484 Proceedings and Correspondence

June 22
Liber No. 78
p. 198

ingly distressed by the Applications and Complaints of the Creditors
of the State, and greatly embarrassed by the Resolution of the 3^d
Instant, and the Act to adjust the Debts due from this State. The
Act directs that all Claims against the State for Debts or Contracts
since the 1^st Day of December seventeen hundred and seventy seven
shall be reduced to Specie, according to the true Value, observing the
Rule prescribed, and that a Certificate shall be given by the Treasurer,
on our Order, for that Sum in Specie but does not direct that when
the Contract is in Specie that a Certificate shall be given for the
Amount, to be discharged in the same Manner and when Certificates
given on Contracts for paper Money or Produce seized &^ca are to be
paid, which makes the Person who has contracted in Specie insist that
he ought to be immediately paid specie or an Equivalent in Tobacco
or Flour. With Deference we presume it was not the Intention of
the Legislature to make any Distinction between Debts and Contracts
in Paper or Produce, and Debts and Contracts in Specie as to the
Time and Manner of payment, because it appears to be inequitable
and would create much Dissatisfaction and uneasiness among those
who have been so unfortunate as to contract in Paper; and be a
Means of giving the People a greater Disgust to paper Money, and
restraining them from contracting in it in Future. We wish for the
Sake of the public Interest and to avoid the Censure of the people
(some of whom being unacquainted with our Resources and others
from different Motives, impute every Failure in the Executive to
Causes very different from those which actuate their Conduct) for
the Direction of the general Assembly whether any Preference is to
be given to specie Contracts ? whether public Flour and Tobacco are
to be made use of to Satisfy the Certificates to be given under the
Act ? whether the Money in the Treasury and to be collected is to be
so applied and at what rate ? If it is the opinion of the general Assem-
bly that the Tobacco, Flour, and Money should be thus appropriated,
it would not be consistent with Justice and good Policy, that the
Auditor should make an Estimate of the Public Property, and each
Creditor paid in Proportion to his Demand? for if they are paid as
they apply, til the whole is exhausted those only who are most con-
venient will be paid and the rest much dissatisfied, and full of Com-
plaints and Murmers against the Assembly and this Board.

Ibid,
p. 199

[Council to Capt. Joseph Ford.]

Yours of the 19^th we have received and as we are not acquainted
with the Circumstances of the Goods must refer you to the Law for
your Guide, we are pleased to hear that the Inhabitants of your
County, part with their Cattle with Chearfulness we do not think it
proper at this Time to enlarge the order. In Case of Invasion the
Lieutenant of the County has full Powers to remove all the Stock
exposed to the Enemy