Delegates to Congress . Letters of delegates to Congress, 1774-1789, Volume 17, March 1 1781-August 31 1781
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Thomas Rodney's Diary

Wednesday March 7th 1781.

   The motion Made Yesterday by the Delegates of N.Y.(1) Came on the Carpet again to day. Upon enquiry into the Journals of Congress it appear'd that the States Were at Liberty to exchange the new Money for the Old at any exchange not less than 40 Old Dollars for One new one So that the Motion Was reduced to this-"Will Congress give the State of N. York permission to pay of[f] the Certificates in that State with the new Money?" (2) Mr. Burk & Mr. McKean Urged that to permit this Would be Subverting the Intention of the Resolution of the 18th of March Unless the Old Money Was first drawn in. Mr. Weatherspoon & Mr. Bland Spoke to the Same purpose. Mr. Duane Said that it was out of the Power of N. York to call in the Old Money by exchange or Taxes because it Was Not in the State-That the inhabitants had let the Army have all their produce, for Which they only recd. Certificates-So that now they had neither Money nor produce to git it with, That these


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Certificates Amounted to Two Millions And that the faith of the State was pledged to pay them off-And if Congress Could not furnish Money to pay them the State would be Under the Necessaty of Striking Money on its Own Credit to pay them-That the State had alway Sacredly followed the Councils of Congress and had Complied With every requisition to the Utmost of their power, and Would not now do any thing without first having the Advice of Congress-That he Understood the State of Virginia had struck Two Millions of New Money on the Credit of that State contrary to the Resolution of the 18th of March.

   He was Seconded by Genl Sullivan & Mr. Root of Jersey (3) Who insisted on permission for useing the new Money to pay of those Certificates &c.

   But Mr. Burk replied and urged the keeping of the publick faith as held forth in the Resolution of the 18th of March-So that When the question Was put it passed in the negative.

   A long debate also arose to day on a report of the Treasury board-Whether Congress Should pay Sundry Iron Masters for Shot and Shells on Bills on France at 4/6 Specie for 4/6 Sterling. Genl. Sullivan and several others Urged this to be done upon the Principle of establishing the Credit of the States. Mr. Burk & Mr. McKean represented this as ruinous to the Publick to give Sterling for Currency. The debate was long & Tedious but afforded Nothing very instructing-it passed in the negative.(4)


Note: MS (DLC: Rodney Family Papers).

1 See Rodney's Diary, March 6, 1781, note 2.

2 "The Motion" was not reported in the journals.

3 That is, Connecticut.

4 This "long debate" was not reported in the journals, but the treasury report on payment for shot and shells had been read in Congress on March 6 and referred to the Committee of the Whole. After debating the question on several occasions, Congress voted on March 19 to pay the ironmasters for shot and shells in bills drawn on the American minister at Versailles. See JCC, 19:204-5, 234-35, 254, 263, 278-79.