I feel, therefore, a demonstration, that the past circumstances and situations of the several States should be candidly reviewed, that the apportionment of all the past expenses should be made now, and that it should be final. Thus, if the whole expense be stated at one hundred, each State would be declared chargeable with a certain number of parts of that hundred, and thus a standard will be established by which to determine the proportion, let the amount be what it may. I know it is not possible to do strict justice, but it is certain that less injustice will be done in this mode than any other, and that without adopting it nothing effectual can be done. After the proportion is fixed the principles on which to admit the various charges will next come into consideration. I know it will be difficult to draw such a line as will apply to all cases, or which will be absolutely just even in those to which it does apply. Yet neither of these objections ought to prevent Congress from laying down these general rules, which shall on the whole appear to be most equitable. The various requisitions have been made payable at certain days. The value, therefore, of the demand ought to be estimated at the day of payment fixed by each, and the proper mode of doing this would be by the table of depreciation, formed the 29th day of July, 1780, in pursuance of the Act of Congress of the 28th day of June preceding. It is possible that this table is not perfect; but we must remember, that it has been fixed by the authority of the United States, and acted upon. It ought, therefore, to be adhered to; for there is always less of inconvenience and danger in pursuing an established rule, than in the frequent change of rules; because the former is at the worst only a partial, but the latter is a general evil. Assuming then this table as a standard, the account of the requisitions previous to the 18th of March, 1780, will stand thus; by the resolutions of the 22d of November, 1777, there is payable as follows. dollars. ninetieths. January 1st, 1778, 1,250,000 dollars, equal to 857,222 20 April 1st, 1778, 1,250,000 dollars, equal to 621,423 55 July 1st, 1778, 1,250,000 412,864 52 4 October 1st, 1778, 1,250,000 268,472 2 By the resolutions of January 2d, 1779, and May 21st, 1779, there is payable by January 1st, 1780, 60,000,000 dollars, equal to 2,042,500 By the resolution of October 6th, 1779, payable by February 1st, 1780, 15,000,000, equal to 451,041 60 March 1st, 1780, 15,000,000, equal to 401,450 30 ---------- ---- 5,054,982 39 4