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New York
August 17th 1790
Dear Sir
Congress has finished the business of the Session, we adjourned on [unclear text: [deleted text: Saturday ] ] Thursday last, after having passed forty eight Acts, which I imagine will, by this opportunity, be transmitted to you by the Secretary of State, whose duty it is, Some of them you will perceive are important and very interesting to the States and I am sorry to observe that those Acts which are of the highest importance were the most controverted, and are the least approved of. The Act for making provision for the National debt and assuming of the States Debts was more than six Months on its passage through Congress, and in its progress assumed various shapes, and was opposed on various principles. Some were for Assuming of all the State Debts and funding of the whole National Debt at an annual Interest of six percent -- which would probably have swelled the Debt of the United States to more than 80 Million of Dollars; and the yearly interest of this [added text: Debt ] it was contended the United States could pay with ease, if proper principles of taxation were established. Others were of opinion that policy forbid the United States involving of themselves in a greater debt than would be accumulated by funding of the Debt of the United States only at an


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Interest of four percent, and some indeed were opposed to assuming, or funding on any principle. These clashing opinions were agitated in both Houses of Congress, until by a kind of compromise they produced the Act in its present form, with the assent of only a small Majority of Congress. How far it will meet the approbation of the people of the States, a little time will discover.
Agreeable to this Act the Debt of the United States, the [unclear text: ensuing ] year will be 2,660,861 Dollars including the interest of the foreign Debt, and the Expenses of Government. This sum it is estimated can be raised from the duties on imports and tonage [tonnage], but when the Interest becomes due on the Assumed Debt, some other mode of taxation must unavoidably be adopted, and I find that some of our Statesmen are of opinion that it will be advisable to levy a direct tax either on the lands or [unclear text: poles ] of the Citizens; but the most prevailing opinion is that Congress will at their next Session pass a general Excise Act and perhaps a Stamp Act. You see these measures all tend to a high toned Government, and it is easy to perceive that there are powerfull [powerful] individuals that are Strenuous advocates for it, and I must confess to you, that I have my apprehensions that Congress [deleted text: [added text: will ] ] [added text: will be disposed to ] run into that extreme; perhaps it is a natural consequence after the feeble Government [added text: as ] [deleted text: that ] we [added text: have ] had for sometime past; but I trust the minds of the Americans are sufficiently enlightened to investigate the principles of their Government, and clearly ascertain


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their invaluable rights, and timely pursue with firmness such Constitutional measures as will [added text: best ] secure them
You will see that by the Act for Settling the Accounts & claims of the different States against the United States, the Commissioners are vested with full powers to Judge and finally determine on the legality and equity of every claim, according to their understanding of the matter; and to ascertain on certain principles what may be due, to, and from each of the States and it also allows [unclear text: farther ] time for [added text: the States ] exhibiting accounts and evidence I have no doubt but you will see the indispensable necessity of our States attending to this interesting business, otherwise we shall be loaded with an enormous debt when perhaps if timely exertions are made to collect and transmit the accounts and claims of every nature against the United States, with the best vouchers and evidence in support of them that the nature of the case will admit, we should on principles of Justice be entitled to receive a balance from the United States.
The enclosed paper contains the treaty of the United States with the Creek Indians, and notwithstanding one of its objects was to secure peace to the State of Georgia I am apprehensive that the terms will be very offensive to the Citizens of that State; for it is too obvious, that the third and fourth Articles


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Are injurious and dishonourable [dishonorable] to them. I will not here animadvert on the Constitutionality, of, or the consequenses [consequences] that [added text: treaty ] may produce, but assure [added text: you ] that every possible exertion was made by the Senators of Georgia in every stage of the business to prevent the origin and adoption [added text: on those principles ] and on the question in Senate to consent and advise the President to ratify the Treaty we made every effort to have those two articles passed over in order to introduce an article to revise and explain them, so as to have secured our territory and a return of the property that has been taken by the Indians, and when that could not [added text: be ] effected we remonstrated in the most pointed terms against the Constitutionality the Justice, and policy of [added text: the ] measure and have marked the question with our negative. Genl. [General] Jackson and Colo. [Colonel] [unclear text: Gunn ] are going on to Georgia and inform me they will both attend the Assembly at Augusta in [unclear text: Novr [November] ] next and to them I must refer you for further information relative to this [unclear text: negociation [negotiation] ], and proceedings of Congress.

I am Dear Sir with much respect Your most Obdt. Hum.l Servt. [Obedient Humble Servant]
[Signed] W [William] Few [added text (appears to be different ink and hand): my cousin ]





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Communication
Hble [Honorable] William Few
17th August
Ordered to be filed
16th Septemr [September] 1790

Public Debt

His Excellency Edward Telfair Esqr [Esquire] Governor Georgia

[added text (appears to be different ink and hand): Package 317 ] [added text (appears to be different ink and hand): B ]