The Newhampshire gazetteer — Exeter, N.H., 1792-05-02 00:00:00, page 2

George Washington,
. Prejident of the United States.
Deposited among theßplls in theOffice
of the Secretary of State.
Thomas Jefferson
Secretary of State.
have been struck at,and issued from the
said mint, shall be a lawful tender in
all payments whatsoever, those of full
weight according to the refpedive va
lues herein before declared, and thole
of less than full weight at values pro
portional to their refpeftive weights.
And be it further enabled, Teat it
shall be the duty of the refpedive offi
cers of the said mint, carefully and
faithfully to use their belt endeavours
that all the geld and filter coins which
Iha 1 ! bj struck at the laid mint shall
be, as nearly as may be, conformable
to the several standards and weights a
forefaid, and that the copper whereof
the cents and half cents afortfaid may
be com pofed,fliall be of good quality.
And the better to secure a due con
formity of the said gold and fiver
coins to their respective Raudaros,
Be it further enabled, That from every
feparare mass of standard gold cr sil
ver, which dial! be madeinto coins at
the said mint, there foall be taken,
set apart by the Treasurer and refer
red in his custody a certain number
of pieces, not less than three, and
that once in every year the pieces so
set apart and reserved, (hall be assay
ed under the infection of the Chief
Justice of the United States, the Se
cretary and Comptroller of the Trea
furv,the Secretary for the Department
ofState,& the Attorney General of the
United States (who are hereby requi
red to attend for that purpose at the
said mint, on the lad Monday in Ju
ly in each yeafrr under theiufpeCTon
of any three of them, in lech manner
as they or a majority of them (hall
direst, and in the presence of the di
rector, assayer and chief coinerof said
mint ; and ifit (ball be found that
the gold and silver foaffaytd, shall not
be inferior to their refptdive ft ndard
herein before declared more than one
part in one hundred and forty four
parts, the officer or officers of the
said mint whoffi it may concern shall
be held excusable ; but if any greater
inferiority shall appear, it shall be
certified to the President of the Uni
ted States, and 'he said officer or offi
cers shall be deemed difqualified to
hold thrir refoeaive offices.
And be it further enabled. That if
any of the gold or„filver coins which
shall be struck or coined at the said
mint shall be debased or made worse,
as to the proportion of fine gold or
fine silver therein contained, or shall
be of less weight or value than the
fame ought to be pursuant to the di
rections of thisaft, through the default
or with the connivance of any of the
officers or persons who shall be employ
ed at the said mint, for the purpose of
profit or gain, or otherwise with a
fraudulent intent, and if any of th^
said officers or persons shall embezzle
any of the metals which shall be at any
time committed to their charge for the
purpose of being coined, or if any of
the coins which shall be struck or coin
ed at said mint, every foch officer or
person who shall commit any or either
of the said offences, shall be deemed
guilty of felony,and shall fuffer death.
And be it further enaaed, That the
money of account of the United States,
shall be expressed in dollars or units,
difmes or tenths, cents or hundredths
and milles or thousandths, a difme
being the tenth part of a dollar, a
cent the hundredth part of a dollar,
a raille the thousandth part of a dol
lar, and that all accounts in the pub
lic offices and all' proceedings in the
courts of the United States shall be
kept and had in conformity to this
regulation.
Jonathan Trumbull. Speaker
of the House. of Representatives.
John Adams,Vice-Pref dent of the U.
States^ and Pref dent of the Senate.
Approved — April the second, 1792.
Jndividuals(until a late unfortunate
bubble of abuse of credit,arifing from
bad men or bad management, and
which possibly may only hurt for the
moment) gave full credit to each other
as far as their capitals extended ; as
well in the city as in the country, and
confidence prevailed.
Agriculture, where the people are
indußrious and apply their attention
to the raising of those articles which
are most in demand, is in the highest
improvement ever known here before.
I can speak with confidence ofthe state
I live in. The idle and indolent can
expert no great success in an art or
profeffion which depends upon a fte^.
dy hand of industry.
There are ships on the flocks in ev
ery part where there are ship builders
and materials. The tonnage lift will
(hew the vail increase of the American
(hipping. It has far exceeded the
most sanguine expectation.
Several of the firft merchants, state
your commerce in a most refpeftable
situation, far beyond any other period.
Indeed, the returns from the Secieta
ry of the Treasury (hew how great
our imports and how vast our exports.
In point of justice, oar reputation
Hands high with the world. Our courts
will do justice.
Pray what foundation for those strong
assertions which have been made a
gainst the Constitution and the go
vernment?
As to the funding system, I shall fay
little at prefect. I much doubt if it
deserves the bad names which have
been given it. Abuses will be com
mitted in all countries ; no human
plan can be secure against them.
The assumption of the state &bts was
fully considered upon a former occasion.
Several of us wished to fund the debts
of the Union alone. Many gentlemen
of the fouth, when we came to look
for ways and means,voted against us,
and the Saltern representatives were
always ready to join in defeating us,
It will not be necessary for me to take
into view the principles upon which
the Constitution was framed ; they
were fully examined in the general
conyen ion as well as the several Rate
conventions, and ftcod the test of the
flrid?eft fetutiny—they are favorable
to liberty and justice.
As to the operation of this govern
ment, we may best underhand it by
contrafling the Rate of America at the
adoption of the Confhution wiih the
present day. At the former period,
our credit as United Sta es of America,
was a: a low ebb. Few of the indivi
duals of foreign counfries would give
a credit to the individual, of this.
The capitals O'Europe would not be
trefted in America. They doubted our
juliice as well as our government.
There was fcarce!y any credit giv
en among individuals here. A uni
versal distrust prevailed. Agriculture
languished—the farmer diffident ; he
had loft his confidence. The great
spur to industry was wanting.
No ships on your flocks ; few vessels
in your harbours ; commerce decayed ;
the vital spirit loft. 1 mightfay more.
What is our present state ? The cre
dit of our government is as good as
that of any country.
The individuals of all nations will
trust the individuals of America.
AF PER so long a discussion my at
tempting to take up any great length
of time, would no: be excusable ; but
E confider it my duty to fay a word
or two, in answer to fomecharges and
observations, used agiinß the Confitu
tion and operation of this government;
and give a few reasons, why I shall, at
this time, vote for the resolution under
Consideration.
❖^^O^OG^OO^O^^^X^
CONGRESS. '.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
SATURDAY, MARCH jf,
IN committee of the whole,upon the
further Assumption of the State
Debts.
MR. HARTLEY & —
Philadelphia, March 26, 1792.
Sir,
I BEG leave to offer you my un
feigned thanks for the honor conferred
upon me, by the appointment to the
command of the army of the Uni.id
States the last campaign. Tho' that
campaign was ufortunate,lam not con.
feious that any thing in my power to
have produced a more happy issue was
neglected. As I was prompted toac
cept that command by no motives of
either ambition or interest, but by a
fervent wish to be of service lb my
country, & a belief perhaps too fondly
entertained, that 1 could be fo —that
I am led to decline it in future, pro
ceeds neither from disgust nor disap
pointment.
Having been ranch afflicted with
sickness during nearly the whole ofthe
campaign, though 1 flatter myfelf the
public interests did not fuffer by it,
and though my health is now tolera
bly reftorcd,- my constitution has re
ceived a very severe fhock,and I might
not again be able to go through the
weight of business which necessarily
follows the command of an army.
Although, Sir, I am myfelf per
suaded that every thing was done, in
the course of tire last campaign, that
could be done on my part, fully to
anfiver the public expectation, yet it
is denied by feme, doubted by ma
ny, and known to but few out of the
army. A wish to rectify the public 0-
pinion,& a duty that I conceive I owe
to myfelf, induces me to request that
an inquiry into my conduct may be
instituted : When that is over, I may
hope to be permitted to resign the
commission of Major-General, which
I now hold. Should the result of the
inquiry be, that in any instance the
duties of my Ration were negkded,
or that I did not improve every hour&
every opportunity to the best advan
tage, or that the operations of the ar
mysafter it wa: in a condition to ope
rate, were delayed one moment in
consequence of my illeefs, I shall
patiently submit to the merited cen
fore.
PHILADELPHIA, APRIL 11.
GENERAL St.Cla lahas refign
cd the cot^mand of the army,&
we have been favoured with the fol
lowing copies of letters that palled be
tween the President of the U. Slates
and the General upon that occasion.
unless the assumption of the state debts
alto took place.
The bill paired the House of Repre
sentatives tor funding the debts of the
Union alone ; but the Senate sent it
back with an amendment, assuming
the state debts to a certain amount,
After much argument,the amendment
of the Senare was agreed to by the
House of Representatives. Juflice
was nearly done 10 feme Rates, oilers
do complain, and £ think Rhode-Inland
with strong reason.
I could have wiihed that the accounts
between the United S:a r es and the se
veral Rates had been fettled. But 1
will give the gentlemen, who com
plain so muQ an opportunity of fatis
fying the House, if they can, ^hen the
blanks are to be filled op in the bill,
that the sums they demand are reason
able, and are intended to give relief
to the people of their Rates.
To whoever may be appointed my
successor I shall be happy,Sir, to give
every light and information my situ
ation, as General of the army, or Go
vernor of the Western Territory, put
in my power to obtain,& to evince to
you, Sir, and to the world, that the
confidence you were pleased to repose
in me, was not misplaced.
With every sentiment of gratitude,
of refped, and, allow me to add, of
affedjon, I have the honor to be, Sir,
Your moil obedient servant,
ARTHUR ST. CLAIR.
The PreJident cfl
the United States. )
I will vote for the resolution.
In my letter ofthe 26th,! expreffid
an intention of retiring from the ar
my,when the enquiry should be over.
The only reason I had for wish
ing to retain my commifficn until th<:
time was, that if any mifcondud:
should appear in the course of the en
quiry, I might be amenable to a
court-martial, which a refignatioa
would have precluded. The House of
Representatives, Sir, have directed an
enquiry into the causes cf the failure
of the last campaign to be made by a
committee of their own body ;--&
fame reason that influenced me who
a court of enquiry was contemplated,
operates now with equal force, and
therefore it may be proper that £
should flill retain my commission ; but
as it will soon be requisite that force
person should be at the head to f the
army who is to continue to command
it, it is necessary, Sir, that I fheuli
inform you explicitly, which 1 now
do, of my fixed refolutipn to refiga
the moment the inquiry is finifhed,
should no fault be found,that any em
barrassment which may exist, wi;h re
fped to providing a successor for me,
may be removed,
Be pleased, Sir, to observe that my
sole object is to give effeft to public
justice, in the usual way by a court
martial, should it appear^ that, in ay
manner vohatfooer, the misfortune of
the last campaign can be attributed
to me ; and it is the proper, and I be
lieve the only tribunal,where military
crimes and mifeondud can be inquir
ed into and punished ; or where an
officer's reputation, infinitely dearer
than life, can be vindicated,—Should
the public service, however, re
quire that another officer of the fame
rank wih me be appointed immedi
ately, Jam ready to make the resig
nation forwthith,notwithstanding that
it may seem to proceed, and at a dis
tance will be supposed to have arisen,
from a sense that the volume of ca
lumny and defamation, invented by
malice, which is daily pouring from
the press into the public ear, has too
much foundation for me to meet it,
—that I shrink from the consequences
and chufe to shelter myfclf in a pri
vate Ration:—l am ready, Sir, upon
Your dt fire of rectifying any errer
of the public opinion, relative to veer
londutt, by an investigation of a court
of enquiry, is highly laudable, and
would be readily complied with,were
the measure practicable. — But a total
deficiency ofefficers in actual service,
of competent rank to term a legal
court, for that purpose, precludes the
power of unifying ,our wiib.es ontae
occasion.
The intimation cf your rcadinefs to
afford your kecefor all the informa
tion of which you are capable, tkho'
unnecessary for my perlonal convidti
on, mult be regarded as an additional
evidence cf the gccdnefi of jour htdit
and otjoor attachment to ycur coun
try.
I am,Sir, with efleem and regard,
Your melt obedient servant,
G. WASHINGTON.
Major- General)
Arthur St. Clair. j
I HAVE had the honor to receive
your letter of the zß:h ir:l. Whil=
1 lament that circumdances prevent
an investigation into my conduct, Ly
a court cf ei quiry, 1 cannot but ac
quiesce in the reasons you have af
figntd why it cannot take place ; and
I beg leave to ptclent try thanks tor
the defiie to have gratified me, bad it
been practicable.which yoch^vcpleaf
ed to manifeft.
United States, Mar.b, 28.3, I?<)2,
Sir,"
YOUR knowledge of the country
nojthwelt cf the Ohio, and of the rc
fources for an army in its vicinity,
added to a full confidence in ycur an.
litary character, founded on mature
experience, induces my nomination cf
you to the command A the iron's on
the frontiers.
Philadelphia, March 5 if, I~y2.
Sir,