4th. Tavern and marriage licenses, ap174 5 7 propriated first specially to pay the salaries of the judges per act 25th March 1785. The amount received on this account for the last three years is 1.9364. The average thereof for one year is 5th. For this sum annually out of the general funds, appropriated per act March 26, 1789, 6th. Fees of the land officers, per acts of April 8th, 1785, continued by sundry other acts, and appropriated per act 26th March, 1789. The amount thereof received for three years, adding the salary and allowance for clerks paid thereout, is 223,890 7 2.13,866. The average whereof, for one year, is 7th. The fees received in the office of 10,000 00 the Secretary of the Supreme Executive Council by sundry laws, appropriated per act March 26th, 1789. There hath been received on this account, adding the salary paid thereout, for three years, 1.3068. The average of which, 5,900 0 0 for one year, is 8th. The annual amount 5,000 00 of the 1.50,000 loan office, appropriated per act 26th 200 0 0 March, 1789. The remaining principal is 1.27,654 4 5. 339,348 8 9 The interest whereof, for one year, is IV. The Arrears of Provincial Taxes, and of the effective supplies of 1781, and fines And the supplies of 1781, to repay an anticipation on the other revenues for an advance made to James Mease, Esq. per resolution March, 1784, beyond the sum received in this tax, Balance unappropriated 200 0 0 620 8 10 7179 11 2 There hath been 1.658119 4 paid into the treasury of interest money. About 1.40,000 were lent in 1785, 8000 0 0 10,000 in 1786, afterwards 8000 0 0 V. The Revenues for Support of Government, are 1st. The duties on sales at auction, per sundry acts, appropriated per act April 13th, 1782. In the last three years these produced 1.5020. The average therefore, for one year, is 2d. The tax on pleasurable carriages, appropriated per act 20th March, 1783. The collections which have been made of this tax have in many instances, by the collectors and county treasurers, been applied to the other taxes; the payments therefore, on that account, for former years will not afford proper data for estimation. It is probable in one year there may be collected therefrom, including arrears, 3d. The tax on writs, appropriated per act 20th March, 1783. The amount received on this account for the last three years is 1.3950. The average thereot, for one year, is 1675 0 0 2000 0 0 kept out at interest by re- From this deduct remainder of 1.1000 appropriated to repairs of the bank at Mud-Ísland, per act April 2d 1790, Deficient, £1659 5 0 6400 0 0 1.8059,5,0 3120 0 0 10,000 0 0 4620 0 0 1020 0 0 499 13 5 7559 11 7 6690 8 5 38,000 0 0 Appropriated per acts March 21st and September 20th, 1783, and March 16th, 1785, to discharge the annual interest of the funded depreciation certificates, (see 1315 0 0 'debts, head III. and interest, head VIII.) 11,200 0 0 1940 O O 13,140 0 0 13,140 0 0 VII. The £150,000 Loan-Office. There remains undischarg The fund for claims Remainder to be applied as directed by law 5000 0 0 3338 5 0 £14,523 9 T 7,200 0 0 20,200 0 0 ed yet of quota money, about 13,000 0 0 Interest till January 1791, about 20,200 0 0 VIII. The Principal of the 1.50,000 Loan-Office. This is appropriated as a 7,736 17 6 19,917 6 11 IX. The General Sinking Fund. The land not sold or granted in the state of Pennsylvanla, in the old purchase, at 2.10 per 100 acres, in the new at 1.20 per 100 acres. The lots and reserved or appropriated tracts, together with ar rears of principal and interest of lands granted and not paid for, the aggregate of which is more than sufficient to redeem the debt of the state. It may be estimated, that on an average 1.35,000 per annum principal will be received in the land office. When the debt shall be redeemed, the remainder of this fund is unappropriated. 1.35,000 per annum, for eleven years and six months, is Principal of the depreciation debt, per head IV. 242,271 13 2 Do of funded debt, per do. VI. XII. Of the Unappropriated. Revenues. 3d. The balance due from individuals 4th. The arrears of the protecting du ties or imposts, say 800 0 0 220 0 0 1500 0 0 1500 O Q 5th. The certificates of debts of the United States. Great exertions have been 27,654 4 5 already made by the gene. of new loan certificates, per 407,602 16 1 on interest from 1st Octo 165,331 2 11 407,602 16 1 According to act of Congress of the 4th of August 1790, this state may, by continuing non-subscriber to the new loan thereby constituted, receive a sum equal to four per cent. the next year on this sum, and rest on such further provision as may be made for the future, retaining 14,523 9 7 the evidences of the debts undiminished; or by subscribing the evidences she possesses, she may receive new certificates of said loan, two-thirds of which she will be entitled to receive the annual interest of at six per cent. and the other third to bear no interest till the year 1800, when an annual interest of six per cent. will be demandable thereon also. The question awaits the decision of the legislature, whether Pennsylvania shall thus subscribe, and lose ten years interest of one-third of the debt, or whether the state shall rely on the fulfilment of the obligations of the United States. As the interest payable in either case will be the same for the next year, it is here stated, viz. 17,911 11 0 6th. The interest paid in cash by the state on the new loan certificates per act March 1786, is per act March 1789 to be settled and repaid in indents of interest, commonly called facilities, the four years interest, see debts, head VII. is 465,092 11 7 There was also relinquished by sundry persons on new loan certificates for arrears of interest, which operates to the credit of the state 329 15 4 This amount is, by the act of Congress of 4th of August 1790, allowed to be funded on an interest of three per cent. until paid, and the subject requires the direction of the legislature. As they bore no interest at all before, it is hardly to be doubted but that they will be thus funded. Whether they may or may not, so far forth as indents have not been drawn thereon, the interest to be received in the next year will be the same. Interest at three per £39,893 87 By an act of Congress June 6th 1788, authorizing the late board of treasury to dispose of a certain tract of land on Lake Erie, the property of the United States, and an act of this state, by which the delegates of Pennsylvania then in Congress were duly authorized to make the purchase for the state, on the 7th of July, in the year aforesaid, the 'following terms were proposed by the said delegates, and by the board of treasury thus authorized accepted on the 28th of August 1788: "To pay for the same at the rate of threefourths of a dollar per acre, payable in gold or silver, or in public securities of the United States, bearing interest, when the quantity is ascertained by actual survey, in the manner prescribed by a resolu tion of Congress of 7th June 1788." The survey hath been made, and will shortly be returned, when, according to the terms of contract, payment must be made. The directions of the legislature for this purpose will be necessary. Agreeable to the contract, it may be paid for in gold or silver, in the non-subscribed debt (in which case three years interest must be given up) in subscribed six per cent. stock, (leaving the deferred debt, which is not yet on interest, non-receivable) or it may be discharged in certificates granted for indents bearing an annual interest of three per cent. the market price of which is now higher than the prices of the non-subscribed species of certificates were at the time of making the said purchase. quantity is 202,187 acres, which, at 5s. 74d. per acre, is £56,865 1 10 at three per cent. if paid therein, to be deducted from the annual interest receivable above, is 1705 19 0 Balance The The interest of this state, and the security of the titles of future purchasers under them, makes the perpetuating the evidence of this purchase a matter of very great moment. It appears to consist in the proposals made by the state as aforesaid, which are with the United States, and a letter of the board of treasury accepting the offer, without reciting what that offer was. If both these originals were duly recorded, and such other means as the wisdom of the legislature might suggest taken to confirm and perpetuate evidence of the sale and the terms, it might save confusion and trouble hereafter. 8th. After the first of January 1792, this state will, according to act of Congress of 4th August 1790, be entitled annually to receive from the United States the interest upon one-third of 220,000 dollars at 3 per cent. and of the two-thirds of the remaining two-thirds of the sum aforesaid at 15,543 16 6 six per cent. so far as that sum shall not 38,187 9 7 have been subscribed to the new loan of the United States in certificates of debts of this state. The part that may be subscribed will exonerate the state from the interest thereof at six per cent, which would be a larger demand on the same ca. pital The sum of 550l 8d. of the state debt hath already been subscribed. yet, as it is presumable little more will be added, I set down the sum payable annually by the United States, after the year 1791, $81,666 80, equal The surplus unappropriated of the taxes, per head II. of revenue, after redeeming the bills of credit of April 1781 The surplus of the effective supplies of 1781, provincial taxes, and fines in the 2d class tax, see head IV. of the revenues The surplus of the 150,000 loan office, see head VII. of revenues 30,625 0 0 9878 2 1 7800 0 0 10,817 10 0 The surplus of the principal of the 50,000/ These monies being unappropriated, are at the fu ture disposal of the legisla ture. As the monies arising from the sales of city lots and State island have been applied to the general purposes of the state, it will remain herecut to make provision for restoring the anticipation, by paying the principal and interest to any holders of the remainder of the bills of credit, (see 3d article of debts, head I.) who may apply The pensions allowed by the state, per head IX. of debts, are also to be provided for The deficieney of the revenues for support of government the present year. owing to the arears charg ed on the current fund, will require per head V. of re venues The aggregate fund, into which will naturally be thrown the residue of the revenues; 1st, because these revenues principally arise from imposts, which, when in the hands of the state, were a part of the same fund; and next, because from it the debts of the state are to be discharged, and other funds are to be kept up, but more especially as a part of these are by the United States given expressly for this purpose. This fund being diminished by the change in the govern ment of the union, and charged with new appro priations, is deficient, per head of revenues III. Balance in favour of the revenues 659 59 3525 0 0 6690 8 5 30,152 11 3 76,188 3 2 $117,225 8 7 It must be a governing principle of the legislature of a free state, representing fully the people and partici pating of their burthens, to make those burthens as light and easy as circumstances will admit. This surplus of unappropriated revenue, therefore, so nearly agreeing with the amount of the annual direct tax upon the people, will probably be taken to supply the place of the other, and the law directing the whole of that tax either repealed or suspended. XIII. The Balance due from the United States. Although this might be arranged under the head of unappropriated revenues, yet I chose to make a separate one of it, because it will not be so immediately productive, and will not meet or supply the necessities of the next year, but, by being added to the aggregate fund, may serve as a remainder therein, when other parts thereof shall have been exhausted. Most of the debts with which the State is now encumbered, and all the great sums raised and paid, or expended for the United States heretofore, from time to time, since the year 1775, are chargeable to their account. The amount of our claims made are,-In Specie, In Continental Money, $10,642,403 45 47,010,138 00 When all these payments are reduced to specie, and the account charged with advances made to Pennsylvania from time to time by the United States, to amount of upwards of two millions of dollars, it is expected a ba lance of about ten million of dollars specie of principal will appear in our favour; and that the interest account, equalizing the dates, will average about ten years back from the 1st of January 1792. By acts of Congress of November 1777, October 1779, February 1782, and others, this interest is at six per cent. per annum, which would yield the sum of 6000,000 dollars arrears of interest. By the act of Con gress of August 5th 1790, this debt may be funded within one year after settlement, as the other debts of the United States are, by act of August 4th preceding. Although by tat mode ten years interest would be lost to the state on one third of the principal, yet the advantage of receiving an interest of three per cent. on so large an arrear of interest will more than counterbalance. There can be only one bad effect, it fixes a principle, which in future may open another loan for the debts and engagements not more solemnly contracted nor more binding than the present, and afterwards another, and even others, each still less and less; for if aught can be taken either from principal or interest, on the same prin ciple any other part of either may be taken away. The annual interest of two thirds of 10 millions, viz: 6666666 dols. 67 at 6 per cent. $400,000 The annual interest of 6 millions at 3 per cent. is Dollars per annum, 180,000 580,000 These accounts are now adjusting by the commissioners appointed by the United States for that purpose. The sum of 1.550 0 8 is entered of the debts of this state, to be funded by the United States, according to their act of August 4th 1790. Whatever sums may be thus subscribed will be chargeable per said act to this account, together with the payments to Pennsylvania or account of the interest of the 2,200,000 dollars before mentioned. The finances of the state are much embarrassed by the remains of the emission of bills of credit of 1785, none of which have been burned, and little thereof redeemed since November 1789. If the Treasurer, in conformity to the engagements of the state, would not re-issue, but keep in his hands for burning the monies £117,225 8 7 which he receives from the general funds, till the 1.24,800 in arrears are burnt, and then in the next year, out 1828.] WILLIAM BRADFORD. of the revenues that first come in for that year in those bills, keep the sun directed by law to be burnt in the ensuing year, which with the loan office completes the whole sum emitted, the knowledge that these bills were not to be re-issued, would not only induce those who owe the state to be speedy in getting this money, and paying it while obtainable below par, by which means the collection of the revenues would be promoted, but the diminution of the quantity, with concurrent circumstances, would in a few weeks appreciate its value, to such a degree, that the payments to the treasury would come in mixed with hard money. The bills of this emission, which should be received on account of the other revenues for the support of government, might by these means very shortly be exchanged in the treasury for specie, which would be received in the general revenues, until the whole emission, without any obstruct on to government or alteration of the systems or engagements of the state, should be redeemed. On the first of April next, this state will be entitled to receive up. wards of 1.8500 in specie from the United States, being one quarter's payment of interest as aforesaid, which will aid the execution of this measure. I shall have the honor shortly of laying before the legislature a full state of the taxes in the several counties, exhibiting where the arrears thereof lie. The deficiency of payment in due time hath been caused, partly, by The sum of 7.420,000 the exorbitancy of the demand. and upwards in direct taxes in one year exceeded the abilities of the good people of Pennsylvania to pay, and with other large taxes have been long a heavy load on Another cause was, that until many of the citizens. lately the laws were not efficient, nor adequate to the purpose of compelling payment, where compulsion was requisite. The collectors were only authorised to ask, As the laws have not empowered to compel payment. been amended, these difficulties will not exist in future, and greater collections may consequently be expected. JOHN NICHOLSON. Respectfully submitted, Comptroller-General's Office, 2 December 11th, 1790. S A SKETCH OF WILLIAM BRADFORD. WILLIAM BRADFORD, was the first printer who set At what place he first settled is rather uncertain; but, ton, but may indifferently serve all places adjacent. By It appears that at the time Bradford printed this almanac he lived near Philadelphia," and Chester, as I have said, was near this city.t In 1689, Bradford lived in the city. I possess a quar to pamphlet by George Keith, respecting the New Eng land churches, printed by Bradford in Philadelphia that year. It is the oldest book I have seen, printed in the city. I have another pamphlet, of seventy four pages printed by him in 1690, entitled, "A Refutation of Three Opposers of Truth, by plain Evidence of the Holy Scriptures, viz. Pardon Tillinghast, B. Keech, and Cotton Mather; and a few Words of a Letter to John Cot ton. By George Keith."-Imprint Philadelphia, Printed and Sold by William Bradford Anno 1690." I have another quarto pamphlet, of seventy two pages, written by George Keith, entitled, "A Serious Appeal to all the more Sober, Impartial and Judicious People of New Eng land to whose Hands this may come." It is a vindication of the Quakers from the attack of Cotton Mather, &c. "Printed and Sold by William Bradford, at Philadel phia in Pennsylvania, in the year 1692." In the year 1692, much contention prevailed among the Quakers, in Philadelphia, and Bradford took an ac tive part in the quarrel. George Keith, by birth a Scotchman, a man of good abilities and well educated; was surveyor general in New Jersey; and the Society of Friends in this city employed him in 1689, as the superintendent of their schools. Keith, having attended this duty nearly two years, became a public speaker in their religious assemblies; but being, as the Quakers asserted, of a turbulent and overbearing spirit, he gave them much trouble; they forbade him speaking as a teacher, or minister in their meetings; this, and some other irri tating circumstances, caused a division among the Friends, and the parties were violently hostile to each other. Bradford was of the party which was attached to Keith, and supported him; their opponents were the majority. Among them were the Lieutenant Governor Lloyd, and most of the Quaker magistrates. Keith and Thomas Budd wrote against the majority, and Bradford published their writings. Keith was condemned in the city meetings, but he appealed to the general meeting of the Friends; and, in order that his case might be generally known and understood, he wrote an address to the Quakers, which he caused to be printed, and copies of it to be dispersed This conduct was highly resented by his opponents; tile among the Friends, previous to their general meeting. A copy of this almanac is now in the library of Philadelphia. It has been suggested that Bradford first settled at Kensington, about two miles to the castward of Philadelphia, on the banks of the Delaware; at which place there were, at that time, two or three houses, and where remained the great oak tree, under which William Penn held a treaty with the Indians, until the 5th of March 1810, when it was overthrown by a tornado. Proud, in his history of Pennsylvania, observes in a note, "The Quakers had meetings for religious worship, and for the economy of their society, as early as the fore part of the year 1681, at the house of Thomas Fairlamb, at Shakamaxon, near or about the place where Kensington now stands, nigh Philadelphia." This fact renders it, in a The creek at the north end of the city is known degree, probable, that Bradford did settle at Kensing ton. to this day by the Indian name Shakamaxon. |