The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1781-06-12 00:00:00, page 5

ORDERED, That the Bill for repealing such parts of the Laws of this State as make Paper Bills
of Credit Legal Tender equal to Gold and Silver, &c. be Printed for Public Consideration.
Ordered, That the Committee, which brought in the said Bill, be revived and directed to prepare arid
report to the House, a Scale of the Weekly Depreciation of the Paper Bills of Credit of this State and the
'United States.
Extract from the Minutes,
SAMUEL STERETT, Clerk.
An ACT for the repeal of so much of the Laws of this Commonwealth as make the Continental Bills of
Credit and the Bills emitted by the Resolves or Akis of the Afemblies of the said Commonwealth a Legal
Tender, and for other purposes therein mentioned.
WHEREAS the Honorable the Conti
nental Congress, and the different Legislatures of the United States of America,
struggling in support of their inborn rights and invaded liberties, have been neces
sitated, by reason of the scarcity of specie, to emit large sums of paper currency ;
by the rapid depreciation whereof, the said United States have laboured under
great difficulties in procuring the necessary supplies for carrying on the present war : And whereas great in
justice hath also arisen to individuals, by the said bills of credit being declared a legal tender, equal to gold
and silver, in difeharge of all contracts and demands ; and being forced in their depreciated state upon ho
ned: creditors, contrary to justice and good conscience. And whereas the quantity of specie being of late
considerably increased within the said United States, the said Congress have, in the molt pressing manner,
recommended to the different Legislatures of the fame States, to repeal all Laws, making the paper bills of
'credit of the United States, a legal tender, equal to gold or silver.
In compliance with the said recommendation, and for attaining the good ends and purposes thereby in
tended,
Be it enabled, and it is hereby enabled, by the Representatives oftbe Freemen of the Commonwealth of Penn
sylvania, in General Afembly met, and by the authority of tbe fame, That so much of all and every of the Laws
of this Commonwealth, as declare the/ bills of credit emitted by the Honorable the Continental Congress,
or by the resolves of the Assemblies of the late Province of Pennsylvania, or by the present or late AlEmbly
or Affembliesof this Commonwealth, to be a legal tender, in difeharge of debts, contrasts or demands ; and
so much of the said Laws, as impose any penalty or forfeiture upon persons refufing to accept any of the said
bills of credit, in fatisfadicn of any debts, contrasts or demands ; and so much of the said Laws, as im
pose any penalty or forfeiture upon persons refufing to fell any goods, commodities, or necessaries of life,
for the fame sum to be paid in the said Bills of credit as in gold or silver, shall be, and the fame is and are
hereby repealed and made void.
Provided always nevertheless, That nothing in this Ad contained, shall affect any tender made in due and
legal manner, under and according to the directions of any of the said Laws, or any suits, actions and judg
ments, which have been commenced or had, or which are now depending, or which hereafter may be
brought, for or by reason of any tender made before thepaffiog of this Ad, in any other way than to prevent
the plaintiff from recovering the penalties mentioned in some or one of the said Laws, which are hereby in
tended to be prevented in all future trials andjudgments.
And be it farther enabled by the authority aforefaid, That all debts, duties, rents, annuities, legacies and
other demands, granted or contracted for by any deed, will, mortgage, judgment, bond, specialty, bill of
exchange, note, attumpfit, or otherwise, before the firfl day of January, Anno Domini, One thousand le
ven hundred and seventy-seven, which were intended to be difeharged in the then current money of Penn
sylvania, and which have not been since paid and fatisfied, or difeharged by a due and legal tender as aforefaid,
thall be deemed construed, and taken to be yet due and owing from debtors to creditors in gold or silver coin, to
becomputed after the rate of three pounds, for every Portugal piece called an half Johannes, weighing nine
penny weight, and seven (hillings and fix-pence for every Spanish milled silver dollar, weighing feventeen
penny weight and fix grains, and so in proportion for all other gold and silver coin, according to the current
value thereof, and the fame debts may be sued forand recovered in any Courtof Judice within this Common
wealth, having competent jurifdidtion, under the limitations, provifoes andconditions hereinafter mentioned.
And be it farther enabled by the authority aforefaid, That all debts, duties, rents, annuities, legacies and
ether demands, granted or contrasted for by any deed, will, mortgage, bond, specialty, bill of exchange, note,
affumpfit, or otherwise, before the said firtt day of January, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-seven,
which were expressed or intended to be paid, and difeharged in any foreign money, or in gold or silver mo
ney of any denomination, or in bullion, or in any commodity, and which have not since been paid and lati^
Poftript to the Pennsylvania Packet.
STATEof PENNSYLVANIA.
In GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
MONDAY, June ii, 1781.