The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1786-08-21 00:00:00, page 1

Mr. Collins,
HAVING observed in your papers of the
loth and 24th of lad month, a statement
of the arrearages of taxes due from the
several counties in the state, to the trea
surer and to the continental receiver, I
have taken the liberty of adding them
together, and find the whole deficiencies are as fol
low:
State Money. Specie & Revenue.
From Bergen, £. 163 011 - 558 11 4
Essex, - - 5333 13 4
Middlesex, 100 0 0 - 3840 13 10
Monmouth, 2065 19 11 - 9711 17 6
Somerset, - - 7381 19 0
Burlington, 4895 8 10 - 10,122 7 8
Gloucester, - - 183 11 I
Salem, . . . 1419 0 0
Cape-May, - - - 269 2 3
Hunterdon, 3045 13 11 - 13.709 0 0
Morris, 1894 17 6 - 10,056 13 4
Cumberland, 649 11 5 - 2349 12 3
Sussex, 3784 9 1 - 15,769 16 3
£. 16,599 1 7 80,705 17 10
Some of these deficiencies, and considerable ones too,
I find have been due ever since the year 1782, and so
on more or less every year since. O temporal O
mores! And is it pcffible that any government can ex
pect long to subsist while the executive powers are so
extremely lax ? It cannot be.
I confefs I was extremely surprised to find such enor
mous deficiencies, as well as to fee from whence they
principally are due. Ido not believe the people are
generally apprized of it, or they would examine into
the cause of such mifcondudt, and fee it rectified.
What reason can be given, said I to myfelf, why the
deficiencies are so much greater in some counties than
in others; for instance, in Essex and Middlesex than in
Bergen; and still greater in Monmouth than either ;
and why so much greater in Burlington than in Glou
cester ? This surely cannot arise from the consequences
of the war, for Bergen fuffcred as much by that as
either of the others, and Gloucester far more than
Burlington---not from want of a convenient market,
for their produce, for New-Yorle is as convenient a
market for the produce of Essex, Middlesex and Mon
mouth, as of Bergen^-and Philadelphia for that of
Burlington, as of Gloucester or Salem---not from want
of produce for the market, or of ability to pay, for
Essex, Monmouth and Burlington, are esteemed the
garden foots of New-Jersey---to some other causes,
then, these delinquencies mull be attributed---and is it
not worth the attention of the inhabitants of every
townfhip---ot every county---to enquire who are the
delinquents, and what are the causes of such delin
quency ? I am apprehensive it will, in a great measure,
be found to be owing to the negligence and improper
conduct of the persons entrusted with the collection;
and if I am not mifinformed, in too many instances,
to their baseness in not paying forward the monies wbicb
the, have collected.
I know it is common with many of the officers who
have the charge of collecting the taxes, to fay it is
hard times, money is scarce, cue ought not to be too fe
were, cue must Jbecv a little lenity; but pray, gentle
men, who authorized you to shew lenity ? Have the
laws, or the people, veiled you with difcrctionary pow
ers ? The people who are the true fountain of all pow
er, have, agreeably to the constitution, chosen the
legislature, and authorized them to fay how much, and
how, and when, taxes shall be raised, and you are only
authorized to aft agreeably to their directions; nay,
you have sworn so to do; mult it not then be looked
on as very great prelumption in you to disregard, and
pretend to difpeufe with, those laws which you are
only appointed to execute, and are by no means ac
countable for the severity of?
But if you had the right to shew lenity, are there
not other objeCts; are you to have no compassion for
the disabled soldier, the widow and the orphan, who
have become so by the fate of war, and depend on
their pension ; or who have entrusted their property
in the hands of the publick, and depend on their inte
rest for their support ; and who, in consequence of the
falfe lenity Ihewn by you, are deprived of their very
fu Jiflence ? Haye you not, as I have frequently done,
heard these complain—Alas ! the war has reduced me
to a necessary dependance on the publick for support---
I have been to receive the poor pittance due me, but
cannot, the taxes are not collected, and I have not
wherewithal to procure a morsel of bread; how can I
return to my family to fee them starve ? To fee every
thing they pofftfs wrested from them, and fold to pay
the debts which I have been obliged to contract for
their support to this unfortunate hour, and which the
money now due me from the publick would fully dis-
NEW-JERSEY GAZ ETTE.
Vol. IX.]
TRENTON: Printed by ISAAC COLLIN S, Printer to the State.
MO ND AY, August 21, 1786.
By the UNITED STATES in CONGRESS
assembled, Augult 7, 1786.
An ORDINANCE for the Regulation of INDIAN
AFFAIRS.
WHEREAS the fafety and tranquillity of the
frontiers of the United States, do in some mea
sure depend 011 the maintaining a good correspon
dence between their citizens and the several nations of
Indians in amity with them: And whereas the United
States in Congress assembled, under the ninth of the
articles of confederation and perpetual union, have
the sole and exclusive right and power of regulating
the trade, and managing all affairs with the Indians
not members of any of the flutes; provided that the
iegillative right of any state within its own limits be
not infiinged or violated.
Be it ordained by the United States in Congress as
sembled, That, from and after the passing of this
ordinance, the Indian department be divided into two
diftriCts, viz. the southern, which shall comprehend
within its limits all the nations in the territory of the
United States, who reside southward of the river Ohio ;
and the northern, which shall comprehend all the other
Indian nations within the said territory, and west
ward of Hudson river: Provided that all councils,
treaties, communications and official tranfa&ions, be
tween the superintendent hereafter mentioned for the
northern diftrift, and the Indian nations, be held,
tranfaded and done, at the out-polloccupied by the
troops of the United States, in the laid diftridt. That
a superintendent be appointed for each of the said
diftritts, who Ihall continue in office for two years,
unless sooner removed by Congress, and Ihall reside
within or as near the diftrid for which he Ihall be so
appointed, as may be convenient for the management
DO, Mr. Collins, be so good as to tell us where
your obferviog and intelligent friend Peregrino
would place his school-house, in a sequestered wood,
in a horrible thicket, in a defect or some uninhabited
island, would such a choice be judicious ? Or can he
give us any reasons for it which would be available ?
The reasons for the present practice seem to be ift. Be
cause the more publick the place, the more conveni
ent to the scholars, and the more likely to be well
frequented. 2d. Because few people would choose to
have forty or fifty scholars coming from all directions
to the centre of a large field, of wheat or flax suppose,
to a school-house, nor to have them playing round it
for two hours at noon, in such kind of grain. To
avoid these inconveniencies, it has been found necessa
ry to set them on the fide of the highway ; and these
reasons seem “ to have been available" from the firfl
settlement of the country to this time. Whether the
choice is judicious or not mult be left to your friend
Peregrino, and the consideration of those who shall
hereafter have school-houses to build, to determine.
Stay at Home, O.
charge, if I could receive it? But, alas! the taxes are
not collected, and I cannot procure it---And is not,
then, the punctual collection of taxes a lenity---a jus
tice due to these ?
Betides, we find that this, falfely called, lenity, is
really an injury, not only to the state, but generally to
the persons to whom it is extended, like giving cold
water to a man in a fever, though it may seem to re
lieve him for the moment, yet it eventually involves
him in double distress. For instance, some of these
taxes were due in i,82---Money was then at lead four
times as plenty as now, but some persons, perhaps,
had it not---or Were not then willing to spare it---to
pay their taxes. The officers said it was hard to fell
their goods---they would shew them lenity. This was
extended till the next tax came; they were then not
more aole---or perhaps more willing---to pay than be
fore. A double lenity was now necessary, and this lenity
has perhaps been extended, and extended, till now that
their taxes are so accumulated that they are really un
able to pay without distress and sale ; whereas had they
been pushed for the firft tax, though it might have
caused them some inconvenience, they would have
been aware for the future, and they could much easier
have paid one tax at a time, than five or fix which are
now become due.
As a proof of the justice of this observation, it is
evident, that there are a number of people in every
county who pay their taxes punctually, and that those
who do pay are not people of better ability than those
who do not pay ; nay, so far as my knowledge extends,
it is the poorer fort who pay their taxes the most punc
tually. On the whole, I think it is very clear, that
where the officers do their duty, the taxes are gene
rally collected ; where they do not, they are not col
lected. I could produce some firiking instances of
both kinds, but these might be deemed invidious, I
therefore forbear. NESTOR.
TH E
of its concerns. The said superintendents fliall at
tend to the execution of such regulations as Congress
ihall, from time to time, tftablifh refpefting Indian
affairs. The superintendent for the northern district,
ihall have authority to appoint two deputies, to re
lide in inch places as ihall belt facilitate the regulati
ons of the Indian trade, and to remove them for mil
behaviour. There Ihall be a communication of all
matters relative to the bulinels of the Indian depart
ment, kept up between the laid superintendents, who
Ihall regularly correspond with the secretary at war,
through whom all communications refpettmg the In
dian department Ihall be made to Cougrels; and the
superintendents are hereby direded to obey all instruc
tions which they ihall, from time to time, receive from
the said secretary at war. And whenever they ihall
have reason to fufped any tribe or tribes of Indians of
hostile intentions, they Ihall communicate the fame to
the executive of the hate or Rates, whose territories
are fubjed to the effect of such hoftiuties. All stores,
provisions or other property, which Congress may
think neceflary for presents to the Indians, Ihall be in
the custody, and under the care of the said superin
tendents, who ihall render an annual account of the
expenditures of the fame, to the board of treasury.
And be it further ordained, That none but citizens
of the United States Ihall be fuffeied to reside among
the Indian nations, or be allowed to trade with any
nation of Indians, within the territory of the United
States. That no person, citizen or other, under the
penalty of five hundred dollars, ihall reside among, or
trade with any Indian or Indian nation, within the
territory of the United States, without a license for
that purpose firfl obtained from the superintendent of
the district, or one of the deputies, who arc hereby
directed to give such license to every person who shall
produce, from the supreme executive of any state, a
certificate under the seal of the date, that he is of
good character and suitably qualified and provided for
that employment ; for which license he Ihall pay the
sum of fifty dollars to the said superintendent for the
use of the United States. That no license to trade
with the Indians shall be in force for a longer term
than one year; nor shall permits or passports be grant
ed to any other persons than citizens of the United
States to travel through the Indian nations, without
their having previously made their business known to
the superintendent cf the diftritt, and received his spe
cial approbation. That previous to any person or per
sons obtaining a license to trade as aforefaid, he or
they fliall give bond in three thousand dollars to the
superintendent of the diftrid, lor the use of the Unit
ed States, for his or their ftrid adherence to, and ob
servance of such rules and regulations as Congress
may. from time to time, eßablilh for the government
of the Indian trade. All sums to be received by the
said superintendents, either for licenses or fines, shall
be annually accounted for by them with the board cf
treasury.
And be it further ordained, That *he said superin
tendents, and the deputies, shall not be engaged,
either directly or indirectly, in trade with the Indians,
on pain of forfeiting their offices ; and each of the su
perintendents shall take the following oath previous to
his entering on the duties of his appointment :---''l,
A B, do swear, that I will well and faithfully serve
the United States in the office of superintendent of
Indian affairs, for the diftrid; that I will
carefully attend to all such orders and inftrudions as I
shall, from time to time, receive from the United
States in Congress assembled, or the secretary at war.;
that I will not be concerned, either directly or indi
rectly, in trade with the Indians, and that in all things
belonging to my said office, during my continuance
therein, I will faithfully, justly and truly, according
to the belt of my skill and judgment, do equal and
impartial justice, without fraud, favour or affection."
And the superintendent for the northern diftrid, shall
administer to his deputies the following oath, before
they proceed on the duties of their office: “ I, A B,
do swear, that I will well and faithfully serve the
United States in the office of deputy-fupcrintendent
of Indian affairs in the northern district ; that I will
carefully attend to all such orders and inftrudions as
I shall, from time to time, receive from the United
States in Congress assembled, the secretary at war, or
the superintendent of the difirid aforefaid, and tha
in all things belonging to my said office, during m
continuance therein, I will faithfully, justly and trub
according to the belt of my skill and judgment,<
equal and impartial justice, without fraud, favour
affection." And the said superintendents, and deput
superintendents, shall each of them give bond wi
surety to the board of treasury, in trust for the Unite
States; the superintendents each in the sum of f
thousand dollars, and the deputy-superintendents eat
in the sum of three thousand dollars, for the faithfu
difeharg: of the duties of their office.
[Numb. 432.]