fct.'2HS2BfeflHas Ch8 27 YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY y 5 Att IA. D D R E O o FROM THE GENERAL COURT, TO THE PEOPLE OF THE COMMONWEALTH 0 F MASSACHUSETTS *»¦-«¦ BOSTON: Printed £y ADAMS and N O U R S Ej '% ¦¦ PRINTSRS TO THE JioNOtlRABLE GENERAL C0UK1>/,, M,Dce,i.xxxvi. This book was digitized by Microsoft Corporation in cooperation with Yale University Library, 2008. You may not reproduce this digitized copy ofthe book for any purpose other than for scholarship, research, educational, or, in limited quantity, personal use. You may not distribute or provide access to this digitized copy (or modified or partial versions of it) for commercial purposes. t & 1 - il - J a ti-.i. '.' 'ILL.,!,. ,..'!.., I II. ? ..,. j ...... I ¦,:¦,,.(. : ' ;• : T' '¦ . -ij The (Committee appointed tp prepare aji Addrefs ta *the People, beg leave to report thefbllowkig; An ADDRESS From the GENERAL, COURT, ' : To the PEOPLE Op the COMMONWEALTH of '' M A S SA C HU S E T T S. \ ,• : i S v,,j ¦;¦'"• • AT a period, when grievances are complain ed of, in divers counties Of the State ; when the fymptoms of difcontent are manifeft and alarming, and individuals refort to arms, to fup port their ; difaffe&ion, and oppofe the Courts of Juftice; it becomes the duty of the Legiflature, to inveftigate, and, as far as may be, to remove the grounds of complaint ,• to undeceive thofe, who are mifguided by falfe reprefentation ; and if lenient means are ineffectual, tp vindicate by vi gorous and decilive meafures> the honor of go vernment, and provide for the fecuri.ty of the State. _ The General Court have therefore employed the greater -part of the prefent feflion, hitherto, in examining the caufes of uneafmefs; and the objections made to the meafures of government ; and in p roviding (as far as honor and juftice would allow) £ 4 1 allow) relief from the burthens, under which- the citizens of the Commonwealth have laboured : and we now requeft the attentionof four xonftii- tuent.s,. to 'the ftate of publie affairs'; and the rea- fons, why a compliance with the wiihes of fome of them, would be dishonorable to us,' and inju rious to t'iemfelves. We have no doubt, that endeavours are ufed>by evil and defig-ning raen^ to alienate the affections of the people in gener il, from thofe who are con cerned in the adminift ation of government j but confeious, of the rectitude of our intentions, we are convinced, that if the public meafures- are ex amined with candour, the confidence you lately repofed in us, will not be ieffened ; and that how ever great the public burthens are, attempts have not been wanting on our part, to alleviate, them : no man in the community is exempt from thofe burthens ; the members of the Legiflature have their full flure ; and can it be thought they would defignedly impofe unnecellary buithpns on them felves-, or omit any thing that might tend, to their relief from fuch burtheis ? Their duty and their interefl:, would equally forbid it, for the. relief of their coiiftituents would be their own.'. As we apprehend a. great part of the uneafioefs in the State, has arifen frcm misinformation, we {h ill in the fii ft place fubjoin a ftate of the:pulilic debt, as well the particular debt of chis Common wealth) as this State's proportion uf the national (?: Continental debt.: The r s i The debt of this Commonwealth is in notes, iffued by the late Treafurer Gardner,.and the pre fent Treafurer, which are called, cither conioli- dated or army notes. The confolidated notes tbat have been if fued, amount to _^". 1,381 ,675 18 ic The army notes amount to 250,114. 1-4 -4 u 1,631,790 13 2- Of the army notes, provifion c has been made by the tax No.4.,ior the redemption. cf j^.140,000 "l" And by tax No. 5, provifion is cmade for theredempton of 100,000 -240,000 o *. Which being ; deduced, leaves-';. 1,391,790 13 2 The notes redeemed and received into the treafury for the fale o£la«ds,&c. amt. to 34,650 14 & Which being fubflradted, there remains l:351>l39 J8 6 The notes for which Eaftern lands have been fold, and which have not yet been received in the treafury, will amount to 30,693 o 4 Thereremainstherefore-jduefrorn theCom- , monwealth, for the redemption of which no provifion has been made by taa,. notes to the amount of £.1, 326,446 18 2 Of the confolid,\ted notes above-mentioned, about ninety thcufand pounds were iffued for the principal and intereft of the notes, which had been given - before the war by Treafurer Gray ; the remainder were iffued for money bor o ved, and for cloathing, ftores, and other goods pur chafed, and for fervices performed, Cmce th^ com mencement of the war, at the price in fiver, or .reduced to that value, by the fcaieofdepreci.it. on. The army notes were given to the oficers and foldiers of this State's line of the army, for their wages, at the rate promifed before any deprecia tion had taken place, Tne, I 6 ] The national, or Continental debt, is either foreign or domeftic. The foreign debt being for money bor rowed in France, Spain and Holland, according to an eftimate made by Con grefs, amounts to 7,885,085 dollars, which is equal in the lawful money of this State, to £-2>3^S>525 IO * The annual intereft of which, part at 4 and part at 5 per cent, is 369,038 dollars, equal in lawful money, to 110,711 8 o This State's proportion ofthe above-men tioned foreign debt, according to the . laft requifition, is, 3J3>925 7 ° This State's proportion of the annual in tereft of the foreign debt, is, 16,564. 6. <3' The Continental domeftic debt, which is due to the citizens of the United States, for the fervice of the army, and the other expences of the war, and which is on in tereft at the rate of 6 per cent, was efti mated in the year 1 7S3, at about thirty- four million of dollars ; but that eftimata was formed partly on conjecture, and by the lateft accounts from Congrefs ; it is now computed at twenty-feven mil lion of dollars, which is equal, in the lawful money of this .State, to, : 8,100,000 o • This State's proportion of the Continental demeftic debt, according to the laft re quifition, is, 1,211,906 O Of which fum we have now in the trea fury of this State, in loan-office certifi cates and final fettlements, received of divers perfons on fettlement of accounts, for lands, and for the old Continental currency, 49»7°5 J4 * Remains, £.1,162,200 6 o Exclusive [ 7 I ; Exclufive of the above debt, which is due frotw fthe Continent to individuals, each State has a de mand upon the confederacy, for money expended and fervice done for the benefit of the Continent.; this State has large claims,' and it is fuppofed we are considerably in advance > but there is no ground for the fuggeftion, that we owe little or nothing of the Continental debt ; for it is to be confidqred that each of I the other States has de mands alfo, and fome;of them large demands ; and the method of fettlement, therefore, muft be, to examine the claims of the feveral States, and the whok, that are allowed, will : form an aggregate fum, which -will be a debt due from the United States to- the feveral States in the Union ; that ag gregate fum muft then be apportioned on the fe veral States, and if our claims amount to more than l our proportion of that fum, we fliall have credit for the balance ; but although we think the balance in oiir favour, on the fettlement of thefe accounts, will be confiderable, we have no reafon to expedt it will be in any meafure fufncient to an£\yer our proportion of the above-mentioned domeftic debt. No endeavours! have been wanting, on the part ©f this State, to effect a fettlement of the above- mentioned accounts with the Continent ; a Com- miflioner from Congrefs fome time fince attended pearly a year in this State for the purpofe of fettle- ing accounts ; his attention indeed was chiefly taken up in the fettlement of private accounts : fince. 4 * 1 lince that time, another Commiflioner has attend^ ed as long, for the fame purpofe : a Oommitteeof two perfons, on the part of the State, are chiefs ly employed in the bufinefs : confiderable progrefs has been made ; but the accounts are aimoft be^- yond conception numerous, intricate, and of dif ficult adjuftment, owing in a-great meafure to the different modes, in which the accounts Were kept,- to the variety, and fometimes the fuppofed defedtf of vouchers ; and to the ¦ different paper curren cies and their different ftates of depreciation : but we hope the bufinefs will be accomplifhed, as foon as induftry can effect it. The other States, have not yet fettled their accounts ; until that is; done, if ours were .fettled, we fhould not be able to know, whether we are in advance or not. Although from the foregoing ftatement, it ap pears that a large debt is due, yet when our re fources., and the manner in which payment can be made, are confidered ; we think the inhabitants" of the Commonwealth will be fatisfied, not only that they are able to pay the debt ; but that it may be difcharged without greatly diftreffing* them . „The particular debt of this Commonwealth is aimoft wholly due to its citizens"*- ihe~payment therefore will not weaken the State hyj2£aining„i£_ of its property. Confiderable fums are expected from the tale of lands in the eafterly part ofthe State, and every meafure that prudence will ad mit, is taken for the fpeedy fale of thofe lands. Of t 9 \ Ofthe national or Continental debt, that part which is due to foreigners, muft be paid in gold or ' filver ••;". if the Continental impoft fhould take place, which there is much reafon to expect, it would immediately difcharge us from the intereft, and in a few years from the principal of this debt. Our full fhare of the Continental domeftic debt, is undoubtedly due to the inhabitants of this State j Congrefs have refolved, that the lands ceded to them l>y the individual States, fhall be difpofed of, for the payment of that debt ; and We have lately received information, that fuch meafures have been taken for furvieying thofe lands, that a very large tract may in a fhort time be dif pofed of for that purpofe, and that purchafers will not be wanting. The grant of the Supplementary fund is com plained of: the reafon s why the Ligiflature a- dopted that meafure, are expreffed in the preamble of the act ; and we think ourfelves entitled to expect, that no one will condemn the meafure be fore he has attended to thofe reafon s. We hope that means will foon be devifed to bring;into the treafury of this State, our proportion of the Con tinental fecurities ; in that cafe the act will never operate. We are informed that the public fecurities are now difpofed of at a lower rate than at any former period : but fuppofe there was no depreciation upon any of thofe fecurities, perhaps the fums we B have [ io ] have paid in taxes, in hiring men, and purchafing fupplies for the army, within the laft eight years,. are more than the whole amount both of our State* debt, and our proportion of the Continental debt. If the public had been able to prevent the de preciation of the public fecurities > we think ftridfc juftice would have required it ; but notwith ftanding the moft folemn promifes of future pay ment, that depreciation has taken place; perhaps therefore a criminal breach of faith is not yet im putable to the public Counfels : but if, when it is within our power, we refufe to redeem the fe curities ; what excufe fhall we have ? Can we be willing, that the hiftory of the American revolu - tion, fhall be blackened with the tale, that we re fufed to redeem the fecurities we had given to ef fect it ; and fliall our pofterity blufh to hear ofthe event, becaufe the perfidy, of their anceftors exceed ed' their glory ? Some have obferved, that the Continental cur rency is not redeejned, unlefs at the rate of feven- ty-five for one ; and propofe that the whole debt be reduced by law to the prefent current value but is there not a wide difference between the cafes ? the firft emifiions of that currency were comparatively fmall ; after it had fuffered a deprecia tion beyond what has happened to amy of the pub lic fecurities, immenfe fums were brought into circulation ; and the pubhc received a confidera tion for them, not more than at the rate of one, for forty or fifty, and perhaps more ;. it was there fore: I II ] fore thought unreafonable to redeem them at the nominal value : befides, if the fecurities fhould be reduced by law to five fhillings on the pound, they would inftantly fall in their current value, to one milling ; there would then be the fame reafon for reducing them to that fum, and from thence to nothing. — -If an individual is involved in debt, both pru dence and honefty require him to be frugal, and pay his debt as foon as may be. By a long and ex- penfive war, we incurred a large public debt, tho" far lefs than that, which our enemies incurred ; but inftead of ufing every effort to pay it, divers perfons have employed themfelves in devifing me thods to get rid of it, without payment ; many indeed have employed much more time and money to this end, than (if better employed) might have purchafed their whole proportion of the public fecurities ; theyalledge, that many of the firft pof- feffors have been obliged to fell them, for little more than one third of their amount, and there fore that the prefent holders ought to receive no more ; ' but we fhould do well to remember, that the public has received the full value of all the notes they have iffued ; they were made transfer able by law, and many of them have been fold ; but if we had paid them as we promifed, very few would have been fold ; and fhall we take no mea fures to pay them now, becaufe we have omitted the payment fo long ? It is faid to be unreafonable to compel the man, who [ 12 J who has been obliged to fell his fecuritfes at a; low ^ate,:to redeem them .at,. the nominal value : this obfervation is made with an ill grace, when every m^x.-W^h^^foM^his notes, can purchafe "tKem agaift^arfows^rate-thaOLJie fold them. The nations of Europe, are unablettq^anitain war, without borrowing,; much lefs could we : but in cafe of a war,, who wou}d lend us, if our .neglecting feven years to; pay; the fum' borrowed, will juftify our not paying af all ?. Policy,, therefore,, as. well, as. juftice; demand,.. that we do all input' power to fatisfy our. creditors. . In private life, the man, who avails himfelf of arti- ,fice and fraud,, will foon find his character blafted, and himfelf the object, of contempt -? .while he,. , who incompafTed. with . difficulties, maintains an honeft courfe, may hope forthe friend fhip ofnian, and the favour of Heaven. Thefame will be the cafe iii ftates and' communities,, fo long as righ- teoufnefs exalteth a nation. .Among, the,, late various complaints, perhaps none is more- frequently made,-, than that the peo ple are ignorant. wha.t becomes of their money ; that they pay large taxes, and never learn how they, are difpofed of. We fhall therefore ftate the amount of the feveral taxes, commencing with the gold andfilver tax in 178.0,. and including the taxes ¦granted fince that, time, except the tax grantee! in March laft, the payments that: have. been made on thofe- taxes,. -the impoft and excife, &c. and the manner in which the money, &c. arifing there from, has be-:n expended.. The 1,017,232 154-378 9 6 7i 4' .4,19.6 0 7l 25,283 2>7^5 !5 19 78,481 4 0 44,090 i<5 . 5 L . J3, J I The amount of the taxes firiee'1780, is ^.1,407,89.5" 12 if, Abatements to feveral townsi. 1, , .._,,- on thofe taxes, .'* ^".111,226 2 1 . ,5j Still due upon thofe taxes*' 279,437 . 1 i| , 390,(533,: 3,2.' Received irtto the treafury upon the" above- mentioned taxes, •':... The amount of impoft and excife The amount of one per cent, duty on Auc-r. tioneers, :,. ,-; - ,( The amount of what has been received for abfentees eftetes fold, Received of Naval-Officers, Anticipated on the feveral taxes, and on the impoft and excife, by the Treafurer's orders, . Received of fundry Agents„iCommHrary- General; &c. &c. , ¦ r, ., ni ' ' iim: 1,326,378 12 II The following is an account of the manner, in which theL money, &c. received for taxes, &c. above-mentioned, has been expended. Warrants drawn on the treafury for the payment of militia-rolls. Continental teamfters, repairs of the Caftle, pay of the garrifon there, officers and foldiers djfablfd.in former war's, officers 'and foldiers dilabled in the late war, Commit tee to purchafe cannon and other warlike Mores, accounts allowed by the Commit tee on accounts, building light-houfes, Committee to fettle the boundary line between this State ancj, New- York, the furvey and fale of Eaftern lands, "Sec. ' ' ihe warrants drawn from 0$ober,i78i; J to Odtober 1786, although fome of the ferv.ices were performed before, ^.295,588 1 f ^aid to the Continental Receiver of taxes,. 169,002 6 c Mr.- [ 4 • 1 Mi. A ppliton's "certificates, received for taxes, which are not yet paid to the Com mental Receiver, : '"". ' nX ^.13,894 1,8 &.. Militia rolls for fundry fervices, ;md for ."the. ; . ¦ , -_i. , pay of three arrd fix months men, 112,427 o 5 For teamfters, mid Col. Jabez Hatch, '18,601 4 J Col.J.Allan.forEafteTn Indian department, freight of cloathing from France, quar ters, &c. for the officers ofthe French .•: army, while in Bofton, one and a half years penfion to Richard' ^Gridley,.' Efq;. /; , 1 .:¦ and a balance -of a gratuity of twenty- ;',i >'¦ > -,., four dollars fpecie, due to the foldiers of this Commonwealth's line ofthe army, 8,303 . 3 2 Warrants for 3 month's pay of the army, ' : in 1 780, • 30,717 7 . o New emiffion bills redeemed aind burnt,. !n-.>vh 150,329 15. 2 Ditto redeemed, and now in the treafury, .44,146 3 9 InCeteft paid on the new emiffion bills, x5j576 5 4 Army notes redeemed, 95,624 2 1© Bounties paid for killing wolves, ij4°5 ° ° Intereft paid on State notqs, from July 1782, to O&ober .1786, '¦^'"2^5,371 1 "2. Certificate money .redeemed tmd- burnt, \,'L which was ilfued in 17S1, totfyfirchkfe .',. H*['y " flores for the army, and receivable on the tax of that year, . 8,364 o 6 Certificate money redeemed ana now in, the treafury, 9>987 'o o Allowance to Peter Savory, on aqcount^ for fupplies from France, '"'.. ,""r!' : 9S2'-i6 o Balance of the gold and filvef tax, that r was due from Sheriffs, remaining, to be by them accounted for, rJ . ," 31858 1 6 Paid fundry taxes, which became due on abfentees eftates, before tljofe eftate? were fold, and fundry refolves of Court' n_s ~3-' to difcount fuch taxesi ' 3,84^ 13- -3 Paid to Continen talComnii (Tary, for wdund- 'rav^ zd officers and foldiers," in addition to what is charged in the firft, article, . 10,335 "15 p Committee V 15: I" Committee for fettling with the army, me thodizing public accounts, and fettling with the CbmmifBonersof Corigrefs, - £. 2,069 r3 & Prefident and Prbfeflbrs of Haryajd-Col- . .•>, lege, fince the year 1 7 8 1 , -including a grant made to Prefident Langdon, for fervices previous to that time, 21,362 16 8 To members of Congrefs, from June 1 780, to September 1786, ?M58 8 2 Warrabts in fayimr of f the former arid prefent Goverrkirar, from Oftober 1 ^80, to O&ober 1786, . .,, ;' . ,-,, 6,150 o o For the members of the Council, at Sf. per day, for each day's attendance at the Couneil-Board, fince the year 1782, 3,387 1 10 For the members of tbe Senate,from 0H3 ll 7 Attorney- General, in full of his fervices * in that office, before 1783, 1,063 12 ° Committee for revifmg thelaws, and their Clerk, , 209 16 o Record-books, ftationary and fuel, not paid by Committee of accounts, 271 19 4 I>351>633 J9» lt Dedudl what remains unpaid on the war rants in favour of the GoVernour, the General Court, &c. &c. &c. 25,255 7 9! £.1,326,378 12 i| The I, ^x Ji- The particular accounts of payments from the treafury, arc exceeding lengthy,, and could not with any convenience be here inferted, •..-,.- :,-x ^ri It appears that of the ' above taxes tohieh have been received into the treafury, the greater part has been difburfed for defraying the expences incurred by the war- more than. one hundred and eighty, thoufand pounds have : been -cQlIedted fpr the ufe of Congrefs, partly in fpecie to enable them to pay for fuch fsrvic.es as required prompt" payment, to fupport the federal government., . and pay the intereft of the foreign debt, affd; partly in the cer tificates of Mr. Appleton,:. forj the payment hi the intereft of the-domeftiedebt.-'; > s-^i-sy ;T It alfo appears, that exclu'fi've of the fums paid to Congrefs, the public debt has been much Ief- fened. Aimoft the whole fum -expreffed . in the hr ft article of the account, of .monies, expended, was paid to the militia and for other .fervices, and fupplies in the war ; and was a part of the debt of this ftate; altho' notes had, not been given for it.' ' The neWemiiTion bills, and. the certificate, money, &c. and the warrants for rolls, &c. werealfo debts of the Commonwealth, altho' the latter. were charged to the Continent ; and therefore,' excftiflve of the army notes that are redeemed, more than fix hundred and fifty, thoufand pounds have been paid within the laft ftx years, towards the, debt of this ftate, :belides the intereft' of the notes of this Commonwealth. ¦•The taxes above-mentioned, were all made payable t 17 I either in fpecie or in the new emiffiori currency, or in the army notes, or in the certifi cate money above-mentioned, or the certificates of Mr. Appleton, Exolttfive of thefe, the people of this Commonwealth have paid large taxes of a dif ferent defcription. jBy arefolve-ofDetember 3^, 1780, 4240 ftieft ¦ "Were required to be raifed. by this Common wealth; for .3 years, or during the war. It ap pears by the returns of the feveral towns, that "the average price of hiring thofe men, was ,;£.8j 1 3 j.— The «xpence of the whole, there fore, was , ,£-3 63, 1 5* o $3y a re'folve of March, 17B2, 1500 bien \vere dr- dered -10 be raifed for the like term, the average sfrfioe of which 'was -£.6i 14/8. — The whole expence, therefore, was, 92,350 o fThe average price of hiring "2700 taeri, for three months, in 1 "jS 1, Was £. 7 — The whole amount ed to, , 18,900 o ^The average price of hiring 500 men, for 'five months, in 1781, was £."]. — and the whole amounted to 3500 o JEhree beef taxes have beeti granted, for procuring ~~in thg whole, 8,927,115 lb. of beef, which at 4d. per lb. would amount to 148,785 5 jThe old emiffion currency redeemed and brought * into the treafury, at the rate of 1 for 75,-amount- «d to 122,655 I3 ,£-749>346 > 7 The above expence it is manifeft; was occafioned by the war. The account ofthe manner in which the money &c. received for taxes, &c. has been expended, in cludes all the warrants that have been drawn on C the [ i? 3 the.Treafurer from October 1781, to Q£toberri.786> the expence of civil government, to. tt>it, the Go;- ¦verfibiir, Council, Senate arid ' Houfe of Repiefen- tativ'es,' Members of Congrefsj Judges- and Attor ney- General, Secretary and Treafurer-and Clerks, Commiflary- General, Chaplain, MefTengers, Com mittee for revifing the laws, &c. vtouid, according to this acco^n,t„-,be ni^ty^hopfand '-five hundred and forty four-pounds fifteeri fhillings and- -two pence, for the laft .five years : but we find that near the clofe of the' paper-currency, warrants of ten times were not drawn until a confiderable time after the fervices were performed. Iri the Variants mentioned in the above account in favour ofthe members ofthe General. Court and of the Con grefs, only five thoufand fix hundred and, nineteen pounds Sf. id. was for fervice performed before Oc tober- 178 r, notwithftanding which we fhall con-? fider" the above fiinf of °ninety thoufand five hun dred and' forty-four pounds fifteen fhillings and. two pence, as wholly the expence of civil govern ment the laft five years ; it will then follow that eighteen thoufand: one hundred and > eight pounds : nineteen fhillings, has been the annual expence of government; about one half of this fum is for the fervice of tbe Houfe of Reprefentatives ; their tra vel is paid by the ftate, hut their, attendance is ulti mately paid by the towns they refpe&ively reprefent,^ their.travcl is lefs thanonefifthpartof the whole fum alio ved tbem, and therefore four-fifths of the.ex-* pence of the Reprefentatives is not fo properly the charge i *9 1 charge- of the Commonwealth in general as of thfe particular towns that choofe them. The Seffions of iheGeneral Court fince the War,have neceffarily been frequent and lengthy. A revifion ofthe laws was foifhd nfeceffaryj and has taken much time : the matters to be attended to have been vaftly numer ous, arid a far greater variety of difficult and im portant Hjueftidns! has arifen than formerly, upon ^hichthd1 people in different parts ofthe country vitere divided in ientiment ; as the Reprefentatives "brought to Court the views of their, coriftituents, the feffions have been lengthened out, by long and iriterefting dfebatses. "The dfturbanees at different times in the ftate, have alio multiplied and pro tracted the feffions . Thefe embarraflmen ts we hope ¦aft nearly at an end, and whenever they ceafe, thd expends of civil government, will be confi- derabiy diminifhed. We fh&li ftate for your information on this fub- jecT:, an account of t-heTalaries arid emoluments of the feveral officers of government, before and fince the revolution. The" Governour, under the former adminiftra tion, received a falary of £.1 300 in fpecie, he had the ufe of the province houfe, gardens, &c. he alfo received for every regifter 5s. — for every cer tificate under the province feal, 3s. — one third part of all feizures and prizes, a confiderable fum from the naval-Officer, and 6ther emoluments, amounting, it is fuppofed, to £. 1000 per annum, making in the whole £.2300,— - he was alfo ex empted from taxation. The f 2° 3 The Governour, under the prefent eonftitutioff,- has the yearly falary of Q.i ioo, no houfe or acco modations are provided for him, he receives no peri quifites or emoluments whatever, and is not ex empt from taxes. When the Governour's falary was fettled, foon after the conftitution, regard was had to the probability that money would foon be as fcarce and valuable as it was before the war. The Lieut. Governour, under the former admini ftration, received no falary ; but as Captain of the Caftle, received wages, rations, and the benefit arifing from paffes, all which it is fuppofed amount ed to £-2$o per annum ; the chief of the time he vvas a member of the Council.* Tne Lieut. Governour, under. the prefent con ftitution, receives no falary as Lieut.. Governour r but as Captain of the Caftle, Tie alfo receives wages, rations, and the like benefit arifing from pafje?, all which, it is fuppofed, amount to-thefame fum of £.250 per annum; he is alfo a member of the Council. The Judges of the Superior Court, under the- former adminiftration, received as follows, — in the- year 1774 a. falary of £-3,00 was granted to the Chief Juftice,. the other four received £.2 50 each; the fees of office, to. wit, for the entry of every ac tion 6s. Sd. &c.'&c..&c. which they received, paid more than their travelling expences, which were over and above tli-ir falary, notwithftanding the bufinefs. was far lefs than it is at prefent; fome of the Judges at leaft, were in other offices, as- Judges of Probate, Counfellors, Sec, Sooa t 2' -J Soon after the prefent conftitution took place, falaries were granted to the Judges of the Supreme Judicial Court, as follows, to wit.- To the Chief Juftice, ^.320 per annum, and to the other four Judges £.300 each. Since that time the jurifdic- tion of that Uourt has been much enlarged, new powers have been given to them to permit the iale of lands; they are now the Supreme Court of Probate, they have j uri fdi&ion in all cafes of di vorce and alimony, which heretofore belonged to the Governour and Council. A Court is alfo holden in the county of Lincoln. In confide ration that their bufinefs was greatly increafed, by an ad: of February 1785, an addition of jf.50 per annum was made to each of their falaries, to com mence January 1, 1784, and continue until Janu ary 1 , 1787 ; they are reftrainedby the conftitution from receiving any other emolument whatever ; all the fees now taken by them, being deducted out of their falaries : great part of their time is taken up in the fervice of the Commonwealth, on the circuits, and nearly the remainder on the public bufinefs, at their refpedtive homes, in exa mining matters "of law which are continued for their examination and judgment. ; and it is fup pofed that the falary of the prefent Judges, is lefs than the falary and purquifites of the former Judges, The Treafurer under the former adminiftration received £.267 per annum, and was Counfellor during the time he was in office : the office in which his bufinefs was done, was found him by the government. [ 22 ] tTTegovernmentjbefides which an annual grant from £.ioo to £.1,20, was made him, forextra-ferviees. The prefentTreafurer has ff. 3 50,with a hcjufe and office, and his whole time is employed in the bufi- nefs,and cannot have any other advantage whatever. The Secretary under the former adminiftration, received f. 140 per an nUrn, befides his fees, which are fuppofed to amourit '.to'£.2ob'inore, in the fol lowing manner, to ioit. for every iceftificate under the province feal, if. engrafting a£s and laws, 6/7 each, every commiffion of a Juftice of Oyer and Terminer and Juftice Ofthe Peace,, bf. Bd. — every commiffion under the great feal, for places of pro fit, 6f. Sd.— every order ofthe General Court for the Benefit of particular perfons, (ff. 8*/.— every writ for electing Reprefentatives, $f. &cc. &c. — arid yet his time Was not half employed, and additional grarits upon maiiy occafions were riiade him. ' The prefedt Secretary has a falary of £.2$b per annum ; the fees of office the laft year amounted to £.140, and were deducted frdrn' the aforefaid fum. . He has no fees of office but what are de ducted from his falary, which is not nearly equal to the falary'. and perquifites of the former Secretary, notwithftanding the fervice rendered to govern ment ismore than double. Before the war the province had two Agents at the Court of Great-Britain, who received a falary of £ . 400 lawful money each .' The Delegates at Congrefs, received for the lafty ear, thirty three- fhillings per day, while they were [ 23 .] were in fervice: at the lgft May. feffion, .it was determined that they fhould receive z 6f. for each day's attendance, for the year, r which commenced the firft Monday of November current, which ia to include every expence '. The officers of 'Harvard-College now receive the fame falafies as they did for a number of years previous to the revolution. The Clerk of1- the Hbufe of Reprefentatives un der the former adminiftration,received fromjr.90 to j^.ibo,and received pay as a member ofthe Court. The Clerk of the prefent Houfe has received at the rate of £. 135 the feffions being morefrequent and mueh longer jthaii formerly, and he cannot be a member of the . Houfe ... The Meflenger of the General Court formerly received £. 1 20— The prefent Meflenger receives only £. 80. It was fuppofed the avails of the Attorney-Ge neral were very fmall during the war, he was ap pointed to that office June 12th, 1777. In January 1779, a grant was made him of £-'g66 of the old emiffion, equal in fpecie, to {.100 6 In May, 1780, another grant was made him, of £'.7500, equal in fpecie,to 107 o In Match, 1784, a grant was made him in fpecie, of 1063 1 2 The whole amount of what has been granted him fipce his appointment to that office, in 1777, is 1270 12 A A confiderable part ofthe money granted to the Attorney-Genera! in paper, was not receiyed till its value was much lefs than the fums to which it is liquidated as above. From this ftatement of fadts, our conftituents willjuigs, if there is any ground for the fuggef- tion, that the fupport of civil government is be come an infupportable' burthen upon the people: It has been faid indeed, that" the Governour and the General Court are paid by the Treafurer in money, when other creditors can get nothing, ex cept orders On the Conftables of the feveral towns ; but the prefe'nt Goverriour has received pnIy.jT.15 jfj^df^ rfiore thin two quarters" of his falaty; the amount of what.he has received has not been fuf ' ficient to difcharge his taxes fince his firft election to the office ' of Governour } and there is not a member of the .General Court, who has received *a farthing in fpecie 'front the Treafurer for his fervice the prefent. year — nor have they fince the conftitution took place, received from the treafury nearly fo 'much in money as their a&ual ex pences. The fitting of the General Court in Bofton, has occafioned uneafinefs ; doubtlefs it would be more convenient for a part of the State, if it was holden at fome other place ; but the intereft and -wifhes of a part, , are .not to be confidered alone : Bofton has long been thought the moft conveni ent place : fome of the General Court have fup pofed otherwife ; but the major part were againft a t 25 3 a removal, and muft the minor part therefore rife agdinft the government? Becaufe they could not have every thing as they wifhed, could theybejuftified in "reforting to force ? Such a principle would de ftroy all foefety. Attention, however, has been paid to the instruction of many towns reflecting therremoval of the General Court out of the town of fib'iton, and a Committee oonfifting of a mem- bet from each, county, has been appointed to con sider the fubjedt and report. It never can be the cafe, that the whole com munity fhall be of the fame opinion ; in a repub hcan government, the major part muft: govern : if the; minor part governs, it becomes an ariftocracy : if every one oppofes at his pleafure, it is no go vernment, it is anarchy and confufion. , In fome parts of the Commonwealth, it is fre quently faid, if our Reprefentative goes to Court, he will do us no fervice ; for the meafures he is in favour qf, Will not be adopted : but 'why will they not be adopted ? Every meafure that is pro pofed, is attended to, and cenfidered ; and if final ly rejected, it is becaufe the majority think it inexpedient ; and how abfurd and contradictory would the proceedings of the Court be, if every propofition fhould be acceeded to. The complaints in different parts of the State are repugnant, and petitions from different places, requeft meafures directly oppofite ; it is impoffible therefore, that all fhould be gratified : what then ihall be done ? Unlefs we fubmit to be controuled D by [ 26 ] by the greater number, the Commonwealth muft break in pieces ; but neither will the inhabitants of any county, or town be all of the fame fenti ments, each man therefore muft be a part, and the whole reduced to a ftate of nature. If then it is plain, that the vote ofthe major part muft govern, the queftion is, where fhall that vote be taken ¦?' Not in a county convention ; be*- caufe nine-tenths of the State are not reprefented, and. their intereft is not attended to. The con ftitution has pointed out the mode of reprefenta- tion ; and will any one fuppofe, that becaufe the perfon^ chofen, are called a General Court, they have lefs integrity or patriotifm, than if they were called a convention ? It is even faid by fome, that a new conftitution is neceffary ; and although the fentiments ofthe perfons, who complain; are oppofite on this point, the, fubject may demand fome attention. The ob - jedtion made to the prefent conftitution, is the ex- pence of the government. From the foregoing ftatement of that expence for the laft five years', we find, that if the expence of the HOufe of Re prefentatives is included, it. will.. not exceed eigh teen thoufand, one hundred ^and nine pounds by the year ; as. there are in the State, more than ninety-four thoufand polls, if the whole fum was paid by the polls, each/ poll muft' pay three fhil lings and ten pence and no more ; but as about two -thirds of the taxes are paid by the eftates, the tax: I *7 3 tax upon a poll, according to the prefent mode of affeffment, would be lefs than fixteen-pence. It has been alledged, that the falaries given to the officers of government, are a great burthen. The Governour has per annum £ 1 1 oo o o The Secretary 250 o o The Treafurer 350 o o The Judges of the Supreme Court 1775 o o The Commiflary-General 150 o o Total. 3625 o o If this fum was wholly paid by the polls, the tax would be no more than nine- pence half-penny upon a poll : it muft therefore be apparent to every reafonable man, that the large taxes we have paid have not been applied to the fupport of civil government. We have but lately heard that the Senate has been thought by any one to be a grievance ; if it has been fo confidered, we think it muft have been owing to inattention ; for we are convinced that every judicious man who attends to the na ture of our government, will confider that as an important and neceffary branch ofthe Legiilature. Before the conftitution was formed every town in the State had a right to fend one or more Re prefentatives ; the people at that time were very tenacious of this right ; it is highly probable they would be fo at the prefent time ; perhaps the very perfons who complain would not be willing to part with it, for if they preferred a Legiflature elected by counties, to one chofen by the feveral towns, £ 2§ j towns* fuch an W&^iy.w>^d:he'Q^xp^^''liki^ tjie prefent. Sen^tej. and 4|ffer onl]?4ri,aa&e_ ,^np*v- ever, th^l^u #p^^ fe'fe^fe the ftun propoiea^Q pe.l^F^^s^jt^inp^ o£ 0ie Conftiiution'may take place in' 1795:, when-ikis t}) be hoped the minds of men wiU, be in % nipre; tranquil ftate,r s- ,...,. ^ , fr. -"^ ;' /' "¦ _.'y :.", J Aa attempt' to forpv^p v^eW^:ccaiftitut|on \*jas- begun in the ,ypaf 1777, and' was hot' com pleated until the ye^r i.7$0. ;r the coft .and -trouble attending itjWe.^H reinpqiber were exceeding greats and perhaps nothhig. w.ould^nally -have beeii agreed to, if an unufual fpipt of .r^ujual condefcen^ fion jiad not prevailed ^ #. Jepfe of common .d^n'-T ger from abfoad produced internal harhforiy aria1 union- : But w^at .hope could -we now have op tha? mutual. coqipliancs,. ,whieh. yi^ujd 'be.Qecef— ikr-y to,agr^e ^ppn.-affbrm of. g^ergm §rit ^ '.^ne&» the tempers, by.ramfny are ia^^^rirnt^tTon, % Should the prefsnt gav'ernxns^^l^rovefthrown^ a" ftate of genera} cqnfoiion wp^js^nTys: ;. -and after we had experienced all.tH^ liorPQr^^fari^rchy^ andt t,he eff2<%s,pf ,^nrejfi.r^s4v if^l^R^^V -ff^ge,," Qiir-dear eat^Afeeg^pn^; W4»j £b4?^^XwaU lowed u.p,; by dop^|fc.£^ ion:, ^ < ¦ ,. .,¦[.;¦ r :.-.[ !^f:.fyJi'j. .'\:.-.'f. The conftitujtiob is as - free arM: popular as- the: prefcryatipri. , maxim in economy, altho' a moft. abfurd.and de-: ftruCtive. one.: : While thefe habits continue, the. wife ft. Legiflature will not.be able to, remove our complaints : The emiffion of a paper currency,, and fuch like expedients, may feem to refrefh us for a moment ¦; but they will ferve to .fan the* flame, that muft eventually confume us>. ./ ; Without a reformation of manners,, we can- have little hope to profper in our public or pri vate concerns. At the clofe ofthe war we greedily adopted the luxurious modes ofjoreign nations., Although our country abo,unds.with, all the ne— ceffaries qf life;, the importation^ from abroad, for our own confump tion, have been, aimoft- beyond - calculation ; we have indulged ourfelves in fan tastical and expgnfive- fafhions and intemporate* living; by thefe means oJ4r .property has been leffened and imm;enfe fums-in fpqcie have -been- ex ported. Government is complained of, as if they.: had devoured. them ; and the cry of many per fons now is, mike us paper, money.. This rejqueff i^.next in point of imprudence,; to diat of the Israelites-,, tpf Aaron,- to make them-,a calf ;,- and a- compliance would be;but.atjttle more honorable qr advantageous, in the. one. caf$, than it was, in, the other. As the difficulty it) paying- debts increafed; ^ dif- rseg.ird to honefty, jufiice^nd,good,f^itb> in pubr-. lie T '35 3 lie and private tranfa&ions become more manifeft. That virtue, which is neceffary to fupport a Re*. public, has declined ; and as a people, we are now in thepirecife channel, in which the liberty of States has generally been fwallowed up. But itill our cafe is not defperate ; by recurring to the -principles of integrity and public fpirit, and the -praCtice of induftry, fobriety, economy, and fideli ty in contracts, and by acquiefcing in laws necef fary for the public good, the impending ruin may be averted, and we become refpe&able and hap^ .py.- — By fuch means, we may falfify the invidious predictions our enemies, that we fhould crumble to pieces, and fhould be too corrupt to maintain re publican freedom. In fuch a caufe we may hope, that the God of our fathers, who has defended us hitherto, will profper the work of his own hands, and fave the fair ftruCture of American liberty from falling into ruin. We make no boaft of uncommon fkill in legif- lation ; but facredly regarding the oaths we have taken, we claim the merit of upright defigns, and of purfuingas far as we can judge, a fyftem form ed on the principles of juftice, and calculated to promote the honor, the fafety and happinefs of the State. In a Commonwealth, where a fpirit of unrea fonable jealoufy and a complaining temper, are in dulged and countenanced, it will be impoffible to give fatisfaCtion to the people : if Angels in fuch cafe were to govern us, oppofition would be made to .[ 36 .] to their adminiftratioA y indeed we have a ftriking- inftance that when fuch humours prevail, even the authority of the Supreme Being will be thought a grievance. The people of Ifrael were under his particular care and government ; He was their Law giver and Judge ? He delivered then* from their oppreffors; Heledtheth through the fea; He rain ed them down the corn of Heaven, and fent them meat to the full ; but notwithftanding, they com plained of His government and wantonly provoked His anger ; like that peopkj we have experienced aftonifhing teftimonies. of the divine favour. God forbid ! that like them, we fhould requite him with murmuring and ingratitudfe, and provoke him to deftroy us. When the people are diftreffed with the con duct of any government > it may at leaft: deferve a refiedtion, whether the difficulty is not with themfelves. At the laft election in this State, perhaps a greater number of new Members were returned, than at any former period ; they came together with a fixed defigns, to gratify their con- ftituents, in every thing which the intereft of the community would permit ; and they never loft fight of that objeCt; notwithftanding which, grea ter diffatisfaCtion with public meafures is expreff ed at this time, than ever before fince th£ revolu tion. The Legiilature have attended to all the pe titions that have been prefented, and all the com plaints that have been made ; fo far as juftice will allow, they will: comply with fcherequefts in thofe: petitions,.. E 37 I petitions and remove the grounds of thofe com plaints. If they poffefs abilities and integrity equal to the other members of the community, the advantages they derive from the information Collected from all parts of the State, and a public difcuffion of fubjects, render them more capable to judge, of the fitnefs of public meafures ; but if they are to have the favour ofthe people, and a voice in the public Counfels, only on condition of their eftablifhing iniquity by law, they are willing to lofe the fhameful pre-eminence. The General Court have heard with inexpreffi- ble concern, of the infurrections in feveral counties of the State. The pretence that the Court of Common Pleas, is a grievance, affords but a wretched excufefor fuch outrageous proceedings ; that Court, except a fmall alteration in the name, has exifted time immemorial ; no complaints were heard againft it in former times ; no, application has been made to the Legiflature before this feffion to abolifh it. The fees, except thofe of Jurors and witneffes, are in many inftances lefs, and we think innone greater than they were before the.war- Provifion has been made to enable the citizens to fettle their demands without reforting to that Court, if they are difpofed to do it ; feveral years fince, the Juftices ofthe Peace were authorized to take acknowledgements of debts, even to the largeft amount ; and more lately an act was paff- ed to enable any perfons in difference, who could agree to refer their difputes, to refoxt to a Juftice and I 38 3 -. anc| enter "into" a rule for that purpofe, without being fubjeCt to the expence of an aCtion. But if the Court of Common Pleas has been; by any fup pofed. unneceffary, how furprizing then, the idea, that any perfons could think themfelves juftifiedj. in oppofing by force, an ancient inftitution, with* out taking a fingle ftep to obtain redrefs in a regu lar method. But not content with obftructingthe Courts of Common Pleas, the difaffected have taken arms to prevent the fitting ofthe Supreme Judicial Court, againft which, not a finglexom- .plaint has been uttered. Thefe proceedings are the more alarming, as they -can beaccountedVor, ori- ly on the fuppofition, that the iriftigators wifh to fubvert all order and government, and reduce the Commonwealth, to the moft deplorable -ftate of .w^^^ednersand^ontempt. it:j- o,,...Iri,th;is view, our fituation appears exceedingly alarming; Efficiently fo, to arreft the moft ferious attentiair,. and fiunmon the united efforts, of all orders, in the: State. Some perfons have artfully affeCted to, make a diftinCtion between the govern ment and peo.de, as though their interefts were different and even oppofite • but we prefume, the good fenfe of our conftituents will difcern the de ceit and falfityof thofe infinuations. Within a tew months the authority delegated to ¦ us will ceaie, and all the citizens will be equally candi dates m a future election •¦ we are therefore no more mterefted to preferve the conftitution and lupporf the gaveniment, than others .: but while the [ 39 } the authority given us continues, we areboitiid fcj exercife it for the benefit of our conftituents. And we now call upon perfons of all ranks and characters to exert themfelves for the public fafety. Upon the Minifters of religion, that they incul cate upon the minds of their people, the princi ples ofjuftice and public virtue; that theyearneft- ly endeavour to imprefs them with fentiments of reverence to the Deity and benevolence to men, and convince them ofthe ruinous effects of luxury and licentioufnefs. Upon the officers1 of every denomination, that they endeavour to inform the ignorant ; and by their examples of economy, to< induce others to the practice of the fame virtue ,- and that they ufe their u-tmoft efforts- to fupprefs the infurreCtions of fuch lawlefs'and violent men, as may wifh to pull down the fabric of law and government, and level it with the duft. And up on the whole body ofthe people, that they provide for the inftruCtion ofthe rifing generation ; thit they practice all thofe virtues which are the ornament and ftrength of fociety,. and abftain from" thofe vices and follies, that weaken the State, and have a tendency. to its ruin ; and efpecially that ^» they oppofe with fortitude and perferverance, all at tempts to impede the courfe ofjuftice and render their own lives and property infecure. Many who difapprove infurreCtions againft the government, neglect' to afford their aid, in fup-1 preffiog.them ; but toffand.ftill, inaCtivcfpeCtators^ su fuch cafe,, is like a man who when his houfe is in [ 4o ] in flames, fhould ftand with folded arms, and con- fole himfelf with this, that he did not fet it on fire. We perfuade Ourfelves, that the far greater part of thofe who have been concerned in the late dan gerous tumults, have been deluded by the falfe re- prefentations of men who go about to deceive ; and we wifh them to reflect how fatal fuch pro ceedings ,may prove in the iffue, to themfelves and their children ; that they muft increafe the pub lic burthens, and embarrafs the meafures calculat ed for relief; that it is their own conftitution and laws they are endeavouring to overthrow ; that this conftitution and thefe laws were formed for the fafety of every member of the State ; and that the man Who attempts to fubvert thofe laws, and that conftitution, does in effeCt make an attempt upon the life, liberty and property of every, mem ber, of the community ; and we conjure them, by aU that. they hold dear and fac red/ forthwith %q: defift -from fuch ruinous purfuits. Perhaps there ate fome, who ddaf tothe voice of reafon, and loft to all fenfe of juftice and virtue, , may! refolve to continue in their dangerous courfe .; but: let tfiena be affined, although they flatter themfelves that the confiderations of friendfhip and affinity, may delay the time of recompence ; yet the vengeance of an injured community, muft one day, purfue and overtake them. ¦ . . , • '¦ii- Treasury-Office, 27th O&ober, 178&. ^ H AVE examined and compared thejiatemcnts that are here prefented to the public, and fo far as refpetis ihe accounts in this office, 1 find they are juft and true, THOMAS IVERS, Treafurer. In SENATE, October 30, 1786. TH E foregoing Addrefs was read and accept ed ; and thereupon, ORDERED, That the Secretary caufe twelve 'hundred copies thereof, to be printed as foon as may be ; each Member ofthe Legiflature 60 be furnifh- ed with one copy, and one copy to be fent to ,each of the Minifters of the feveral patifhes, and the Clerks ofthe feveral towns,diftrici:s and plantations, within this Commonwealth. And the faid Mini- iters are required to read the fame to their re fpective affemblies, on Thankfg-iving-Day, immedi ately after divine fervice, or to call a Lecture and read the fame on that occafion ; and in both cafes they are requefted to give notice on the preceeding Sabbath, ofthe time when the fame will be read. — And the Clerks ofthe faid towns, diftriits and plan tations, are directed to read the fame at the nex': meeting of the towns, diftri&s or plantations, to which they refpeftively belong ; and where no fuch meeting is to be held at an early period on other bufinefs, the Selectmen of fuch town, diftriCt or plantation, are directed to call a meeting fpecially for that purpofe. Sent down for concurrence. SAMUEL PHILLIPS, jun. Prefident. In the House of Representatives, Nov. 14, 1786. Read and concurred. ARTEMAS WARD, Speaker. True copy. Atteft. JOHN AVERY, jun. Secretary. YALE UNIVERSITY a_39002 001921858b