of a loan,
instead of a complete appointment of ---- it will not be attended to.

2dly. That while from the unsettled state of public accounts, the
individual States are led to suppose that there is a balance in their
favor, by superior exertions for which they neither have, nor are like
to have any credit, they will relax their efforts.

3dly. That the final settlement of these accounts cannot take place
until the quotas be finally adjusted.

4thly. That a settlement of accounts, which is not final will [blank
in the manuscript.]

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, 1