John Beckley to Edmund Randolph, [20 June] 1783
John Beckley to Edmund Randolph
RC (McGregor Library of University of Virginia Library). Cover addressed to “Edmund Randolph Esq:.”
Editorial Note
Absence from Richmond for ten days and inability to fulfill JM’s request for a copy of the Virginia General Assembly’s printed journal covering the recent sessions led Randolph to ask John Beckley, clerk of the House of Delegates, to prepare a summary of its proceedings for JM’s information (JM to Randolph, 3 June; 10 June). Beckley’s reply is included among JM’s papers, for although addressed to Randolph, it was enclosed in and obviously was meant to be a part of Randolph’s letter of 21 June 1783 to JM (q.v.).
friday evening [20 June 1783]
Dr: Sir,
Always disposed to oblige yo. I will endeavor to give the information you request, in a hasty & deranged statement of Legislative proceedings promising that upon the view of closing the Session on Saturday Sevenight1 they are drawing the Business to a finish. This day two Bills—for the relief of Debtors & for reforming County Courts were put off ’til next Session.2 And on yesterday the Bill “respecting half Blood inheriting in common &c.”—met the same fate.3 A Bill passed to day for paying the principal & interest of the army debt in 8 years commencing in 1785. it contained Imposts of 9d: pr. Bushel of Salt; 4d. Beer, Ale, Cordage, Hemp, Snuff &c.4 Congress Impost Bill is put off ’till Monday[.] it adopts the duties recommd. by Congress to be collected &c. by our own Officers & pd. 1/2 yearly to Congress Receiver and appropriates in aid thereof the Land & pole tax, as far as may be necessary—to continue only until principal & interest of debt is pd. as future Assembly shall after paying the yearly Interest, direct—other States to adopt the Impost also—& Govr. upon official information by Congress to declare it in force by proclamn. This Bill in its present shape, appears to me to be liable to this objection, that other states upon a view of their own particular Circumstances, will, or will not adopt a similar plan. if one State, only, refuses, it falls & thus prevents for the present a System to sink the National Debt. And on the other hand, withholding from Congress the power of collecting at the same time they reserve the right to divert this revenue after paying their annual proportion of principal & Interest, appears to me right: they sacredly pledge the faith of Virginia to pay that annual proportion.5 The Citizen Bill comes on to morrow & will I think be put off.6 As also a Bill to suspend Confiscations.7 The report of a Commttee of Congress on our Cession, not being acted on by Congress, will also be postponed unless the next post brings their ultimate decision.8 A bill to fund the whole domestic Debt is in contemplation, but I think will be put off, because no collecting of revenue can be made ’till an other Session.9
They have adopted your resoltn. to revise Laws &c. since 1769. expence not exceeding 750£ & to be corrected &c. by two Judges of Chancery.10 A resotn. to pay £50,000 to Congress receiver is also passed & they have admitted hemp to be recd. of defaulting s[heri]ffs and allow a discount of 10 pr. Centum for taxes becoming due under Revenue Act paid in advance.11 They propose to pass an Appropriation Law & to amend Revenue Act so far as to repeal the duties laid by that & take off the tonnage &c.—also to preclude the receiving Commutables.12
I recollect nothing else National & wish yo. may be able to Decypher this.
Your respectful & obed. Servt.
John Beckley
1. 28 June 1783 (, May 1783, pp. 93, 99).
2. Ibid., May 1783, p. 70; Jones to JM, 21 June 1783, and n. 3.
3. , May 1783, p. 69; Randolph to JM, 14 June 1783, and n. 7.
4. This bill, entitled, “an act to establish certain and adequate funds for the redemption of certificates granted to the officers and soldiers for their arrears of pay and depreciation,” was approved by the Senate on 27 June, and signed the next day by the speaker of each house of the General Assembly (, May 1783, pp. 90, 98, 99). Besides omitting mention of an export duty of 4 shillings per hogshead on tobacco, Beckley’s lists of “Imposts” would have been more precise if he had written: “On every bushel of salt, the sum of nine pence; on every gallon of distilled spirits, the sum of four pence; on every gallon of wine, the sum of four pence; on every hundred pounds of hemp, the sum of two shillings; on every hundred pounds of cordage, the sum of one shilling; on every gallon of beer, ale, or porter, the sum of four pence; on every pound of snuff the sum of one shilling” (, XI, 197, 201).
5. Pendleton to JM, 26 May, n. 11; 2 June; Jones to JM, 8 June, and n. 5; 14 June, and n. 12; Randolph to JM, 14 June 1783, and n. 9.
6. Beckley’s surmise was accurate (, May 1783, p. 76). See also Jones to JM, 31 May, and n. 11; 8 June; 14 June; 21 June 1783, and n. 20.
7. JM Notes, 30 May, n. 1; Randolph to JM, 14 June 1783, n. 7. Although a “bill for suspending the farther sale of confiscated property” had been introduced in the House of Delegates on 16 May and passed its second reading the next day, it thereafter was laid aside, possibly because the British military officers in the United States showed no inclination to enforce the terms of the preliminary peace treaty by returning slaves and other property (, May 1783, pp. 7, 9, 24). The journal of the House of Delegates during the rest of the session omits mention of an effort to revive the bill. See Delegates to Harrison, 4 Oct. 1783, and n. 7.
8. Jones to JM, 25 May; 31 May; 8 June; 14 June; JM to Randolph, 10 June, and n. 16; Randolph to JM, 14 June; Instruction to Delegates, 27 June 1783.
9. Randolph to JM, 24 May; Jones to JM, 25 May; 31 May; Pendleton to JM, 26 May; 2 June, n. 5; Ambler to JM, 1 June 1783. Again Beckley’s prediction proved to be accurate. On 23 June the House of Delegates tabled a bill “to amend an act to amend and reduce the several acts of Assembly, ‘for ascertaining certain taxes and duties, and for establishing a permanent revenue, into one act’” (, May 1783, p. 78).
10. Randolph to JM, 18 July 1783, and n. 8.
11. Pendleton to JM, 26 May, n. 11; Randolph to JM, 14 June 1783, and nn. 8, 9; , May 1783, pp. 27, 40, 44, 46, 52, 63; , XI, 189–91. The “Congress receiver” was George Webb.
12. Pendleton to JM, 26 May 1783, n. 11; , XI, 247–49, 289–91.