several printers respecting the particular charge of printing General Lee's trial, are of opinion, That the whole of his account amounting to eight thousand two hundred and twenty two dollars and 60/90ths should be paid to him.1 On the question to agree to this report, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [John] Jay,

1

1 This report, dated April 15, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 247. The commissioners added the following opinion: "From whose [the printers] information they cannot ascertain any other precise charge than he himself has made. We therefore, from the circumstances attending the work of striking one hundred copies only and the rapid depreciation of paper money since it was done, are induced with submission to think, that the whole amount of his account being, eight thousand, two hundred, twenty two and 60 dollars should now be paid to him."

So it was resolved in the affirmative.

The Committee on the Treasury brought in a farther report; Whereupon

Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of the State of Maryland, for five hundred thousand dollars, to be paid to the delegates of that State and by them transmitted to Governor Johnson, for the purchase of flour for the continental army; the said State to be accountable.

That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Mr. [William] Sharpe, delegate from the State of North Carolina, on his application, for two thousand five hundred dollars, the said State to be accountable.1

That a warrant issue on the deputy pay master general in the northern department, in favour of Colonel Morgan Lewis, deputy quarter master general in the said department, for the sum of fifty one thousand three hundred and nineteen dollars and 22/90ths, being the balance reported to be due to him by the commissioners of accounts at Albany by their report, dated at Albany the 4th March last; and that the said sum be credited to the said deputy paymaster.2

Whereas many accounts of expenditures for the public service in the State of New York remain unsettled:

Resolved, That John Welles, Edward Chinn, and Eleazer Wales, Esqrs. the commissioners of accounts for the northern department, be continued in their present office so long as the Board of Treasury shall think it expedient, notwithstanding the appointment of Mr. Welles as a commissioner of the chamber of accounts; and that all such accounts as have arisen or shall arise within the said department, be adjusted by the said commissioners of accounts.3

1 This report, dated April 27, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 279. The first paragraph was based upon a letter of Johnson, of April 20. 2 This report, dated April 27, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 281.

3 This paragraph formed part of a report of the committee, dated April 23, in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 269.

TREASURY OFFICE April 21st 1779. The Committee on the Treasury beg leave to submit the following report:

It is the opinion of your Committee that Congress are loudly called upon to turn their attention to ways and means for supporting the

war.

It is no longer probable that the expedient of calling in the emissions of May 20th, 1777, and April 11th, 1778, will afford any other extensive advantage than that of defeating frauds by counterfeits. Such are the thirst for traffic, the diffidence of our funds from the fluctuation of the paper money, and the arts of the disaffected, that little comparatively of those emissions will be drawn into the Loan offices: a vast proportion of the amount must consequently be exchanged after the first of August, and pass again into circulation, while experience has shewn that those emissions effectually suspend the attainment of other money on loan. Nor can the tax of fifteen million dollars produce very essential effects. The emission of new money is therefore our principal resource, and it must keep pace with the expenditures, at the same time that those expenditures increase with such rapidity that it is impossible to foresee where they will terminate. In fact your Committee are of opinion that unless vigorous and decisive measures are adopted, the present system, by which the expences of the war are supported, must be frustrated. Your Committee from these apprehensions beg leave to lay before Congress the remedies which appear to them to promise success.

Economy in the public expences is the first object.

The establishment of a Board of Treasury with competent authority to call public debtors and defaulters to account, a plan for which is herewith presented numbered (1).

The reduction of unnecessary Boards and supernumerary Officers, both in Civil and Military departments. The suppression of useless seperate commands.

A Reformation in the manner of rewarding Purchasing Commissaries and Quarter Masters; and a reduction of the expences of the Hospital, are some of the particulars which in the opinion of your Committee demand attention. To promote so necessary a reformation; your Committee are of opinion that a strict enquiry ought to be made by a select Committee (or one of the standing Boards) into the public expenditures, and the practicability of their reduction; for which purposes the resolutions No 2 and 3 are submitted.

The second great object is to establish the funds for carrying on the War, for which purpose your Committee submit the following propositions:

That it be recommended to the respective States to call in million dollars by a tax the ensuing autumn, in the proportions and on the terms specified in a resolution for the late tax of 15 million for which purpose they have proposed the report (No 4).

That an alteration be made in the system of the loan offices so as to afford the lender a reasonable propect of security. At present the progressive depreciation of the paper medium, which at least keeps pace with the emissions, is an unsurmountable discouragement.

A plan for this purpose is contained in the report (No 5) herewith presented.

That twelve million dollars be borrowed on life annuities. Your Committee have reason to think that a plan of this nature would be very acceptable to the citizens of these States, and meet with great encouragement.

They have submitted it in the report (N° 6).

A Recommendation to the States to licence and regulate retailers of foreign Commodities, so that they may be limited within some bounds.

Unless some remedy is provided the murmurs of the Citizens of these States will, it is feared, be followed by consequences still more disagreeable than the rapid depreciation of the money. Your Committee for this purpose have proposed the resolution No 7.

A foreign loan, at least to the amount of all the cloathing, arms and ammunition necessary to carry on the War. A Report for this purpose has long since been presented by the Committee of Conference and remains for consideration.1

The Committee on the Treasury report as their opinion: That Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays be assigned for considering the reports of the treasury or other committees, relative to finance, until a decision thereon is obtained, and that no other business be considered after 12 o clock on those days, unless by the unanimous consent of the members of the House.2

1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 265. It is endorsed as "Read April 27. Postponed to Thursday next." See p. 491 n, ante. 2 This paragraph formed part of a report of the committee, dated April 23, in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 269.

A motion was made by Mr. [Gouverneur] Morris, seconded by Mr. [John] Penn,

To strike out the words "Tuesdays" and "Saturdays". On the question, shall Tuesdays stand, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry,

So it passed in the negative and the word was struck out. On the question shall Saturdays stand, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry,