and papers to which it refers, and also a letter from Mr. George Trimble, against whom it is represented, a suit has been commenced in the State of Connecticut, for an impress of flour for public use, made by him under the authority of this State. The peculiar circumstances of hardship, with which their respective cases would appear to be attended, induce me to recommend them to the attention of the Legislature."

Poughkeepsie, July 20th, 1782.

GEO. CLINTON."

July 25. The Legislature adjourned to meet the first Tuesday (7th) of January, 1783, at such place as the Governor might designate.

SECOND MEETING.

Governor Clinton issued a proclamation on the 12th day of November, convening the Legislature at Kingston the 7th of January, 1783. A quorum did not appear until the 27th, when both Houses received the following

MESSAGE.

"GENTLEMEN.-Of the several papers which I have the honor to lay before you, the requisition of Congress for the current expenses, and for the payment of the interest of the domestic debt, will claim your first and principal attention.8

I cannot forbear recommending to your consideration, the case of the levies who have been successively in service

6 The salaries act, chap. 50, March 26, 1783, authorized the audit and payment of Hamilton's claim.

7 A concurrent resolution, finally adopted on the 24th of July, 1782, authorized the State agent to settle the Trimble claim.

8 Chap. 49, passed March 25, 1783, levying a tax of £42,100 in specie, required the Treasurer to pay thirty-six thousand pounds to the Superintendent of Finance of the United States.

for several campaigns; for altho' the United States have engaged ultimately for their payment, these troops consider the State as held to them in the first instance. Their accounts remain not only unpaid, but even unsettled; and the situation of the officers, and especially of such of them as engaged in the service without receiving any gratuity, is peculiarly disagreeable. I therefore submit to you the necessity of having their accounts adjusted, and making such further provision for their relief, as the circumstances of the State will permit."

A revision of our Tax Laws, which I took the liberty of suggesting to you at the opening of the session, appears to me a part of the business of the last meeting which still remains incomplete; and I view it as an object so highly interesting, that I cannot omit again to mention it as meriting your deliberation. [See note 3.]

Altho' our frontiers have, during the latter part of the last season, been undisturbed, yet it would be unwise in us to presume that the enemy will persevere in their present defensive system only, I would intimate the expediency of making a conditional provision for the frontier service, and thereby prevent the inconvenience and expense of convening you for this purpose, should it become necessary. To aid you in your determinations on this business, I have directed the commanding officer of the troops, raised on bounties of unappropriated lands, to furnish me with the requisite return; and which, as soon as I receive, shall be communicated to you. Their number, tho' not equal to the establishment of a regiment, I have reason to believe is re

9 Chap. 24, passed March 8, 1783, amended a former act relative to the settlement of accounts of New York troops in the service of the United States; chap. 33, March 18, 1783, provided for the settlement of accounts of officers who had been deranged or had resigned; chap. 34, March 18, 1783, gave further directions to the auditors in relation to the settlement of accounts of the troops of this State; chap. 36, March 18, 1783, regulated pensions to sick and wounded soldiers discharged from the army of the United States.

spectable; and I have deferred forming them into a less corps, until I could avail myself of the sense of the Legislature on the expediency of farther attempts to complete the regiment; which, if effected, would save the expense of raising an additional number of temporary levies.10

Since your last adjournment, some violent outrages have been committed on the peaceable subjects of this State, residing in Cumberland County, by persons acting under the authority of the usurped government attempted to be established in the Northeastern part of this State. The papers which relate to this subject, will disclose to you what measures have been taken for the relief of the sufferers, and for preserving the peace of the country.

By the communications which attend this message, you will be informed that the negotiations for a peace were still depending, when our latest advices left Europe. This, instead of relaxing our exertions, I trust, will excite to vigorous preparations for carrying on the war, as the most certain means of ensuring a safe and honorable issue.

Kingston, 27th January, 1783.

GEO. CLINTON."

SPECIAL MESSAGES.

February 21. To the Senate:

"GENTLEMEN.-I embrace the earliest opportunity of communicating to the Legislature, copies of the treaty between their High Mightinesses the States General of the United Netherlands and these States. This important event will, I am persuaded, give peculiar satisfaction to the subjects of this State.

I have also by this message, to submit to your consideration, the subject matter of a letter from his Excellency Gen

10 The Governor, by chap. 16, February 21, 1783, was authorized to raise troops for the defence of the frontier.

eral Washington of the 17th instant, which, with the papers therein referred to, will be herewith delivered."1

Kingston, 21st February, 1783.

February 22. To the Assembly:

GEO. CLINTON."

"GENTLEMEN.-You will receive by this message, for the information of the Legislature, the last monthly returns of the regiments of this State, in the service of the United States; and returns of the recruits procured in consequence of the late law for completing them, with descriptive rolls of the deserters from the different regiments, you will perceive that those of the last description, are equal to the deficiencies stated in the returns; and I would therefore suggest the necessity of some more effectual provision for their apprehension, as it may not only save the expense of a further levy for filling the regiments; but put a stop in some measure, to future desertions.

In the course of the war, particularly the two last campaigns, I found it necessary to draw out the levies for the defence of the frontiers, before the necessary arrangements could be made for subsisting them from the public magazines; in consequence of which, they were fed by the distressed inhabitants of the frontiers, who have not received any compensation for the same. It therefore becomes my duty to recommend, that measures be adopted for the liquidation and discharge of these accounts.

Kingston, 22d February, 1783.

GEO. CLINTON."

11 February 27, 1783, the Senate adopted a resolution expressing the opinion that the exhausted state of the treasury rendered it impossible for the Legislature to provide for exchanging, for specie, the drafts mentioned in the letter from General Washington; and recommended the enactment of a law "more effectually to prevent the inhabitants of this State from purchasing or receiving articles of public property, which may be in the pos session of the soldiery." An act, chap. 43, was accordingly passed on the 21st of March, 1783.

March 8. To the Legislature:

"GENTLEMEN.-I have the honor to lay before you, a letter from his Excellency the President of Congress, of the 24th ult. covering an act of the 21st recommending to the States the keeping up a constant representation in Congress; a letter from the Superintendent of Finance of the 22d ult. with certain acts and orders of Congress, of the 12th, 17th (4) and 18th ult. therein referred to; also a letter from his Excellency Governor Hancock, enclosing the copy of a resolution of both Houses of the Legislature of the State of Massachusetts, dated the 13th ult. for the purpose of appointing delegates to meet in Convention at Hartford, on the last Wednesday of April next, to confer on the necessity of adopting such a general and uniform system of taxation, by impost and excise, as may be thought advantageous to the several states, mentioned in the said resolution; and also for the information of the Legislature, a letter from the Honorable Alexander Hamilton, Esq. of the 24th ult. with the proceedings of Congress therein referred to."2 GEO. CLINTON."

Kingston, March 8th, 1783.

March 20. To the Assembly:

12

Objections by the Council of Revision to a bill " for the relief of certain insolvent debtors."

"The Council object to the bill

First. For that the relief intended to be given to the debtors named in the said bill, against their creditors, is by its preamble grounded upon a general representation of their necessitous circumstances; a reason which will equally apply to all confined debtors in this State; and therefore the bill on those principles, ought to be general and not particular.

12 Ezra L'Hommedieu, Ephraim Paine, and John Lansing were appointed commissioners to attend the Hartford Convention.