Report on Additional Appropriations, [13–16 April 1792]
Report on Additional Appropriations
[Philadelphia, April 13–16, 1792
Communicated on April 17, 1792]1
The Secretary of the Treasury respectfully reports to the House of Representatives, an Estimate of certain Sums, amounting together to thirty four thousand four hundred and ninety seven dollars, ninety Cents, for which an appropriation is requisite, in addition to the provisions heretofore made.2
The funds in the power of the legislature, for this purpose, are the surplus of the duties on imports and tonnage to the end of the year 1791; certain unexpended surpluses on former appropriations, and certain sums, which have been paid into the treasury, in consequence of settlements with individuals.
The Secretary takes this opportunity to observe, that the only fund, which has been heretofore appropriated for satisfying the purposes of the Act, for raising and adding another regiment to the military establishment of the United States, and for making farther provision for the protection of the frontiers,3 is the product to the end of the year 1791, of the duties on spirits distilled within the United States, and of the additional duties laid by the same Act, which imposes those duties on imported spirits; which fund will not prove adequate to the object. A farther provision is therefore necessary, and may be made out of the unappropriated surplus of the duties on imports and tonnage to the end of the year 1791.4
All which is humbly submitted
Alexander Hamilton,
Secry. of the Treasy.
April 13th. 1792.
| dollars. cents. | ||
| For the discharge of a balance due Benjamin Hawkins and other Commissioners appointed under an Act of Congress of 15th March 1785,5 for treating with the Southern Indians, which balance the Comptroller of the Treasury6 admitted 5th. January 1792 | 2787.88. | |
| For the first Clerk to the general Board of Commissioners, his additional salary provided for by a clause in the Act for extending the time for settling the accounts between the United States and the individual States, from the 23d January to 31st December 1792,7 at 200 dollars per annum | 187.91. | |
| For defraying the expense which will attend the stating and printing of the public accounts at the Treasury, in compliance with the order of the House of Representatives, dated the 30th December 17918 | 800. | |
| Clerks of Courts, Jurors, Witnesses &c. | ||
| The fund arising from fines, forfeitures and penalties, having last year proved insufficient for the discharge of the accounts of Clerks of Courts &c to which they were appropriated:9 a sum for the present year is estimated in order to provide against a similar contingency, of 10.000. | ||
| And also for the discharge of certain accounts, actually settled to the 31st December, 1791, in addition to the sums heretofore appropriated 7.000. | 17.000. | |
| To rectify a mistake in the Register’s estimate10 for the enumeration of the inhabitants of Virginia, he having stated the Marshal’s account at 4253.90 | ||
| Whereas it ought to have been 7553.90, | ||
| the difference is | 3300. | |
| For the Marshall of the district of South Carolina, his accounts settled; for the enumeration of the inhabitants of that State, amount to 4395.59 | ||
| The sum estimated was only 3000. | ||
| Remains to be appropriated | 1395.59. | |
| For so much short estimated for the discharge of sundry accounts against the Treasury Department. The accounts brought in for payment to 31st December 1791, exceeding the said estimate, by, | 1355.61. | |
| For defraying the incidental expenses of furnishing the Supervisors of excise with screw-presses, stamp seals, and other articles | 600. | |
| For the Commissioner of Army Accounts, his additional estimate for 1792, Vizt. |
||
| For Lieut: John Freeman, of the late Maryland line for balance of subsistence, for the years 1782 & 1783 41.75. | ||
| Salary of a Clerk on extra hours, from the first of May 1791, to the 1st of April 1792 229.16 | ||
| Salary of two clerks in addition to those allowed by the last appropriation, as he finds it impossible with the present assistance to conduct the business with that dispatch and propriety required 1.000 | ||
| Contingencies 100 | 1370.91. | |
| For an additional estimate of the Clerk of the House of Representatives, to enable him to pay the doorkeepers for their respective services during the recess of the House, in conformity with the Act of Appropriation,11 passed at the present Session, and of a resolution of the House of the 24th instant12. | 700. | |
| For the discharge of such demands on the United States, not otherwise provided for, as shall have been ascertained and admitted, in due course of settlement at the treasury, and which are of a nature, according to the usage thereof, to require payment in specie | 5000. | |
| Dollars, | 34.497.90. | |
Register’s Office, 16th April 1792.
Joseph Nourse, Register.
Copy, RG 233, Reports of the Treasury Department, 1791–1792, Vol. III, National Archives.
1. The communicating letter, dated April 16, 1792, may be found in RG 233, Reports of the Treasury Department, 1791–1792, Vol. III, National Archives.
2. “The provisions heretofore made” were by “An Act making Appropriations for the Support of Government for the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-two” ( 226–29 [December 23, 1791]).
3. H is referring to “An Act for raising and adding another Regiment to the Military Establishment of the United States, and for making farther provision for the protection of the frontiers” ( 222–24 [March 3, 1791]) and “An Act for making farther and more effectual Provision for the Protection of the Frontiers of the United States” ( 241–43 [March 5, 1792]). The second of these two acts provided for raising three additional regiments.
4. The “farther provision” was made by “An Act making certain appropriations therein specified” ( 284–85 [May 8, 1792]).
5. The resolution providing for instructions and pay for the commissioners was agreed to on March 15, 1785 (, XXVIII, 160–62). On March 21, 1785, “Congress proceeded to the election of three Commissioners to treat with the Cherokees, and all other Indians southward of them, within the limits of the United States, pursuant to the act of the 15th of the present Month, and, the ballots being taken, Benjamin Hawkins, Esqr was elected, having been nominated by the delegates of North Carolina; Daniel Carroll, Esqr having been nominated by Mr [James] McHenry; William Peery, esqr having been nominated by Mr. [Gunning] Bedford” (, XXVIII, 183).
6. Oliver Wolcott, Jr.
7. Section 3 of “An Act to extend the time limited for settling the Accounts of the United States with the individual States” reads in part as follows: “… from and after the passing of this act, the pay of the principal clerk of the said board shall be the same as the pay of the principal clerk in the auditor’s office” ( 229 [January 23, 1792]).
8. On December 30, 1791, the House “Resolved, That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to lay before the House of Representatives, on the fourth Monday of October in each year, if Congress shall be then in session, or if not then in session, within the first week of the session next following the said fourth Monday of October, an accurate statement and account of the receipts and expenditures of all public moneys, down to the last day inclusively of the month of December immediately preceding the said fourth Monday of October, distinguishing the amount of the receipts in each State or District, and from each officer therein; in which statements shall also be distinguished the expenditures which fall under each head of appropriation, and shall be shown the sums, if any, which remain unexpended, and to be accounted for in the next statement, of each and every of such appropriations” (, 484).
9. Section 1 of “An Act providing compensations for the officers of the Judicial Courts of the United States, and for Jurors and Witnesses, and for other purposes” reads in part as follows: “… And a sum arising from the fines and forfeitures to the United States, and equal to the amount thereof, is hereby appropriated for the payment of the above accounts” ( 217 [March 3, 1791]).
10. This estimate and that for the marshal of South Carolina are given in “Report on the Estimate of Expenditures for 1792,” November 4, 1791.
11. See “An Act for fixing the compensations of the Doorkeepers of the Senate and House of Representatives in Congress” ( 252 [April 12, 1792]).
12. Nourse meant “the 24th Ultimo.” On March 24, 1792, “The House proceeded to consider the report of the committee to whom was referred the petition of Thomas Claxton: Whereupon,
“Resolved, That there be allowed and paid to the said Thomas Claxton, the sum of one hundred dollars, to be included in the account of the Clerk of this House, when rendered, for the contingent expenses of the present session.” (, 549.)