To Alexander Hamilton from Joseph Nourse, 4 January 1793
From Joseph Nourse
Treasury Department, Register’s Office, January 4, 1793. Encloses “three Statemts. from the Treasury Books of the Appropriation of Ten Thousand Dollars granted 26 March 17901 for the Purpose of defraying the Contingent Expences of Governt. leaving a Balance due thereon the first of this Month of Eight thousand Three hundred and two Dollars and fifty Cents.”2
LC, RG 53, Estimates and Statements for 1793, Vol. “135–T,” National Archives; LC, RG 53, dated January 3, 1792, Estimates and Statements for 1793, Vol. “135–T,” National Archives. At the top of the copy dated January 3 the following note is written: “This letter was not sent.” The wording of this copy differs slightly from the copy printed above.
1. Section 3 of “An Act making appropriations for the support of government for the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety” reads: “That the President of the United States be authorized to draw from the treasury a sum not exceeding ten thousand dollars, for the purpose of defraying the contingent charges of government, to be paid out of the monies arising as aforesaid from the duties on imports and tonnage; and that he cause a regular statement and account of such expenditures to be laid before Congress at the end of the year” ( 105).
The enclosures mentioned in this letter may be found in RG 53, Estimates and Statements for 1793, Vol. “135–T,” National Archives.
2. At the bottom of this letter the following statements appear:
“By Direction of the Secy of the Treasury the aforesaid Amount is to be drawn out Yearly.
“By Direction of the President of the United States the aforesaid Amount was varied being drawn out so as to comprise the Actual Expenditures of the Year 1792 only.”