The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-18

In the keeping or a family or the belgian
nobility at Antwerp. The document in
question, describes the first loan ever con-
trdcted by the United States of America
and is signed by George Washington
Thomas Jefferson, and the statistics certi-
fed to by Alexander Hamilton. II reads
as follows:
GEORGE WASHINGTON, PRESIDENT
Or THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA
To all whom it may concern, greeting:
Whereas, The Legislature OF the United
States of America by their acts passed on
thousand seven hundred and ninety, author
lied the President of the United States to
borrow or their behalf certain sums of
money therein named or any lesser sums
FOR the purpose therein stated, and to make
contracts respecting the foreign debt of the
United States, and the President thereupon
gave TO Alexander Hamilton, esquire, sec
Ietary of the treasury of the United States,
full powers by himself or any person APP
pointed by him to carry the purposes of the
SAID acts into execution, and the SAID Alex
ander Hamilton, in pursuance OF the said
powers, having authorized William Short,
esquire, charge d atTaireS of the United
States of America at the Court OF France,
in that behalf the said William Short has
accordingly entered into contract with GER
three millions of forms, which contract was
executed at Antwerp in the Netherlands on
the thirtieth day of November, one thou
sand seven hundred and ninety-one, and is
IN the following words, to wit:
Translation from the French:
On the thirtieIh day of November, one
thousand seven hundred and ninety-one
before me. John Gerard Deelen, notary, of
Antwerp, admitted by the Sovereign Coun-
hereafter named, appeared Mr.. William
Short, charge d'aftaires of the United
States of America at the court of France
at present in this city, and to the witnesses
known, exhibiting a power from Mr.. Alex
ander Hamilton, secretary of the treasury
Of the said United states, dated the first
William Short by virtue of a power of
substitution from the President Of the
United States to the said Alexander Ham
ilton, dated August the 18th, 1880, to bor-
row under the Acts of Congress of the 4th
and 18th of August, $780, in any part of
Europe, a certain limited sum of money
he the Saio William Short shall judge
necessary for that purpose; all agreeably to
the document deposited in the office of c.
j. M De WOLF banker, OF this city, where
the said documents remain for the inspec-
ton and satisfaction of the lenders.
And the said William Short by virtue Of
the said power and authorities did ac-
knowledge to have received from sundry
persons for the use of the United States
the sum Of three million OF forms money of
exchange of Brabant, agreeably to the re-
ceiptS Subjoined to each obligation of one
thousand forms money aforesaid as here
after mentioned and declared to be indebted
on behalf and on account of the United
States to the said persons to the amount of
the sum aforesaid, renouncing expressly the
exception of monies untold. And the said
William Short, by virtue of the powers
aforesaid, did promise to reimburse the said
sum of three millions of forms money of
exchange of Brabant to the said persons.
through the Office of G. J. M. De Wolf, free
from all charges whatsoever, within fifteen
years after the date of the first of Decem-
Der, 1871, under the claims and conditions
hereafter stipulated, to-wit: That the said
sum of three millions of forms money of
exchange of Brabant shall not be demand
able during the term of eleven years from
ny a fnr 10 LET nf a q
that period six hundred thousand forms
money as aforesaid shall be continued
from year to year in such manner that the
whole of the said capital of three millions
of forms shall be repaid and extinguished
at the end of fifteen years. The United
States shall, however, be at liberty to dis
charge part or the whole of the said capi-
tai sum sooner, but always in payments of
entire obligations of one thousand forms
each.
In the meantime there shall be paid by
the United States aforesaid on the capital
sum an annual interest of AZ per cent, to
commence from the 1st of December, 1871,
and to continue until the principal shall
be redeemed which interest shall be paid
upon cheques signed by Mr.. Gouy, en-
such of the proprietors of the obligations
as shall have preferred to hold them In
their own names
That after the expiration of eleven years
the redemption of the obligations shall be
determined by lottery, six hundred red
numbers to be drawn at the time of each
and witnesses, at the office of G. J. M. De
Wolf, in the city of Antwerp, where the
aforesaid principal and interest snail pc
paid as shall be announced in the public
papers. {
Of his powers aforesaid. did declare that c:
j. NJ De Wolf, banker. of this city, shall
be director Of this negotiation, promising
in the name of his constituents that the
amount Of the yearly interest, as well as
the reinbursements hereinbefore stipulated,
shall be RENTED annually to the said di-
rector free Of all charge to the lenders.
And that the present obligation Of three
million of forms, or any part thereof. shall
never be subject to any tax or imposition
already laid or hereafter to be laid by the
United States or by any of the individual
States, and that in the case of dissension
among the United States or in the event or
actual war between them and the sovereign
of the Belgian provinces no lmpedlment
shall arise from either of these causes in
the regular discharge of the interest nor
the reimbursement of the principal under
And in order to give full effect to this in
strument the said William Short, by virtue
of the power aforesaid, doth further prom
Use and declare that neither the United
States nor any of the said Individual states
shall enter into any convention, treaty or
peace or other engagement, public or pri-
vate which might be prejudiciable or con-
trary to any of the clauses or this con-
tract and that the same shall be ratihed by
the President Of the United States as soon
as possible and authentic copy OF the
ratification as veil as translation OF the
original deposited at the office of the said
director there to remain with the authen-
tic copies. commissions and powers or the
said William Short, until the said principal
and interest shall be DISCHARGED.
And it is agre d that three thousand copies
of this obligation shall be printed each
for 900 forms money of exchange or Bra
bant with the name or in blank at the
choice of the lenders, signed by the said
William Short and numbered from one TO
three thousand, and countersgned by c. }:
M De Wolf. certifying that the number of
the said obligations does not exceed three
thousand which obligations. with the re-
CENTS annexed, shall be delivered up by the
proprietors at the respective periods of re-
endorsement.
And for the performance of the aforesaid
contract the said William Short pledges the
good faith of the United States, by virtue
and authority of the acts of Congress OF
renouncng in the name or the Cnlted
states of America the benefit OF duobus
vel pluribus refs debendi as We'll, as far as
may be necessary. the benSnt OF or9 llil,
being known to him promising never 10
avail himself thereof
The present contract having been exc
cuted after duplicate translation IN the
French language had been made, which
therefore said William Short has likewise
signed and deposited with the uuderwritten
notary at Antwerp, in the presence of Jonn
A. Lanekpaep and John Van Ouwenhuysen,
is signed by the said William Short, the
witnesses and myself, notary.
Quod Attestor,
JOHN G.. DEELEN, Not. +.
translation from the French)-
The underwritten notary admitted by the
Sovereign Of Brabant, residing at Antwerp,
doth declare by these presents 10 all con-
cerned that the obligatory act OF three
Brabant which has been passed and exc
cuted bv William Short charge d'affaireS