To George Washington from Moses D. Nathans, 26 October 1789
From Moses D. Nathans
Boston Orange street October 26th 1789
Providance who has bestowed his Blesing on your Excelence, full of the Spiret of Wisdom, and meek above all man, on this I tak the liberty to lieu befor your Excelence a Scheme, which in my humble opinion me be a great benefit to this Country,1 but if this chall not be successful, prey Sir for Gods sake order this papers to be burnt, that not another chall Know of this freedom, then I will not be achamed that I hef transgressed against you, and you, great Jenral, you’r more then man, pordon the boldness of one drooping in Misfortune and tries to seve him and his famille by a reward of a Project, this is the case of Your Excelence most humble and most Obedient Servt
Moses D. Nathans
ALS, DLC:GW.
This Moses D. Nathans is probably not the prominent Philadelphia and New York merchant and stockbroker Moses Nathans (Nathan; 1749–1815), who was also a member of the council of the Congregation Mikreh Israel of Philadelphia. The 1790 census lists a Moses Nathans living in Boston with one white male and two white females in his family ( [Massachusetts], 188).
1. Nathans enclosed with his letter “A proposition to the benefit [of] the Commonwealth,” suggesting that it would be advisable to “recall in every state in the Union, their Public Securities, and in return to be given a Land Obligation at 4 per cent Interest, the said Obligation to be printed and nombert for year blank, and as many printed orders for six monthly Interest, no obligation to be less then 50 Dollers, and for the amaunt of two per cent more which the Auditors is promised, to secur all the nombers of the said Obligations in a Wheel, and evry Six Monath so mainy nombers to be drean as half the Sum of the said two per Cent amaunt, and to paid in full. this will lessen the Debt, and evry Six monath befor the draing the prize of the Obligations will resse so much that the holders will gain their two per cent taken from them, in Comerce such Obligations will be Equal to Cash, all Nation will buy them. this will bring mony in Cerculation, and no doubt in a shart time the Value will be from 70 to 75 per 100, this Advantage is great. more can be mentiond if I was not affright to be troublesome. I leave it to your Excelence Consideration. but for all Debts less than 50 Dollers a printed Certificate to be given, suppose it his demant will be 51 Dollers. he will recive a Land obligation of 50 Doller and a Certificate for one Doller, 3. his demant will be 99 Dollers will recive a Land Obligation for 50 dollers and a Certificate for 49 Dollers, for such Certificates no Intres to be paid, but the holders to recive their full payments, to begin from the lost sums, the first year all Certificates of one and two Dollers, second the 3 Dollers Certificates and so on till all paid, this will satisfy the Creditors, and the benefit of the Public will be great” (DLC:GW).