University of Virginia Library

WEDNESDAY JANY. 8, THURSDAY JANY. 9TH, & FRIDAY
JANY. 10

On the Report[26] for valuing the land conformably to the rule
laid down in the federal articles, the Delegates from Connecticut
contended for postponing the subject during the war, alledging
the impediments arising from the possession of N. Y., &c. by the
enemy; but apprehending (as was supposed) that the flourishing
State of Connecticut compared with the Southern States, would
render a valuation at the crisis unfavorable to the former.
Others, particularly Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Madison, were of

opinion that the rule of the confederation was a chimerical one
since if the intervention of the individual States were employed
their interests would give a bias to their judgments, or that at
least suspicions of such bias wd. prevail and without their intervention,
it could not be executed but at an expense, delay & uncertainty
which were inadmissible; that it would perhaps be
therefore preferable to represent these difficulties to the States
& recommend an exchange of this rule of dividing the public
burdens for one more simple easy & equal. The Delegates from
S. Carolina generally & particularly Mr. Rutledge advocated the
propriety of the constitutional rule & of an adherence to it, and
of the safety of the mode in question arising from the honor of
the States. The debates on the subject were interrupted by a
letter from the Superintendent of Finance; informing Congress
that the situation of his department required that a committee
sd. be appointed with power to advise him on the steps proper to
be taken; and suggesting an appointment of one consisting of a
member from each State, with authority to give their advice on
the subject. This expedient was objected to as improper, since
Congress wd. thereby delegate an incommunicable power, perhaps,
and would at any rate lend a sanction to a measure without
even knowing what it was; not to mention the distrust which it
manifested of their own prudence & fidelity. It was at length
proposed & agreed to, that a special committee consisting of Mr.
Rutledge Mr. Osgood & Mr. Madison, should confer with the
Superintendt. of Finance on the subject of his letter and make
report to Congress. After the adjournment of Congress this
Com̃ittee conferred with the Superintendt. who after being apprized
of the difficulties which had arisen in Congress, stated to
them that the last account of our money affairs in Europe shewed
that contrary to his expectations and estimates there were 3½
Millions of livres short of the bills actually drawn; that further
drafts were indispensable to prevent a stop to the public service;
that to make good this deficiency there was only the further success
of Mr. Adams' loan and the friendship of France to depend
on, that it was necessary for him to decide on the expediency of
his staking the public credit on those contingent funds by further
drafts, and that in making this decision he wished for the sanction
of a committee of Congress; that this sanction was preferable
to that of Congress itself only as it wd confide the risk attending
bills drawn on such funds to a smaller number, and as secrecy
was essential in the operation as well to guard our affairs in general
from injury, as the credit of the bills in question from debasement.
It was supposed both by the Superintendt. & the
Comittee that there was in fact little danger of bills drawn on
France on the credit of the loan of 4 Millions of dollars, applied
for, being dishonored; since if the negotiations on foot were to
terminate in peace, France would prefer an advance in our favor
to exposing us to the necessity of resorting to G. B. for it; and
that if the war sd. continue the necessity of such an aid to its
prosecution would prevail. The result was that the Committee
should make such report as would bring the matter before Congress
under an injunction of secrecy, and produce a resolution
authorizing the Superintendt. to draw bills as the public service
might require on the credit of applications for loans in Europe.
The report of the Committee to this effect was the next day accordingly
made & adopted unanimously. Mr. Dyer alone at first
opposed it as an unwarrantable & dishonorable presumption on
the ability & disposition of France; being answered however
that without such a step or some other expedt. which neither he
nor any other had suggested, our credit would be stabbed abroad
and the public service wrecked at home; and that however mortifying
it might be to commit our credit, our faith & our honor to
the mercy of a foreign nation, it was a mortification wch. cd. not be
avoided without endangering our very existence; he acquiesced
and the resolution was entered unanimously. The circumstance
of unanimity was thought of consequence as it wd. evince the
more the necessity of the succour and induce France the more
readily to yield it. On this occasion several members were struck
with the impropriety of the late attempt to withdraw from France
the trust confided to her over the terms of peace when we were
under the necessity of giving so decisive a proof of our dependence
upon her. It was also adverted to in private conversation
as a great unhappiness that during negotiations for peace, when
an appearance of vigor & resource were so desirable, such a proof
of our poverty & imbecility could not be avoided.

The conduct of Mr. Howel &c. had led several & particularly
Mr. Peters into an opinion that some further rule & security
ought to be provided for concealing matters of a secret nature.
On the motion of Mr. Peters a committee composed of himself
Mr. Williamson &c. was appointed to make a report on the subject.
On this day the report was made. It proposed that
members of Congress should each subscribe an instrument
pledging their faith & honor not to disclose certain enumerated
matters.

The enumeration being very indistinct and objectionable, and
a written engagement being held insufficient with those who without
it wd. violate prudence or honor, as well as marking a general
distrust of the prudence & honor of Congress, the report was
generally disrelished; and after some debate in which it was
faintly supported by Mr. Williamson, the Committee asked &
obtained leave to withdraw it.

A discussion of the report on the mode of valuing the lands
was revived. It consisted chiefly of a repetition of the former
debates.

In the evening according to appt. on tuesday last, the grand
Committee met, as did the Superintendt. of Finance. The chairman
Mr. Wolcot informed the committee that Cols. Ogden &
Brooks two of the deputies from the army had given him notice
that Genl. McDougal the first of the deputation, was so indisposed
with the rheumatism as to be unable to attend, and expressed a
desire that the Comittee would adjourn to his lodging at the
Indian queen tavern the deputies being very anxious to finish
their business among other reasons, on acct. of the scarcity of
money with them. At first the Com̃ittee seemed disposed to
comply; but it being suggested that such an adjournment by a
Comittee of a member from each State would be derogatory
from the respect due to themselves, especially as the Mission
from the army was not within the ordinary course of duty, the
idea was dropped. In lieu of it they adjourned to Monday
evening next, on the ostensible reason of the extreme badness
of the weather which had prevented the attendance of several
members.