Virginia Delegates to Edmund Randolph, 26 February 1787

Virginia Delegates to Edmund Randolph

N York. 26th. Feby. 1787.

Sir

We are sorry to inform you, that we have inquired at the board of treasury respecting the indents of interest necessary for the State under the requisition of the last year, & that the Commrs. have informed us that from the uncertainty of the productiveness of the funds appropriated by the legislature as a compliance, they were doubtful whether they could with propriety issue them at all, but that at any rate they could not be ready in a month or six weeks from this time; so that there seems to be but little hopes that they can be thrown into circulation during the collection of the taxes.1

A Mr. Huff from Winchester has farmed the exclusive priviledge of transporting the Mail from Alexandria to Pittsburgh for seven years and from Winchester to Staunton. On supposition that the same person would also contract for the road from Richmond to Staunton we applied to Congress for a resolution to impower the Post Mr. Genl. to farm the transportation of the Mail on this rout for the same period, which has been obtained.2

The Secretary of Congress has informed us he has forwarded the resolution of Congress recommending the Convention of the States on the Second Munday in May next at the City of Philada.3 We have the honor to be with the highest respect Yr. Excys. Most Obedt. & Very hmble servts.

Willm. Grayson.

James Maddisson.

RC (Vi). Docketed, “recd. March 10. 87.” Written and signed by Grayson, who also signed for JM.

1. Virginia’s share of the $3,800,000 requisition of 1786 was $646,000—$371,000 in specie and $275,000 in indents (JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, 1904–37). description ends , XXXI, 462). For the funds appropriated by the legislature to comply with this requisition, see Hening, Statutes description begins William Waller Hening, ed., The Statutes at Large; Being a Collection of All the Laws of Virginia, from the First Session of the Legislature, in the Year 1619 (13 vols.; Richmond and Philadelphia, 1819–23). description ends , XII, 325–26. The continental loan officers in each state were forbidden to issue indents (interest certificates) if the state had not provided adequate funds to meet the specie quota of the requisition (JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, 1904–37). description ends , XXXI, 463; Ferguson, Power of the Purse, p. 225). In response to the continued withholding of indents the Virginia council suspended further payments on the requisitions of 1785 and 1786 (JCSV description begins H. R. McIlwaine et al., eds., Journals of the Council of the State of Virginia (4 vols. to date; Richmond, 1931——). description ends , IV, 102, 132; Virginia Delegates to Beverley Randolph, 22 July 1787, Burnett, Letters description begins Edmund C. Burnett, ed., Letters of Members of the Continental Congress (8 vols.; Washington, 1921–36). description ends , VIII, 625–26). For a description of the indent system and the difficulties of implementing it, see Ferguson, Power of the Purse, pp. 223–27.

2. JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, 1904–37). description ends , XXXII, 59–60.

3. See Charles Thomson to Randolph, 21 Feb. 1787, Cal. of Va. State Papers description begins William P. Palmer et al., eds., Calendar of Virginia State Papers and Other Manuscripts (11 vols.; Richmond, 1875–93). description ends , IV, 246.

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Source Project: Madison Papers
Title: Virginia Delegates to Edmund Randolph, 26 February 1787
Author: Virginia Delegates
Recipient: Randolph, Edmund
Date: 26 February 1787

Reference

Cite as: “Virginia Delegates to Edmund Randolph, 26 February 1787,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Madison/01-09-02-0155. [Original source: The Papers of James Madison, vol. 9, 9 April 1786 – 24 May 1787 and supplement 1781–1784, ed. Robert A. Rutland and William M. E. Rachal. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1975, pp. 300–301.]

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