MR. ADAMS'S LETTERS.
LETTER XIV.
Amsterdam, Oct'. 26, 1780.
SIR,
p | ''HE fourteenth quefbion is, " IVhat is the quan-
A " tity of paper money in circulation ? IVhat
" credit the inhabitants have for it, in their daily
" bujinefs ? li hat dejigns the inhabitants have by
" maintaining its credit P What by preventing its
" increase ? And in -what manner do they realize it ?"
The quantity of paper bills in circulation, 011
the 18th of March lalt, was two hundred millions
of paper dollars.
The Congress stated the value of it, upon an
average, at forty for one ; amounting, in the
whole, to five millions, of silver dollars, or one
million and a quarter sterling. This they did,
by resolving to receive one iilver dollar in lieu of
forty paper ones, in the payment of taxes. This
■was probably allowing more than the full value
for tlie j&per ; because, by all accounts, the bills
pafledfrom hand to hand, in private tranfat r tions,
at fixtyor seventy for one.
The designs of the inhabitants, in preserving
its credit as much as they can, are very good
and laudable. The designs are, that thty may
have a fixed and certain medium, both for exter
nal and internal commerce : That every man
may have an equal profit from his industry, and
for his commodities : That private and public
debts may be justly paid : And every man may
pay an equal and proportional fhareof the public
expences. and this is their design in preventing
its increase ; because it is impossible, if the quan
tity is increased, to prevent the depreciation of
the whole in circulation.
They realize it in varions ways. Some have
lent it to the public, and received loan-office cer
tificates for it, upon interest, which are to be paid
In proportion to their value in silver at the time
of their dates. Some purcliafe with it the pro
duce of the country, which they export to the
Weft-Indies, and to Europe ; and, by this means,
supply the French and Spanish fleets and armies,
both upon the continent of America, and the Weft-
India islands : Others purchafemerchandizes im
ported with it : Others purchase bills of ex
change upon France, Spain, See. Others pur
chase silver and gold with it ; and others pur
chase houses and lands.—Others have paid their
debts with it, to such a degree, that the people
of America were never so little in debt, in their
private capacities, as at present.
I have the honor to be, See.
JOHN ADAMS.
CONGRESS of the UNITED STATES.
Begun and held at the City of New-York, on Wednesday the Fourth
of March, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Nine.
An ACT to recognize and adapt to the Constitution oj
the United States the ejlab/ifh?neut of the TRCors
r n't fed under the resolve of the United States in
Congress afembled, and for other purposes therein
7nentioned.
BE it enaHed by the Senate and House of Represen
tatives of the United States of America in Con
gress afembleij, That the ellablilliment contained
jii the resolve of the late Congress, of the third
day of October, one thonfnnd seven hundred and
eighty seven, except as to ihe mode of appoint
ing the officers,anil alio as is hereinafter provided,
be, and the some is hereby recognized to be the
e&ablifhirient for the troops in the service of the
United States.
And be it further enabled, That the pay and al
lowances of the (aid troops be the fame as have
been ellabliffied by the United States in Congress
allenibled, by their resolution of the twelfth of
April, one thousand seven hundred and eighty
five.
And be it further enacted, That all commissioned
and non-conimiilioned officers and privates, who
are or fhail be in the service of the United States,
ihall take the following oaths or affirmations, to
wit: " I, A. B. do solemnly fwearor affirm (as
the cafe may be) that I will support the Con
stitution of the United States." " I, A. B. do
" solemnly swear or affirm (as the cafe maybe)
" to bear true allegiance to the United States
" of America, and to serve them honestly aud
" faithfully against all their enemies or oppofers
" whatsoever, and to observe and obey the orders
" of the Prefidentof the United States of Ameri
" ca, and the orders of the officers appointed
" over me."
And be it further enatted, That the said troops
ffiall be governed by the the rules and articles of
war which have been established by the United
States in Congress aflembled, or by such rules and
articles of war, as may hereafter by law be efta
bli.' ed.
And be it further enatfed, That for the purpose
of protecting the inhabitants of the frontiers of
the United States from the hostile incursions of
the Indians, the Preiident is hereby authorized
to call into service from time to time, such part
of the militia of the States refpetftively, as he
may judge neceflary for the purpose aforefaid ;
•and that their pay and fubfiftcnce while in service,
be the fame as the pay and subsistence of the
troops abovementioned.
And be it further enafied, That this adtlhall con
tinue and be in force until the end of the next
fellions of Congress, and no longer.
FREDERICK AUGUSTUS MUHLENBERG,
Speaker of the House oj Representatives.
JOHN ADAMS, Vice-Prejident of the United
and Prejident oj the Senate.
APPROVED, SEPTEMBER THE 29th, 1789.
GEORGE WASHINGTON* Prejident of the United States.
Nsw-York, November, 28, 1789.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Sept. 19,1789.
GENERAL ACCOUNT of ANTICIPATIONS.
No. 11.
A PARTICULAR STATEMENT of WAR
RANTS drawn by the late Board of Trea
sury 011 Mi chael Hi li eg as, late Treasurer of
the United States, which remain unpaid, and
were comprised in the Estimate made by the Se
cretary ot theTrealury of the United States,and
by him reported to the House of Representatives
of the United States.
Date of || y || Jh whofefavot. l| .. ,
Warrants, jj '|| Department, andfor what drawn. || °'' 9 S '
For the PAY of the ARMY.
1788. 1015. Joseph Howell, jun. Paymafter
6. General, being on Account of Pay
due to the Troops in service, for the
Year 1788, 20,000
Dcc. 31* 1043. Ditto, being to discharge Pay and
to Forage due to the Army, up to the
1051.31 ft of December, 1788, viz.
No. 1043, Six Thou. Dol. 6000
1044, ditto, 6009
1045, ditto, 6oco
1046, ditto, 6000
1047, ditto, 6oao
1048, ditto, 6000
1049, ditto, 6000
,0 5°» Four ditto, 4000
*°£i, ditto, 4000
50,000
Dcdufl so much paid, 4,086 45
Q c , . 45>93 l 45
1709. 1005. Ditto, being lor the Art-ears of
the four months specie pay, for the
Year 1783. granted to tne non-com
millioned officers and privates of the
late Virginia line, 3is°o
1086. Ditto drawn in like manner with
the foregoing, and for the fame pur
pose, 3,000
1087. Ditto, ditto, and for fame purpose, 2,000
1088. Ditto, ditto, and for fame purpole, 2,522 17
1089. Ditto, being on account oi subsist
ence due to the officers of the Vir
ginia line, for the year 1782 and
1783, ' 1,626 76
Feb. 0. 1090. Ditto, being for the arrears of the
four months specie pay, for the year
due to the non-commiflioned
officers and privates of Col. Pofey's
Detachment of the Virginia line, 3>to2
1091. Ditto, being on account of the ar
rearage of fubfiftcnce due the officers
of the Virginia line, for the yeari
,783 3)539 3 ,
1092. Ditto, hcing sot* the arrears of pay,
for the Year 1783, due to Col. Gib
fon's dttachment of the Virginia
l'"e, 3l4 g<o 60
iog 3 . Ditto, being for the arrears of the
four months specie pay, granted to
the non-commiflionrd officer! and
privates of the late North-Carolina
line, for the Year 1783, 4,i00
1094. Ditto, drawn in like manner with
the foregoing, and for the fame pur
pofr. 3,500
1095. Ditto, ditto, and for the fame
purpose, 3iOOQ
1096. Do. do. for the fame purpose, 3,000
1097. Do. do. for the fame purpose, 3,320 60
CLOTHING DEPARTMENT. 105 ' 9 ' 5 49
1 787- ?5°- Stephen Bruce, for provisions and
Sept. 10. sundry articles in the clothing and
Quartcrmafter's department, furnilh
ed the troops in the State of MafTa
chufctts, between the 21ft of Novem
ber 1J 86, and the 2 ill of June, 1787. 66q 51
1709. *099* W llham Hill, being on account of
March 2. his contrail of the 4th of February
last, for clothing the troops in fer-
Vlcc . 6,000
Dedu£l so much paid on
4.33° 39
March 3. ltoi. Royal Flint, for so much paylbte '' 669 3j
Oil the Ift of Oflober, 1789, agrec
bly to his contrast with the Board of
Treasury, being for clothing, See.
supplied the troops in service, in the
y^ r 1 "S®. 3 ,000
tio2. Ditto, for the fame purpose, o 000
1103. Ditto, for ditto, *
1104. Ditto, forditto, g' 000
110 5 . Ditto, for ditto, 75
17,788 71
Amount ofantici'pations'by the late Boardof f reafury, 189,906 34
. Treasury of the United States.
Rcgjter's Ojtce, September 24, i 7 BS.
JOSEPH NOURSE, Rrgifler.
EXTRACT.
Avarice may pile ; robbery may plunder; mines
may be opened ; hidden treasures maybe difcov.
ered ; gamesters may win cash ; conquerors
may win kingdoms ; but all such means of ac
quiring riches are transient and determinable—
while industry and commerce,are the natural, the
living, the never-failing fountains from whence
the wealth of this world can alone be taught to
flow. 6
PRICE CURRENT. NEW-YORK ~
NOVEMBER 28.
Dollars at Bs.
Jamaica Spirits, -
Antigua Rum, - _ _ *5/3-
St. Croix, do. - . 4 fa.
Country, do. - - 4./6.
Mobiles, - - . ,r V'°.
Brandv, - r r
Geneva, - . . " b f
Do. in cases, - » 2 gr 5/
Muscovado - _ g c ; a *9/
Loaf, do. - J ' <f
Lump, do. - .
Pepper, - - .
Pimento, - - » «,/; 3/*
Coffee, - . Jf / f
Indigo, (Carolina) - . ,'r
Do. French, - - _ >U ?•
Rice, - . . s , f . ,B /
Superfine Flour, - . Jp d **£
Common do. - 39/ . U
Indian Meal, ...
Corn, (Southern) - " P '' h "K
?°v ( fi^ thcr 7 ,) " 4/3- . 4)6!
Beef, firft quality, - . is f. a fo
Pork, firft quality, - -70r. a -ir
Oats, - . . [T
. F ,' a!< t ed ' " - 5/6 « 5 / 9 .
Ship bread per cwt. - . J'-t
Country refined bar-iron, - 281 a 001
Do blooinery, . . 2 ,/ a
.Swedes do. - - .
Kuflia do. - _
u- • 30J.
Pig-iton, . . Bliof.aql
German steel, per lb. - . gj
Nails American, by calk. per. lb. 4d. - ,L'
Do. do. do. 6d. - , ;,7
Do. do. do. Bd. . . q y
Do. do. do. jod.
Do. do. do* 13d. \ *
Do. do. do. 2od. " "J/.
Do. do. do, 24d. j
Pot alh, per ton, - . 39], e . 0 j
Pearl alh, - .
Bees-wax per lb. . . 2 A.
Mackaiel per barr. . . 2Sf. a 30/
Herrings, - - -18/
Mahogany, Jamaica, per foot, - 10^
Dominico, do. gj
Honduras, do. - . - ',d.
Logwood unchippcd, per ton. - . 81.
Do. chipped. - . . j 4 |.
2 inch white oak plank, perm. - 101.10f.
t inch do. ...
2 inch white pine plank, . . 81.
1$ inch d». . . 61.10/ i
t inch do. . . jl. , 0 f
2 inch pitch pine do. - , 101.
1$ inch do. r . 61. icf,
1 inch do. - 4J,
Pitch pine scantling, . . 31. Sf.
Cyprus 2 feet lhingles ? - - 11. io/T
Do. 22 inch do. s 11. Sf.
Cedar 2 inch do. - . tl. 10/
Do. 22 inch do. . . i\. 6f.
Do. 18. inch do. - . 18f
Butt white oak Haves, - —
Pipe do. do. . . . 91.
Hoglhead do. do. . - 61. l°/I
Do. do. heading, - .81.
Irilh barrel do. Haves, - - 3 1. $f.
Hoglhead red oak do. . - {1. if.
Do. French do. . , 5U
Hoglhead hoopj, - 41.
White oak square timber per square foot, 10i.
Red wood, per ton, - . 281.
Fullick, ... 10).
Beaver, per lb. - . 12\f. a 16f.
Otter per Ikin, . gf. 32/
Grey fox, ... 4/].
Martin, ... 4/10
Racoon, . . . a ~J6.
Mulkrat, . . . iod.ai^d.
Beaver hats, - . . 64f.
Callor do. .... 4if.
Chocolate, . . 141/.
Cocoa, . . -jnf. a 80s.
Cotton, . . . Ifq.
Tar, pr. bar. . - 18/.
Pitch, . - 16/.
Turpentine, . - 16f.
Tobacco, James River, - 4J. " 3 j
Do. York, - .4d. a 3lli
Do. Rappahanock, - .21i a 3^.
Do. Maryland, coloured, - s¥-
Do. Wellern-lhore, . - id. d
Lead in pigs, prewt. - - 6°f-
Do. bars, ... 68/.*
Do. Shot, . . 68/
Red lead, . 6$C
White do. dry, . . 9j>
White do. in oil, . . 5/. iy-
Salt.petre hams, . - 7li-
Spermaceti candles, . - 3fi
Mould do. . . nrf. a if.
Tallow dipt, - .
Soap, . . £d. * id.
Caltile soap, . . gj. a tod.
Englilh cheese, pr. lb. -
Country do. - . . $i-
Butter, . . . if-
Hyson tea, . . us. « ™f-
Sequin do. . . 6J6-
Bohea do. . . 2/3. " 2 fy-
Ginseng, . . $f a 4^o
- Poland, - - 7^'
Snuff, _ 2J3.
Allum fait, water mealure, pr. bulh. 3/6-
Liverpool do. - - 2 /-
Madeira wine, pr. pipe, - 60/. ll 9°^'
Port, ... 46'-
Lilbon, pr. gal. . tf.
Teneriff, - - 4/*
Fyall, . . . 3/3-
Dutch gun-powder, pr. cwt. - 'j
Nail rods, pr. ton, - - 3 j-
Lintfced oil, pr. gal. - -
Whale do. pr. barrel, - s°/ a
Spermaceti do, . - t
Sliake-down hhds. - - 3J
Publi/hed by JOHN FENNO, No. 9>
Lank, nearthcOfwcgo-Markei, Nbw-Yurk- £8 °'f"