be immediately paid on the expectation of which, they contracted Debts with their neighbours, the Public still withholds payment whereby individuals are Cruelly sued perplex'd Harrass'd & Brot almost to desparation-The war with all its Calamitys did not seem near so distressing as the present times -nothing but gold & silver, (which your honors are sensible are not to be had) will satisfy the gentleman who laid his plan to disconcert every measure that the states were taking to gain the independence they so much desird & which they have gain'd notwithstanding the many obstacles thrown in the way The Convention apprehend that still those very men woud wish to do every thing that wou'd overturne the government & bring it into a state of anarchy & Distress (so much to be dreaded) & it seems, they embrace the opportunity to call for private debts which was contracted before & during the war for the Convention are really sensible those gen' wou'd not lend the Government one shilling in their distress, nor pay One shilling any otherways, than was extorted from them-Your Honors will be pleas'd to take into your wise consideration & adopt some measure that a medium of trade may be had or that a stop may be put to distressing Suits that is or may be Bro't— The Convention Humbly presume a new proportion will soon be made to levy future taxes by, beg leave to Hint to your honors the great inequality of the present Tax on money at interest and stock in trade and that those articles may have due Consideration with you in your new proportion-the Commutation to be giv'n the Gen' Officers who have serv'd in the late war is extremely heavy on the people who are to pay it-The people at home have labor'd hard, have had the war to support in its other branches, & are now reduc'd almost to an alternative of giving their all, & flying to some Howling wilderness & there to begin anew. The Convention woud be exceeding glad to do every thing in their power to compensate those gent who have serv'd in the field & at the same time woud beg you woud not extort the whole of what is conquered. The war is now clos'd and they cannot, nay they must not expect to be the only gainers therefore the Convention beg your honors to remonstrate, & if any remedy is to be had, that the same may be effected which the Convention still hope & trust will be done-The duty which has been so strongly urged by Congress to be laid on all imported articles the Convention being fully sensible had it been done long before this it woud have been a great step towards raising a revenue and that the States woud by this time have rec" great benifit from it as it woud have put it in their power at least to have paid part of the interest of the national Debt, and that Other nations woud have lent us money in our Distress if they cou'd be assur'd even of their interest when due Other nations raise learge sums in this way, therefore the Convention prays your honors to take this matter into your wise Consideration and grant the same as our other states have done the present method of collecting the excise the Convention humbly conceive might be collected in some other way less disagreable and of greater utility to the government The Convention wou'd beg leave to suggest to your honors that they think some person in each Town might be appointed to collect the excise and be accountable in the same manner as other Taxes are accounted for-The Convention make no doubt but your honors will adopt the measure that will conduce to the good of the whole-The fee-table, the Convention woud beg leave to remonstrate to your honors that they think a regulation Ought to take place in many parts of it. Bills of Cost are mounted at this day to an Enormous sum. Nay, without being justly due in our humble opinion, therefore beg your honors to take into your wise Consideration and make such alterations as may seem to be more equitable and just-The Convention are Deeply sensible of the great embarrasments the government is in for want of regular payment of the Taxes call'd for. But the people have not the money Neither can they get it to pay. The Convention wou'd beg if it is consistant that those Extents for moneys due to the government for the Hier of Soldiers may be postpon'd from being extended, at present-Till the average can be made the test Act, so call'd, has caus'd much disturbance with numbers of scrupulous minds, therefore beg your Honours to repeal so much of the clause of that act as relates to voters in town meeting-The confession act, so call'd seems to strike the minds of the people that the same if properly made will be very salutary and of great utility to the Public; therefore the Convention beg your hon' the same may be done -And that the Debtor have liberty to confess any sum that may be due and that a reasonable time (giving security for the personal appearance of the debtor or otherwise payment of the dept) be allow'd the debtor to make payment before Execution be issued To all which we pray your honors to give that attention that the necessity of the Case requires, & as in duty bound will ever pray In behalf of Convention Nov 27th 1783 Amos Dakin Charman [12-50] [Another Address from the Chairman of the aforenamed Convention.] To the Honble Council & House of Representatives in General Assembly Convened at Concord in the State of New Hampshire May it Please Your Honours— The delegates of the Towns of Wilton New Boston Raby Mason New Ipswich Peterborough Rindge Jaffrey Dublin Packerfeild Marlborough Keen Surrey Chesterfield Marlow Lyndsborough and Richmond, Beg leave to remonstrate and lay before your Honors the distressing situation of the good people of this State, we wou'd Sincerely Wish the greatest good Order, and beleive us when we say we are determined (as far as in us lies) to maintain Our Government to the fullest extent, as we are Sensible Our All depends, On it. We are fully Sensible of the great embarrasment, and difficultys this State labours Under, and More especially, Our Honble General Court and are well assured they would be glad to do every thing in their power, But the many Objections that Arises to every method proposed by individuals of the General Court, is Augmented & therefore every part is laid Aside-we take the liberty to inform Your Honours we have Addressed and instructed the Honble Councilors and Representatives for the Several Towns before mentioned that they lay before your Honours the greivances, we labour Under-Therefore we must pray Your Honours to give Some Attention, and that we be redressed. The greivances which the good People that have Constituted us to Make Known, is the great Multiplicity of law Suits the Enormous Gratuitys to be given to the Officers who Served in the late war, The Tax on Money at interest and The not laying the duty of five peret on all imported Articles as Recommended by Congress and has been so Strongly Urged Therefore confiding in Your great Wisdom we rest Asured of Relief, and as in duty Bound Will Ever pray— Amos Dakin by Order & in Behalf of the Convention [12-51] [Action of the Legislature in the matter.] State of Newhamps' In house of Representatives Nov 6th 1783 Voted that D' Preston, Maj' White Col° Peabody M' Shannon, Colo McDuffee, Esq' Blood Capt Clement Mr Barker and Mr Whipple with such of the Honble Board as they Shall Join be a Committee to Consider of the petition of Amos Dakin in behalf of Sundry Towns-Also the petition of Ebenezer Drury and Others and all Similar matters and Report thereon Sent up for Concurrence John Dudley Speaker In Council the Same day read and Concurred & Mr Worcester Mr Farrar & Mr McClary Joined E Thompson Sy The Committee report as their opinion that the President be desired to direct the Delegates of this State at the Continental Congress to remonstrate to Congress against their granting the five years pay to the Officers of the Army and urge a repeal of the Resolves of Congress already pass'd granting the samethe Committee also beg leave to recommend that a Committee be appointed to prepare a Draft of an Act for a more summary and less expencive way of trying Actions at Law and curtailing the number thereof and making provision for the ease of Debtors in this scarce time of money, and also revising the table of Fees and especially the Article of Travel John McCleary for the Comtee |