The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution, Vol. 11
History
The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution, Vol. 11
United States -- Foreign relations -- 1775-1783; United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Sources
You will not find any salary annexed to your appointment for this
plain reason, that we cannot afford any. It is our present business to
reduce salaries heretofore given, and not to create new ones. This
appointment, however, may be attended with pecuniary advantages,
because a public character may, and no doubt will, point you out to
American merchants as the proper person to intrust with their
commercial affairs. Continental prizes and other objects may
occasionally turn up, which will leave a reasonable commission behind;
and you will have the pleasure of serving Congress when necessary, and
the citizens and commerce of your country, as often as opportunities
for so doing may occur.
I shall now put your talents to the proof. You will find enclosed a
letter I have written for his Excellency Governor Navarro (or should
he be gone, for his successor) which will unfold to you very fully my
intentions. You will find enclosed in it for him, as in this letter
for you, the plan of a National Bank, which I have proposed to
establish for many valuable purposes. You will observe that the sum
proposed as a capital is far short of what it ought to be; but I was
afraid of attempting too much at first, and must now endeavor to
increase it by other means. If any of your acquaintances in the Havana
have a mind to speculate in the American funds, I think they cannot
place their money on a more secure or profitable establishment. This
Bank will, I believe, exist for ages to come; and I am persuaded the
annual dividends will not be less than from eight to ten per cent.
They may also have the honor and pleasure of seeing their names
enrolled among the first promoters of this useful institution, on
which the salvation of our country in some measure depends. Should any
of them incline to subscribe, they must send hither money at their own
risk; consigning it to whomsoever they please, with power to act for
them. I hope you will promote this business, and in order that you may
be able to show the profits arising from it, I am to observe, that
when once, by punctual payment, the notes of the bank have obtained
full credit, the sum in specie, which will be deposited, will be such,
that the bank will have the interest of a stock two or three times
larger than that which it really possesses. Should M. Miralles, or any
of the family be so inclined, I will put any part of their money into
the bank, which they may think proper.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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