Chapter II

1781-1783.

FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES OF THE CONFEDERATION.--REVOLUTIONARY
DEBT.--REVENUE SYSTEM OF 1783.

Public Debt of the United States 172

Congress recommend a Duty upon Importations 173

Office of Superintendent of Finance established 174

Rhode Island refuses to grant to Congress the Power of Levying
Duties 174

Virginia repeals the Act by which she had granted this Power
to Congress 175

No Means of paying the Public Debts 175

Another Plan for collecting Revenues recommended to the
States 176

Strong Appeal to the People in Favor of it 177

Claims of the various Classes of the Public Creditors 178

Character of the United States involved 179

The Confederation a Government for Purposes of War 181

Its Great Defects 181

The Moral Feelings an Unsafe Reliance for the Operations of
Government 183

Proofs of this in the History of the Confederation 184

Design of the Framers of the Revenue System 185

Claims of the Army 186

Wisdom of proposing a Scheme of Finance during the Continuance
of the War 186

Influence of the Revenue System of 1783 188

The System of 1783 different from the Present Constitution 188

Note on the Half-Pay for the Officers of the Revolution 190

Note on the Newburgh Addresses 194