Sir,
Congress having directed a very considerable part of the army to be sent home on furlough, I am pressed exceedingly to make a payment of three months' wages, and I am very desirous to accomplish it, but the want of money compels me to an anticipation on the taxes by making this payment in notes. To render this mode tolerably just or useful, the notes must be punctually discharged when they fall due, and my dependence must be on the money to be received of the several States, on the requisitions for the last and present year. I hope the urgency of the case will produce the desired exertions, and fully enable me to preserve the credit and honor of the federal government.
I have the honor to be, &c.
ROBERT MORRIS.
CIRCULAR TO THE GOVERNORS OF THE STATES.
Office of Finance, July 11th, 1783.
Sir,
I do myself the honor to enclose to your Excellency, a state of the public accounts, balanced on the last day of June, 1783. A view of these accounts will render it unnecessary to make many observations.
On the States I am to rely for payment of the anticipations amounting, as you will see, to more than a million. And you will observe, that this great anticipation has been made for that service, which all affect to have so much at heart. A payment to the American army. If they had received no pay during the year 1783, I might perhaps have been spared the necessity of this application, because it is probable that the taxes even as they are now collected might have absorbed such anticipations as I should then have been obliged to make.