To Alexander Hamilton from Joseph Nourse, 3 February 1792
From Joseph Nourse1
Treasury Department,
Registers Office 3rd. Feb. 1792.
Sir
Having agreeably to your directions examined the Actual payments which have been made, upon the several appropriations of public Monies to 31st. Decemr. 1790 & having compared them with each other a balance of 314.747.29 Dolls. remains stated as ⅌: B.
I have not been able yet to ascertain what proportion thereof will form a fund of surpluses which is appropriated by act of Feb. 11th: 1791,2 for the payment of the expences of Government for that Year, but think it probable that the following will arise Vizt.
| Upon the Appropriation of 216.000 Drs: granted by act of 20th. Septr. 1789. for the Civil List 17893 |
 |
35,000. | ||||
| Upon the | do: | 190.000 “ | by same act for | |
35,000 | |
| discharge of Treasy: Warrts: drawn by the late Governmt. | ||||||
| Upon the | do: | of | 141.492. .73 | Drs. for the Civil | |
4,000. |
| List 1790. ⅌ act 26th. Mar: 17904 | ||||||
| do: | do: | of | 147.169. .54 | Drs. for discharging | |
40,000 |
| Specific Demands including the building a lighthouse | ||||||
| on Cape Henry ⅌ act do. | ||||||
| Upon the | do: | of | 104.327 . . 22 | by act 12th Augt: | |
10,000 |
| 1790 for extraordinaries5 | ||||||
| Upon the | do: | of | 96.000 dols: | for paying | |
(little or no surplus will arise on these appropriations) |
| pensions to Invalids for the yr: 1789 ⅌. act | ||||||
| of 20th: Septr. 17896 | ||||||
| do: | do: | of | 96.979. . 72 | for paying | |
|
| pensions to Invalids for 1790 granted by act | ||||||
| 26th Mar: 1790. | ||||||
| Estimated Amount of Surpluses which by act of 11th. Feb. 1791. is appropriated to the paymt. of certain sums for the support of Governt. for that Year. |
|
124,000. | ||||
A more Certain comparison has been made between the sums appropriated for the services of the year 1791 & the actual payments as ⅌ statemt: C: by which it appears there is a surplus fund of 40,000 after paying all the demands which can probably be made upon those appropriations.
The Statement A: shews the Ntt. amount of Revenue to 31st: Decmr: 1790. together with the total amount of Appropriations to that time.
I have the Honor to be &ca:
Honble: A. Hamilton
Secy: of the Treasy:
LC, RG 53, Register of the Treasury, Estimates and Statements for 1792, Vol. “134-T,” National Archives.
1. Nourse was register of the Treasury.
2. “An Act making appropriations for the support of Government during the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one, and for other purposes” ( 190).
3. Nourse is referring to “An Act making Appropriations for the Service of the present year” ( 95 [September 29, 1789])
4. “An Act making appropriations for the support of government for the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety” ( 104–06).
5. “A Act making certain Appropriations therein mentioned” ( 185–86).
6. “An Act providing for the payment of the Invalid Pensioners of the United States” ( 95 [September 29, 1789]) provided the authorization for payment. The specific appropriation was provided by “An Act making Appropriations for the Service of the present year” ( 95 [September 29, 1789]).