quotas, had not done it within the period fixed by Congress, but in the last stages of depreciation, and in a great degree even after the money had ceased to circulate; that since the supposed cessation, the money had generally changed hands at a value far below any rate that had been named; that the principle established by the plan of the eighteenth of March, 1780, with respect to the money in question, was, that the holder of it should receive the value at which it was current, and at which it was presumed he had received it; that a different rule, adopted with regard to the same money in different stages of its downfall, would give general dissatisfaction. The committee adjourned without coming to any decision.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 9TH.

No Congress.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10TH.

A motion was made by Mr. RAMSAY, directing the Secretary of War, who was about to visit his family in Massachusetts, to take Vermont in his way, and deliver the resolutions passed a few days since to Mr. Chittenden. For the motion, it was urged that it would ensure the delivery, would have a conciliating effect, and would be the means of obtaining true and certain knowledge of the disposition and views of that people. On the opposite side it was

exclaimed against as a degradation of so high a servant of the United States, as exposing him to the temerity of leaders who were, on good ground, suspected of being hostile to the United States, and as treating their pretensions to sovereignty with greater complaisance than was consistent with the eventual resolutions of Congress. The motion was rejected.

A motion was made by Mr. GILMAN, that a day be assigned for determining finally the affair of Vermont. The opposition made to the motion itself by Rhode Island, and the disagreement as to the day among the friends of the motion, prevented a decision, and it was suffered to lie over.

For the letter of the Superintendent of Finance to Thomas Barclay, Commissioner for settling accounts in Europe, agreed to by Congress, see Secret Journal of this date.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11TH.

The Secretary of War was authorized to permit the British prisoners to hire themselves out, on condition of a bond from the hirers for their return. The measure was not opposed, but was acquiesced in by some, only as conformable to antecedent principles established by Congress on this subject. Col. HAMILTON in particular made this explanation.

Mr. WILSON made a motion, referring the transmission of the resolutions concerning Vermont to the Secretary of War in such words as left him an option of being the bearer, without the avowed sanction of Congress. The votes of Virginia and

New York negatived it. The President informed Congress, that he should send the resolutions to the Commander-in-Chief to be forwarded.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12TH.

The report made by Mr. WILLIAMSON, Mr. CARROLL, and Mr. MADISON, touching the publication in the Boston paper, supposed to be written by Mr. HOWELL, passed with the concurrence of Rhode Island; Mr. HOWELL hesitating, and finally beckoning to his colleague, Mr. COLLINS, who answered for the State in the affirmative. As the report stood, the Executive of Massachusetts, as well as of Rhode Island, was to be written to, the Gazette being printed at Boston. On the motion of Mr. OsGOOD, who had seen the original publication in the Providence Gazette, and apprehended a constructive imputation on the Massachusetts Delegates by such as would be ignorant of the circumstances, the Executive of Massachusetts was expunged.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13TH.

Mr. HOWELL verbally acknowledged himself to be the writer of the letter from which the extract was published in the Providence Gazette. At his instance, the subject was postponed until Monday.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14TH.

No Congress.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 16TH.

The answer to the objections of Rhode Island as to the impost, penned by Mr. HowELL, passed without opposition, eight States being present, of which Rhode Island was one, a few trivial alterations only being made in the course of discussion.

Mr. HOWELL, contrary to expectation, was entirely silent as to his affair.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17TH.

Mr. CARROLL, in order to bring on the affair of Mr. HOWELL, moved that the Secretary of Foreign Affairs be instructed not to write to the Government of Rhode Island on the subject. The state in which such a vote would leave the business, unless the reason of it was expressed, being not adverted to by some, and others being unwilling to move in the case, this motion was incautiously suffered to pass. The effect of it, however, was soon observed, and a motion in consequence made by Mr. HAMILTON, to subjoin the words, "Mr. HOWELL having in his place confessed himself to be the author of the publication." Mr. RAMSAY thinking such a stigma on Mr. HOWELL unnecessary, and tending to place him in the light of a persecuted man, whereby his oppo

sition to the impost might have more weight in his State, proposed to substitute as the reason, "Congress having received the information desired on that subject." The yeas and nays being called for by Mr. HAMILTON, Mr. HOWELL grew very uneasy at the prospect of his name being thereby brought on the Journals; and requested that the subject might be suspended until the day following. This was agreed to, and took place on condition that the negatived counter-direction to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs should be reconsidered, and lie over also.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18TH.

This day was chiefly spent on the case of Mr. HOWELL, whose behaviour was extremely offensive, and led to a determined opposition to him those who were most inclined to spare his reputation. If the affair could have been closed without an insertion of his name on the Journal, he seemed willing to withdraw his protest; but the impropriety which appeared to some, and particularly to Mr. HAMILTON, in suppressing the name of the author of a piece which Congress had so emphatically reprobated, when the author was found to be a member of Congress, prevented a relaxation as to the yeas and nays. Mr. HOWELL, therefore, as his name was necessarily to appear on the Journal, adhered to the motion which inserted his protest thereon. (See the Journal.) The indecency of this paper, and the pertinacity of Mr. HOWELL in adhering to his asser