious exertions of that general in the common cause, and of the bravery, perseverance and military talents he possessed; which having fixed their esteem for his character, while living, induce a proportionate regret for the loss of an officer who has rendered such constant and important services to his country.

Congress proceeded in the consideration of the subject under debate yesterday, agreeably to the order of the day, but came to no resolution thereon.

WEDNESDAY, January 29, 1783.

Congress proceeded in the consideration of the subject under debate yesterday, agreeably to the order of the day; and,

On motion of Mr. Rutledge, seconded by Mr. Bland,

Resolved, That Congress be resolved into a committee of the whole, to consider of the most effectual means of restoring and supporting public credit; and that the motion before the house be referred to that committee.

Resolved, That whenever the house is resolved into a committee of the whole, the chairman of the committee be elected by ballot.

The house was then resolved into a committee of the whole, for the purpose above-mentioned. Mr. Carroll was elected to the chair.

After some time, the president resumed the chair, and Mr. Carroll reported, that the committee of the whole had taken into consideration the subject referred to them, and made some progress, but not having come to a conclusion, desire leave to sit again to-morrow.

Resolved, That to-morrow morning Congress be again resolved into a committee of the whole, to consider farther the most effectual means of restoring and supporting public credit.

THURSDAY, January 30, 1783.

The committee, consisting of Mr. Carroll, Mr. Gorham, Mr. Fitzsimmons, Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Ramsay, to whom were referred the memorials of the representatives of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, of the 28th of August and 12th of November last, reported an answer, which was agreed to as follows:

The memorial of the 28th of August, states, that their constituents labour under grievances, because they are not enabled to settle their accounts against the United States, and because they cannot obtain payment of the debts due to them by the public, nor receive interest on loan-office certificates, dated subsequent to the month of February, 1778. It states further, that apprehensions had taken place, that the interest on certificates of a prior date, would be suspended; that other states made, and were making provision for ascertaining and paying sundry debts due to their citizens, and that the suspension of debts complained of, was a material impediment to the collection of taxes; after which follows a request that Congress will be pleased to devise and recommend such general plan as they shall think adequate and effectual, for settling and ascertaining the unliquidated debts of the United States, and for paying the same, or at least some part thereof, and also for the regular and punctual payment of the interest on all the public debts, as well on loan as otherwise, until the principal shall be finally discharged.

The subsequent memorial of the 12th of November, after referring particularly to the former, and observing that the business was yet uneffected, declares the assembly to be deeply impressed with the absolute necessity, that speedy and effectual measures be taken to afford relief to the public creditors, at least so far as to liquidate and ascertain their respective claims, and to secure to them the payment of the interest due thereon, until the principal be discharged; and then requests, that Congress will be pleased to give them such information as will enable the house to judge what steps it may be proper to take, in order to afford that effectual relief to the public creditors in Pennsylvania, which they conceive it to be their indispenasble duty to procure. On these memorials Congress remark,

That the objects to which they relate, must necessarily depend on the compliances of the several states with the requisitions of Congress :

That the interest payable by bills of exchange on loan-office certificates, continued until an express declaration made to Congress, that those who should draw bills for that purpose, must provide for the payment of them:

That Congress are not informed of any state which has taken separate measures for satisfying its own citizens who are public creditors; and that there does not appear a possibility of making such a private and partial provision because the various certificates are principally made payable to the bearer of them, and have been transferred and negotiated. A provision for them by any state, must therefore exclude the demands of many of its own citizens, or admit the demands of all:

That the attempts to pay any of the past debts, would form so heavy a deduction from the greatest revenue which can be raised, as would totally obstruct all present service. Wherefore, the provision to be made at present, ought to be confined to the interest of the public debts:

That such provision would afford eventual relief to the public creditors, and enable them to support their share of the public burthens, without appropriating the whole revenue which can be drawn from the people, to a payment of debts, and leaving thereby the public service unprovided for, which would involve the ruin of all ranks, whether creditors or others:

That Congress are and have long been deeply impressed with the absolute necessity, that speedy and effectual measures should be taken, first, to liquidate and ascertain the public debts, and secondly, to secure the payment of the interest, until the principal could be discharged, as will appear from the following facts:

That for the first of these essential objects Congress had made provision by their acts of the 20th and 27th of February last, and have reason to believe, from the information contained in a letter from the office of finance, dated the Sd of December following, and the report of a committee thereon (both which

are annexed) that the plan adopted will speedily be in an effectual train of execution throughout the United States:

That the duty of five per cent. was recommended by Congress so early as the Sd of February, 1781; but after a delay of near two years, Congress have the mortification to find, that one state entirely refuses its concurrence, that another has withdrawn its assent once given, and that a third has returned no

answer:

That when Congress received the determination of the state of Rhode-Island on that subject, they resolved to send a solemn deputation to that state, to induce a re-consideration of the measure. At the moment when the committee were about to depart, intelligence was received that Virginia had repealed the act formerly passed on that recommendation, which has placed the business on a new ground, and compelled Congress to take it up in a more extensive view. The inability of Congress to perform the engagements taken with the public creditors will readily appear, when it is considered how defective have been the compliances of the states, in every period of the war.

Without recurring to details previous to the year 1782, it will be sufficient to state the situation of the finances for that year, which is as follows: Congress, by their resolution of the 30th of October, 1781, demanded 8,000,000 of dollars for the service of the ensuing year. Without noticing the lesser neglects of their requisition; the annexed account will shew, that only 420,031 2990 have been received.

The precise state of monies in Europe cannot be ascertained, until the final settlement of the accounts there; because the bills drawn on Spain and Holland, having been finally paid, and made payable in France, the sun in livres of those which remained due at the close of the year 1781, and which had been drawn in guilders and dollars, must depend on the different exchanges between Amsterdam, Madrid and Paris. But, according to the best accounts which can be obtained, the anticipations made in the funds for the year 1782, amounted at the close of 1781, to 4,000,000 of livres. For the service of that year, his most Christian majesty lent the United States 6,000,000 livres. In addition thereto, Mr. Adams opened a loan in Holland, for 10,000,000 of livres, but, by the last accounts from him, he had obtained only 3,000,000; so that the whole sum borrowed for the year 1782, being 9,000,000, there remained, after deducting the anticipations, only 5,000,000, which, according to the course of exchange which has prevailed, will amount to 833,333 30-90 dollars.

By the annexed account of the receipts and expenditures for the year 1781, it appears, that there were in the treasury, at the commencement of the year 1782, 292,453 66-90 dollars, so that the whole amount of the sums which Congress have had to carry on the public business for the year 1782, is no more than 1,545,818 30-90 dollars.

From the annexed estimates it will appear, that the pay of the American army, according to the present reduced establishment, amounts to

That the clothing amounts to

That the rations, besides those issuable to prisoners, amount to

3,038,795 32-90 1,165,263 1,509,552

5,713,610 32-90

So that the three branches of feeding, clothing and paying the army on its present establishment, would amount to 5,713,610 32-90 without entering into the other branches of service, or considering the necessity of tents, firing, camp utensils. horses, carriages, forage, military stores, hospital, and the like.

The incompetency of the revenue will appear from a comparison of it with the sums necessary for feeding and clothing the army, which services alone amount to above 2,500,000 dollars. And what must place the matter in a still more striking point of view, is, that the whole sum which Congress could command was not sufficient to pay the interest then due on the public debts. Eve

ry circumstance, therefore, which has hitherto retarded the measures which. Congress have adopted for making provision for the public debts, has increased the necessity of making such a provision. And therefore, notwithstanding the discouraging obstacles they have hitherto encountered, they conceive it a duty to themselves and to their constituents, to persevere in their intentions, and to renew and extend their endeavours to procure the establishment of revenues equal to the purpose of funding all the debts of the United States. And they think it proper to inform the assembly of Pennsylvania, that this subject is now before them, under solemn deliberation, and that the ready and early compliance of the legislature of Pennsylvania, with the recommendation of the Sd of February, 1781, assures Congress of the vigorous support of that state.

Among the steps taken by Congress to secure the debts incurred for the common defence, they must not omit to mention the recommendation of the 6th of September, 1780, for a cession of part of the western territory, claimed by particular states. In consequence thereof, New-York has made a cession accepted by Congress, the nature of which will appear by the act herewith communicated.

Virginia and Connecticut have also made cessions, the acceptance of which have been hitherto delayed by peculiar circumstances. Other states, claiming western territory, have not yet complied with the recommendation. Congress cannot help calling the serious attention of the legislature of Pennsylvania to that subject, which they consider as of importance, not only as it may affect the public credit, but as it will contribute to give general satisfaction to the members of the union. They intend also to renew their instances with the other states on the same occasion.

FRIDAY, January 31, 1783.

A grand committee, consisting of a member from each state, to whom was referred the report of a committee on the mode of estimating the value of lands in the United States, with the buildings and improvements thereon, for the purpose mentioned in the articles of confederation, brought in a report, and the same being read:

Ordered, That it be referred to the committee of the whole.

Congress was then resolved into a committee of the whole, and after some time the president resumed the chair, and Mr. Carroll reported, that the committee of the whole have had under their farther consideration the subjects referred to them, and have made some progress, but not having come to a conclusion, desire leave to sit again on Monday.

Ordered, That leave be granted.

TUESDAY, February 4, 1783.

Mr. Samuel Holten, a delegate for the state of Massachusetts, attended and produced his credentials, by which it appears that on the 4th of October, 1782, he was appointed a delegate to represent that commonwealth until the 5th day of November, 1783.

Congress was resolved into a committee of the whole, and after some time the president resumed the chair, and Mr. Carroll reported, that the committee had considered farther the subjects referred to them, and desire leave to sit again :

Ordered, That leave be granted.

WEDNESDAY, February 5, 1783.

: On motion of Mr. Bland, seconded by Mr. Izard,

Resolved, That it be a rule of this house, that in a committee of the whole, the vote on every question which shall come before the committee of the whole, shall be taken by states.