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May 6
Liber No. 78
p. 439
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It is with Concern we are obliged to speak of the Wants and De-
mands of Government. By the Act November Session 1781 to raise
the Supplies for 1782 the whole Specific Tax was appropriated in
the first Instance for the Payment of one Years Interest on adjusted
Certificates, and by the same Act a large Sum of Money was appro-
priated for necessitous Creditors to be raised by the Sale of Specifics
then on Hand : By an Act October Session 1778 the Orphans Courts
are directed to provide for disabled Soldiers by Draughts on the
Treasury, and by a Resolve of Congress, Soldiers unfit for Duty dis-
charged from the Service, are entitled to five Dollars per Month for
Life, in Lieu of Rations and all other Demands: By a Resolution
passed at the Close of the last Session, Specifics were ordered to be
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p. 440
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sold to pay of the Arrearages of the Barge Equipment amounting
nearly to twelve hundred pounds, and by an Act of the same Session
the Civil List was directed to be paid off in Quarterly Payments.
Great and pressing as these Demands are the whole Amount of
Monies lodged in the Treasury for upwards of six Months past, to
be applied in discharging them do not exceed five hundred Pounds,
and we humbly submit to the Consideration of the General Assembly,
whether it would not more become the Justice, Honor, and Dignity of
Government to direct an immediate Sale of Specifics on hand, and
with the Monies pay the Public Demands, than to retain, merely in
hopes of a rising Market, a large Quantity of Wheat, and upwards
of One thousand Hogsheads of Tobacco, when in the mean Time
the Demands of Government are uncomplied with, the Public Claims
unpaid, Creditors disappointed, chagrined and every Day obliged to
sustain additional wrong and Injury, the Solemn Engagements of
the Legislature suspended, its public Faith brought into Question,
and your Executive reduced to the most humiliating Condition, and
exposed lo the most Mortifying Animadversions and Censures. —
We take the Liberty of Recommending a Revision as early as pos-
sible, of our Criminal Law : Nothing can be of more Consequence
to Government than that the Laws affecting the Lives of it's Citizens
should be reduced to the utmost certainty and that Punishments be
regulated by the Degrees of Criminality : And we beg Leave to sug-
gest as the most effectual Means to obtain a well digested System to
commit this Business into the Hands of a Select number of eminent
Gentlemen of the Law. —
The importance of Trade and Commerce to a Country is so uni-
versally understood, and acknowledged that no Arguments need be
offered to shew they are objects which call for every public Encour-
agement. Peace opens to us the most extended prospects, and the
Task is yours to seize the present Opportunity of making such Com-
mercial Improvements as may lay a Permanent Foundation to make
this a great, Happy, and flourishing Country. The Act of Assembly
which relates to our Shipping and Registers requires an immediate
Change and Amendment.
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