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the interest due upon the loan this year. The money for the purpose has certainly not been remitted from hence. I hope before the revolution of another year some settled order of things will take place, which will render any measures on the part of the United States in favor of their Netherland creditors unnecessary. I suspect that the impossibility of obtaining the two million guilders here must arise altogether from the dread of confiscation or requisition to which they imagine their obligations may be liable.

I have the honor to be, with the highest sentiments of respect, Sir, your very obedient, humble servant,

JOHN Q. ADAMS.

HAMILTON TO WASHINGTON.

SIR:

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Dec. 23, 1794.

The present state and prospects of the Treasury render it necessary, without delay, to exercise the power vested in the President by the act passed the 18th instant, entitled "An act authorizing a loan of two millions of dollars."

To enable him to determine this, a probable view of receipts and expenditures distributed quarter-yearly is herewith presented, and the form of a power as usual to the Secretary of the Treasury to make the loan is submitted.

With perfect respect, &c.

PROCLAMATION.

Draft by Hamilton.

UNITED STATES, January 1, 1795.

By George Washington, President of the United States.

When we review the calamities which afflict so many other nations, and trouble the sources of individual quiet, security, and happiness, the present condition of the United States affords much matter of consolation and satisfaction.

Our exemption hitherto from the evils of foreign war, an increasing prospect of the continuance of that precious exemption, the great degree of internal tranquillity we have enjoyed, the recent confirmation of that tranquillity by the suppression of an⚫ insurrection which so wantonly threatened it; the happy course of our public affairs in general; the unexampled prosperity of all classes of our citizens; are circumstances which mark our situation with peculiar indications of the Divine beneficence towards us.

In such a state of things, it is in an especial manner our duty as a people, with devout reverence and affectionate gratitude, to acknowledge our many and great obligations to Almighty God, and to implore Him to continue and confirm the blessings we experience.

Deeply penetrated with this sentiment, I, George Washington, President of the United States, do recommend to all religious societies and denominations, and to all persons whomsoever in the United States, to set apart and observe Thursday, the 19th day of February next, as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, and on that day to meet together and render their sincere and hearty thanks to the great Ruler of nations, for the manifold and signal mercies which distinguish our lot as a nation, particularly for the constitutions of government which unite, and by their union establish liberty with order for the preservation of our peace, FOREIGN and DOMESTIC, for the seasonable check which has been given to a spirit of disorder, in the suppression

of the late insurrection, and generally, for the prosperous course of our affairs, public and private; and at the same time humbly and fervently to beseech the kind Author of these blessings graciously to prolong them to us; to imprint in our hearts a deep and solemn sense of our obligations for them; to teach us rightly to estimate their immense value; to preserve us from the wantonness of prosperity from jeopardizing the advantages we enjoy, by culpable or delusive projects; to dispose us to merit the continuance of His favors by not abusing them, by our gratitude for them, and by a correspondent conduct as citizens and as men to render this country more and more a safe and propitious asylum for the unfortunate of other countries; to extend among them true and useful knowledge; to diffuse and establish habits of sobriety, order, morality, and piety: and finally, to impart all the blessings we possess or ask for ourselves, to the whole family of Mankind, that so men may be happy and God glorified throughout the earth. Done, &c.

•WASHINGTON TO CONGRESS.

UNITED STATES, January 7, 1795.

Gentlemen of the Senate, and of the House of Representatives.

Experience has shown that it would be useful to have an officer particularly charged, under the direction of the Department of War, with the duties of receiving, safe keeping, and distributing the public supplies, in all cases in which the laws and the course of service do not devolve them upon other officers; and also with that of superintending in all cases the issues in detail of supplies, with power, for that purpose, to bring to account all persons intrusted to make such issues, in relation thereto.

An establishment of this nature, by securing a regular and punctual accountability for the issues of public supplies, would be a great guard against abuse, would tend to insure their due application, and to give public satisfaction on that point.

I therefore recommend to the consideration of Congress, the expediency of an establishment of this nature, under such regulations as shall appear to them advisable.

G. WASHINGTON.

SIR:

HAMILTON TO WASHINGTON.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Jan. 12th, 1795.

For a considerable time past the Commissioner of Loans for New-York, has labored under a degree of bodily infirmity, little suited to the arduous duties of his station. A belief that his demise would speedily have terminated the embarrassment, united with other considerations, has hitherto prevented me from officially representing his situation to you, and the possible inconvenience to the public service from it. Hitherto nothing has materially suffered. But some new shocks of his complaint have added to his inability, and the disease being of the paralytic kind, there is no prospect of any considerable amendment.

Fearing that the public service may henceforth suffer, and unwilling to leave to my successor a disagreeable task, I feel it a duty, though with extreme regret and reluctance, to state to you that the officer in question is now incapable of doing justice to the duties of his station; that there is no prospect of his restoration to a competent condition, and that in my opinion it is indispensable he should be changed with all convenient dispatch. With perfect respect, &c.

HAMILTON TO WASHINGTON.

January 14th, 1795.

Mr. Hamilton presents his respects to the President. He has written the letter to Mr. Clarkson, which the President desired,

and which, if not countermanded, will go by post. But, in the course of writing it, the following reflection has pressed upon his mind with so much force that he thinks it his duty to submit it to the President.

Clarkson held the office of marshal, a troublesome and unprofitable place. He resigned it (as it is believed) in a short time. Giles has taken and kept it for a considerable time, and during a period when disagreeable things were to be done, no doubt looking forward to something better. Clarkson is a man of considerably better fortune, and smaller family than Giles. Giles is as capable and trustworthy as Clarkson. Will he not have some cause to be dissatisfied if he sees an opportunity of doing something for him turn to the benefit of his predecessor? No answer is expected unless the President should change his view of the subject.

CLARKSON TO HAMILTON.

NEW-YORK, January 19th, 1795.

MY DEAR SIR:

Your letter of the 15th instant met me last Saturday at this place on my return from Poughkeepsie. The offer of the office of Commissioner of Loans by the President of the United States, demands my warmest acknowledgments and meets my wishes

provided the appointment can be deferred until the 27th instant. To you, sir, I will detail my reasons for wishing a postponement of it till that period. Being a member of the legisla ture for this State, and the appointment of Senator of the United States being fixed by law to the 27th instant, I conceive it of the utmost importance that the gentleman who has so faithfully served his country in that station should be re-elected. The acceptance of the office previous to that day, would vacate my seat in the Senate, and I have reason to believe, as relative to that business, it is of consequence that I should remain in the legislature. Indeed, sir, I consider it of so much importance, that

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