Alexander Hamilton Papers
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Treasury Department Circular to the Governors of the States, 26 September 1789

Treasury Department Circular to the
Governors of the States

Treasury Department
September 26th. 1789

Sir

In obedience to an order of the House of Representatives of the 21st. Instant (Copy of which I have the honor to enclose)1 it becomes my duty to request your Excellency to procure and transmit to this Office the Documents and Information therein required.

As the next Session of the Legislature will be on the first monday of January ensuing, it is greatly to be wished that the whole of the above Statements may be forwarded to this Office before that day; particularly the Statement of the Loan Office Certificates or other public Securities of the United States which may be in the Treasury of your State.

This last Statement is immediately necessary to enable me to prepare with the requisite accuracy, the plan referred to in other resolutions of the House of the same date with those abovementioned, a Copy of which is likewise inclosed for your information.2

It would be adviseable to transmit at the same time as accurate a Statement as can be made of the Interest (if any) which the State may have paid on the Evidences of the public Debt abovementioned.

I have the honor to be   Your Excellency’s most Obedt. humble servt.

A Hamilton
Secy of the Treasury

LS, to George Clinton, MS Division, New York Public Library; LS, to John Hancock, sold at Parke-Bernet Galleries, November 16–17, 1938, Lot 95; LS, to John E. Howard, Hall of Records of Maryland, Annapolis; copy, to John E. Howard, RG 56, Miscellaneous Letters Sent, “Set K,” National Archives; copy, to John E. Howard, RG 56, Letters 2d Comptroller, 2d Auditor, Executive of Maryland and Georgia, 1789–1833, National Archives; LS, to Samuel Huntington, sold at Parke-Bernet Galleries, January 25, 1940, Lot 170; LS, to William Livingston, sold by Stan V. Henkels, April 9, 1901, Lot 541; LS, to Thomas Mifflin, Yale University Library; LS, to Beverley Randolph, Archives Division, Virginia State Library, Richmond; LS, to George Walton, The Andre deCoppet Collection, Princeton University Library; copy, to Jonathan Trumbull, owned by Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, Inc., New York City.

1The enclosure reads as follows:

“In the House of Representatives of the United States.

Monday the 21st. Septemr. 1789.

“Ordered. that the Secretary of the Treasury be directed to apply to the supreme Executives of the several States, for statements of their public Debts; of the funds provided for the payment, in whole or in part, of the principal and interest thereof; and of the amount of Loan Office Certificates or other public Securities of the United States in the State Treasuries, respectively; and that he report to the House such of the said documents as he may obtain, at the next Session of Congress.

Extract from the Journal
John Beckly   Clerk

Compared with the original in the Office of the Secretary of the Treasury.

Wm. Duer Asst. Secy.” (Archives
Division, Virginia State Library).

2The House resolution reads as follows:

“In the House of Representatives of the United States.

Monday the 21st Septemr 1789.

“The House proceeded to consider the Report which lay on the Table, from the Committee to whom was referred the Memorial and petition of the public Creditors of Pennsylvania Whereupon

“Resolved that this House consider an adequate provision for the support of the public Credit as a matter of high importance to the National honor and prosperity.

“Resolved, that the Secretary of the Treasury be directed to prepare a Plan for that purpose, and to Report the same to this House at its next meeting.

Extract from the Journals
John Beckly   Clerk

Compared with the Original in the Office of the Secretary of the Treasury

Wm. Duer Asst. Secy.” (Archives
Division, Virginia State Library).

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