330 Journal and Correspondence.

December
28
Liber No. 78
p. 401

[W Paca in Council to The Honble General Assembly.]

We have the Honor to lay before you, Copies of a Report of a
Committee of Congress, on the Subject of Rhode Island's Refusal
to impose the 5 p^r Cent Duty; and of an Address by Massachus-
set's Bay to Congress, relative to the Continental Emissions.
M^r Carroll writes us, that the Continental Money is purchasing up,
at Philadelphia, at the Exchange of 300 for I. Congress request
that no Copies may be taken of the Report, at present.

Ibid,
p. 402

[W Paca in Council to The Honble General Assembly.]

We have the Honor to lay before you, a Letter from the Secre-
tary of Foreign Affairs, enclosing the Copy of a Commission to
M^r Oswald, authorizing him to treat of Peace or Truce with the
United States of America. The Secretary having stated the Pro-
priety of preventing Copies of the Commission to be taken for the
Press, and the Necessity of not relaxing in the Preparations for
War, it is unnecessary for us to enforce his Sentiments by any
additional Arguments.

Ibid.

[W Paca in Council to Honble Intendant.]

We had the Honor of addressing you the 6^th Instant, on the
Subject of paying one Year's Interest to the Holders of Certificates,
to which we have not been favored with any Reply, nor have any
Reasons been suggested to us to induce a Belief that you have taken
any Measures to Comply with a most solemn Engagement of the
General Assembly, with Regard to this Subject. We must therefore
once more request you to take Means, immediately, to supply the
Treasury with Money for the Payment of such Interest as the Law
directs to be paid. The Public Faith, Sir, must be supported, in this
Case : If the Means afforded you are not sufficient, a Representa-
tion ought to be made, without Delay, to the present Assembly, that
they may adopt such a System as will save the State from the Dis-
honor and Disgrace of a Violation of Faith, so recently and solemnly
pledged to their Citizens. You will be pleased to give us an Answer
as soon as possible

Ibid.

[W Paca in Council to The Honble General Assembly.]

Immediately on the Receipt of your Resolve, authorizing us to
apply to Commodore Villebrune for a Naval Assistance, we dis-
patched it to Baltimore by an Express, accompanying it with a Let-
ter, enforcing the Application. The Commodore being then at Phila-
delphia, a Circumstance we did not know 'til the Return of the Ex-
press, it was some Time before we could obtain an Answer, and
when it came, we were referred to the Minister of France, as the