4th. That you move once more, that a more equal representation be had in this State, and if not obtained, we think we ought to be and are exonerated from paying any more taxes till done.

In town meeting at Smithfield, April 19th, 1786. The within requisitions were read and debated in town meeting, and voted to be given as instructions to the representatives of this town in General Assembly, at the May session next.

Witness,

DANIEL MOWRY, Town Clerk.

A further extract from the letter of the late Hon. Asher Robbins, before referred to, will help to form a correct estimate of our delegate, Dr. Manning:

Congress, under the old Confederation, sat, as you know, in conclave. No report of their debates was published. How far Mr. Manning mingled in them, therefore, I cannot say. I recollect of his speaking of one in which he participated, (the subject I have forgotten,) on account of a personal controversy to which it gave rise, between him and a fiery young man, a delegate from Georgia, by the name, I think, of Houstoun. The young man, in his speech, had reflected upon New England and her people. Mr. Manning repelled the attack, and, by way of offset, drew a picture of Georgia and her people. This so nettled the young man that, in his passion, he threatened violence.

The next day, he appeared in Congress with a sword by his side. This produced, at once, a sensation in that body, the symptoms of which were so alarming that he thought proper to withdraw, take off his sword and send it home by his servant. In the course of the day, he took an opportunity to meet with Mr. Manning, and to make him an apology.

He must have given himself much to business there, as he seemed to be master of all the important questions which had been debated, and could give the arguments pro and con offered by the different speakers.

The famous Dr. Johnson, of Connecticut, was a member at the same time, with whom Mr. Manning became intimate, and of whom he always spoke with admiration. The Doctor once paid him the compliment of holding the pen of a ready writer, which Mr. Manning very highly valued, as coming from such a man. It was upon the occasion of drawing up a report for a committee, of which both were members, and which report the Doctor professed to be much pleased with.

In a letter to Dr. Hezekiah Smith, under date of May 17th, 1786, Mr. Manning says:

I am treated with respect by Congress and the heads of departments. The present Congress possesses great integrity and a good share of ability, but for want of more states on the floor, the public and important business is from day to day neglected. We are, however, in, daily expectation of a fuller delegation.

On the first Monday in November, 1785, the 7th day of the month, the new Congress convened at New York. On that day three states were present, and three members from three other states. No quorum of states was formed until November 23d. Congress then elected John Hancock, of Massachusetts, for their President. As he was not present at the time, they elected David Ramsay, a delegate from South Carolina, Chairman. He presided in Congress until his term of office as delegate expired, when, on the 15th of May, Nathaniel Gorham, a delegate from Massachusetts, was elected Chairman in his place. Mr. Hancock was detained from Congress by illness. On the 5th day of June, he resigned his office of President, and Mr. Gorham was elected President the day following, holding the office until the first Monday in November, 1786.

The letter of Mr. Ramsay, before given, describes the dilatoriness of the delegates, and the negligence of the states, for the first three months of the session. During that period, only seven states, a bare quorum for ordinary business, were present at any one time. Such of the business as required the assent of nine states was delayed, of course.

Notwithstanding that letter, no delegate appeared from this State until May 3d, when Mr. Manning took his seat. Mr. Miller appeared in Congress on the 14th of July. Up to this time, this State had no vote on any question before Congress. After this, both delegates were in attendance during the Congress.

In January, 1786, the state of Virginia proposed a convention of states, to be held in Annapolis, on the first

Monday in September, "for the purpose of framing such regulations of trade as may be judged necessary to promote the general interest," and appointed delegates to attend it. The Governor of that state communicated the proposition to the Governor of this State soon after it passed the legislature of Virginia. It was not acted upon by the General Assembly until the June session, if communicated to them before that time. They then appointed the Hon. Jabez Bowen and Christopher Champlin, Esq., commissioners to attend the proposed convention, stating in the vote of their appointment the object to be,

To take into consideration the trade of the United States; to examine the relative situations and trade of the said states; to consider how far a uniform system, in their commercial regulations, may be necessary to their common interest and permanent harmony, and to report to the several states such an act relative to this important object as, when unanimously ratified by them, will enable the United States in Congress assembled, effectually to provide for the same.

At the same session, afterwards, Samuel Ward, Esq., was appointed commissioner in the place of Christopher Champlin.

This convention met on the 11th day of September. Commissioners appeared representing the states of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Virginia. New Hampshire, Massachusetts, North Carolina, as well as Rhode Island, had elected commissioners to represent them, but none of these commissioners were present during the session of the convention, which closed on the 14th of September. The commissioners of this State were on their way to the convention when it adjourned.

The convention did not enter upon the consideration of the objects of their appointment, on account of the small number of states represented in it, further than to draw up a report referring to the great importance of those objects.

and suggesting the holding of another convention at Philadelphia, on the second Monday in May, 1787, with enlarged powers. This report, signed by the commissioners present, was sent to the legislatures of the states they represented, and to the Congress of the United States.

On the 18th of April, 1786, Mr. William Ellery was appointed by Congress, Commissioner of the Continental Loan Office in this State in place of Joseph Clarke, who had resigned that office.

The Assembly, at their June session following, directed the General Treasurer to apply immediately to the Loan Office, "for interest certificates for the interest due on the Continental Loan Office certificates in the general treasury, belonging to the State." Mr. Ellery replied to this by the following letter to Gov. Collins :

Loan Office, June 28th, 1786. SIR-The General Treasurer of the State was this forenoon at my office and brought with him a great number of Loan Office certificates belonging to the State and a vote of the honorable Assembly, containing a request that I would immediately issue and deliver to him the interest certificates due thereon.

I would beg leave to represent to the honorable the General Assembly, that it is the invariable rule and practice of the office to issue indents of interest in turn, and that two hundred and sixty names of persons unserved stood docketed on my list before the General Treasurer presented the certificates of the State.

I am, indeed, not a little embarrassed by this request; it is my wish to gratify the Legislature of the State, and at the same time not to offend a great number of the citizens of the State, whose demands for the interest of their certificates are exceedingly urgent. However, if the honorable Assembly should think proper, after this representation, to continue their request, I shall take up the certificates belonging to the State and deliver out the indents to the General Treasurer as soon as I can, hoping that the owners of certificates whose names are already enrolled, will not be offended at me by their business being in this measure postponed.

I am, with sentiments of respect,

Your Excellency's most obedient humble servant,
WILLIAM ELLERY.

His Excellency Gov. COLLINS.

The Assembly, at their August session, passed the following resolution:

WHEREAS, Some doubts have arisen whether the currency of this State is receivable in payment at the General Treasury in discharge of the Continental taxes in arrears, as well the last as any previous tax,

IT IS THEREFORE VOTED AND RESOLVED, That the said Continental taxes in arrear, be paid by the citizens of this State, to the several collectors of taxes, in the paper currency lately emitted by this State, in the facilities issued by the Loan Offices of the United States for the interest due on the Loan Office certificates and other liquidated debts of the United States; in the certificates issued by the General Treasurer; or in the certificates issued by the General Treasurer to the invalids; all of which shall be received, and the General Treasurer is hereby directed to receive the same, of the several collectors in payment of any of the aforesaid taxes.

This was undoubtedly one of the measures adopted to give currency to the paper money of 1786. It would seem that the Commissioner of the Loan Office, soon after this, discontinued the issuing "indents of interest," which led to the following resolution of Congress on the 30th of October:

RESOLVED, That it would have been improper to have continued the issue of indents of interest in the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, after the act of said State declaring their paper currency receivable in payment of Federal taxes; and that the conduct of the Commissioners of the Loan Office in said State, in discontinuing, on that account, the further issuing of indents of interest be, and it is hereby approved.

The subject came again before Congress on the 8th of March, 1787, when it was,

RESOLVED, That when the State of Rhode Island shall have completed the payment of her specie quota of the requisition of the 27th of September, 1785, the Loan Officers of said State shall be authorized to continue the issue of indents, agreeably to the terms of the said requisition.

MESSRS. MANNING AND MILLER TO Gov. COLLINS.

NEW YORK, September 28th, 1786.

SIR: -Permit your delegates to address your Excellency in your official