登陆注册
5259600000021

第21章 CHAPTER V. DARKNESS BEFORE DAWN(2)

It was made up of delegations from the various colonies, appointed in more or less irregular ways, and had no more authority than it might assume and the various colonies were willing to concede; yet it was the central body under which the Revolution had been inaugurated and carried through to a successful conclusion. Had this Congress grappled firmly with the financial problem and forced through a system of direct taxation, the subsequent woes of the Confederation might have been mitigated and perhaps averted. In their enthusiasm over the Declaration of Independence the people--by whom is meant the articulate class consisting largely of the governing and commercial elements--would probably have accepted such a usurpation of authority. But with their lack of experience it is not surprising that the delegates to Congress did not appreciate the necessity of such radical action and so were unwilling to take the responsibility for it. They counted upon the goodwill and support of their constituents, which simmered down to a reliance upon voluntary grants from the States in response to appeals from Congress. These desultory grants proved to be so unsatisfactory that, in 1781, even before the Articles of Confederation had been ratified, Congress asked for a grant of additional power to levy a duty of five per cent ad valorem upon all goods imported into the United States, the revenue from which was to be applied to the discharge of the principal and interest on debts "contracted . . . for supporting the present war."

Twelve States agreed, but Rhode Island, after some hesitation, finally rejected the measure in November, 1782.

The Articles of Confederation authorized a system of requisitions apportioned among the "several States in proportion to the value of all land within each State." But, as there was no power vested in Congress to force the States to comply, the situation was in no way improved when the Articles were ratified and put into operation. In fact, matters grew worse as Congress itself steadily lost ground in popular estimation, until it had become little better than a laughing-stock, and with the ending of the war its requests were more honored in the breach than in the observance. In 1782 Congress asked for $8,000,000 and the following year for $2,000,000 more, but by the end of 1783 less than $1,500,000 had been paid in.

In the same year, 1783, Congress made another attempt to remedy the financial situation by proposing the so-called Revenue Amendment, according to which a specific duty was to be laid upon certain articles and a general duty of five per cent ad valorem upon all other goods, to be in operation for twenty-five years.

In addition to this it was proposed that for the same period of time $1,500,000 annually should be raised by requisitions, and the definite amount for each State was specified until "the rule of the Confederation" could be carried into practice: It was then proposed that the article providing for the proportion of requisitions should be changed so as to be based not upon land values but upon population, in estimating which slaves should be counted at three-fifths of their number. In the course of three years thereafter only two States accepted the proposals in full, seven agreed to them in part, and four failed to act at all.

Congress in despair then made a further representation to the States upon the critical condition of the finances and accompanied this with an urgent appeal, which resulted in all the States except New York agreeing to the proposed impost. But the refusal of one State was sufficient to block the whole measure, and there was no further hope for a treasury that was practically bankrupt. In five years Congress had received less than two and one-half million dollars from requisitions, and for the fourteen months ending January 1, 1786, the income was at the rate of less than $375,000 a year, which was not enough, as a committee of Congress reported, "for the bare maintenance of the Federal Government on the most economical establishment and in time of profound peace." In fact, the income was not sufficient even to meet the interest on the foreign debt.

In the absence of other means of obtaining funds Congress had resorted early to the unfortunate expedient of issuing paper money based solely on the good faith of the States to redeem it.

This fiat money held its value for some little time; then it began to shrink and, once started on the downward path, its fall was rapid. Congress tried to meet the emergency by issuing paper in increasing quantities until the inevitable happened: the paper money ceased to have any value and practically disappeared from circulation. Jefferson said that by the end of 1781 one thousand dollars of Continental scrip was worth about one dollar in specie.

The States had already issued paper money of their own, and their experience ought to have taught them a lesson, but with the coming of hard times after the war, they once more proposed by issuing paper to relieve the "scarcity of money" which was commonly supposed to be one of the principal evils of the day. In 1785 and 1786 paper money parties appeared in almost all the States. In some of these the conservative element was strong enough to prevent action, but in others the movement had to run its fatal course. The futility of what they were doing should have been revealed to all concerned by proposals seriously made that the paper money which was issued should depreciate at a regular rate each year until it should finally disappear.

同类推荐
  • 瀛涯胜览

    瀛涯胜览

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说医喻经

    佛说医喻经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 南海寄归内法传

    南海寄归内法传

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 太上太玄女青三元品诫拔罪妙经

    太上太玄女青三元品诫拔罪妙经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • TheTenant of Wildfell Hall

    TheTenant of Wildfell Hall

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 桃之夭夭,腹黑王爷赖上门

    桃之夭夭,腹黑王爷赖上门

    【爱情,无关早晚,只是在对的时间,遇见对的人】他是燕国不朽神话,是全国名媛争相想嫁的如意郎君,面对女人,他嗤之以鼻。她,一朝惨死,得以重生,茫茫人海,遇见了那个风吹桃花开的人。于他而言,女人是善变寡情的标志,却在遇见她后,念念不忘。幻想中,君心不改,桃花相伴,而现实,总是有那么几个不长眼睛的,惦记自己的娘子。于她而言,男人背信忘义,为了荣华富贵,弃情绝爱,伤天害理。当他们相遇,一张情网,铺天而来,躲过,逃过,却忘不掉那一声声温柔的呵护,“不怕,一切有我。”京城初见,他设计巧遇,夺初吻,夜护佳人,上演攻心为上。“姑娘何必拒人千里之外,说不定,你我能上演一出旷世奇恋呢。”是夜,他‘慌不择路,’闯入香闺,而她,美人出浴。他咽着口水,两眼放光,“肤如凝脂人如玉。”下一秒,某男被人丢出闺阁,惨遭群殴……
  • 快穿之女配心愿

    快穿之女配心愿

    她,温暖,年纪轻轻,便是虚凰公司的一员大将,为了母亲的病情而进入虚凰,带着故事里女配的心愿,在这些错综复杂的故事,虚幻与现实交织,她又能否坚持到底,保持最初的初心呢?
  • 我和这个世界不一样

    我和这个世界不一样

    在这本书中,作者以真诚的文字记录了读过的书,看过的电影;对教授过自己的老师怀念与感恩,对曾经同学、朋友及共同度美好时光的回忆;对一些社会问题提出的看法并给予包容和理解;对他乡之游的所见所感等等,让我们看到了95后的独特思维以及对生活的热爱与拷问,从而了解他眼中世界的样子。如果你是一个90后的少年,你会从中间看到自己,如果你已不再年少,这些文字也会让你停下来,找回属于曾经的回忆。
  • 芨芨草也有年轮(中篇小说)

    芨芨草也有年轮(中篇小说)

    平静的乡村因工作组的进入,一切都贴上了政治标签,在揭发批判中石老忠也在劫难逃。直到那场风波连同那个年代结束后,石老忠成了唯一的殉难者。那是一段怎样的岁月?一刘家堡是工作团团部所在地。邵文杰从团部大院高门槛上跨出来以后,压抑了好一阵子的兴奋之情欣喜之情豪壮之情,才开始释放出来。他的步伐轻快,带着点军人姿态,甚至边走边哼起时下流行的一首歌——
  • Lectures on the Industrial Revolution in England

    Lectures on the Industrial Revolution in England

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 魅世狂音

    魅世狂音

    重生入世,音尊强者的她重生为五音白痴,一曲鬼音五煞调,名动五国!◆将军府五小姐君修月,素以心狠手辣、穷凶极恶闻名赤炎国,因调戏当朝“第一王爷”反被其下了杀手,一命呜呼。她重生而来,锋芒毕露,腹黑冷漠,彻底颠覆昔日形象,在整个赤炎国引起轩然大波。一曲“鬼音五煞调”,以音为攻!一舞“火云九剑舞”,以舞为杀!却,以武入灵——至此,六派竞相争之!◆世人皆传:五小姐是五音白痴!她冷目幽转,素手一勾,音起,煞气动!第一调:求死——求生不得,宁愿求死;第二调:求生…五调动,玄音现!铿锵有力,气势恢宏,让人混觉天上地下,皆是煞气。-世人皆笑:五小姐竟然对五行一窍不通!她绣袍一翻,掌心内五簇火焰映射出众人的震惊,金木水火土…谁说她五行不通?五种属性齐聚一身,她乃第一人!-世人皆讽:五小姐起舞,呵,丑人作怪…修罗云台,是谁广袖如云,灼灼风华,一舞倾城艳,以舞为杀!…至此,修罗五女——绝艳惊世,幽冥骨琴一出,生死宣判!◆◆◆众人看着台上临风而立的一对男女惊呼:“五音废物对7级音攻强者角音师,她是疯了吗?”“我猜一音之内,她必输!”“…”台上俊美男子高傲地抿唇:“你现在后悔还来得及…”女子扬眉一挑,唇角邪气尽显:“后悔?”是有人后悔,却…不会是她!◆◆◆对面的男子咬牙切齿:“打不过你,老子就不姓林!”君修月挑眉:“哦,其实吧…君亦风还是很好听的。不过呢,主子我家奴才已经够多了,男夫倒是少一个,要不考虑下?”男子一愣,反应过来,直接红透了一张俊脸。“你…你无耻!”“咦,我有说什么吗?”君修月无辜地耸了耸肩,转身朝着身后的妇人“委屈”道:“二娘,你瞅瞅,他还不乐意嫁给你呢?”推荐某凌完结文:【天纵狂颜】推荐好友文文:【风邪绝焰】【祭水琦声】【异火焚天】【刑冷墨】★★★领养区★★★【修月】由【刑冷墨】【祭水琦声】共同领养
  • 实习老公

    实习老公

    《实习老公》(单身公害之白羊座)“你是我的,只有我不要的,没有我要不到的!”精明强势的女主,百般手段,终将男主纳入羽翼,调教出贴心老公。女主:北堂烟,北堂集团总裁,精明,强势,商业天才,一个天生就注定被追随的存在,无数神话的缔造者。男主:炎烈,北堂集团实习生,阳光,帅气,成熟内敛,皇家学院首席生的他拥有众多的追求者,平日里洁身自好,却仍旧一不小心将自己的清白葬送在了一个“公害”手中。她第一眼看到他的照片时,就已经注定了他们之间的结局!这就是属于她的霸道与强势!当他放弃一切坚持,与她在一起时,他就知道他这一生终究是败给了这个女人,霸道却也温柔的女人。强势的她对他一见钟情,虽然有那么点小麻烦,但对于她来说都不是问题,她想要的还没有得不到的!……《溺爱》(单身公害之处女座)她是医学界的奇葩,闻名世界的心理医生,上百家连锁医院的院长!她的世界完美无瑕,不沾染任何灰尘,她不喜欢的东西统统毁灭。只不过,完美的人生遇到了不算完美的爱情,但却也成就了梦幻中的爱情童话。一个男人,年过三十,相貌普通,被妻子抛弃带着有轻微弱智的孩子在工地打工,皴裂的双手,沧桑的眼神,懦弱的气息,似乎在彰显着一个失败的人生。只是,这个平凡到不能再平凡的男人却有着一个不平凡的奢望,他爱上了一个不该爱的人。一个几近完美的女人,一个普通到让人厌恶的男人。一个有着洁癖的女人,一个天天生活在肮脏工地的男人。她从未想过她会爱上这样一个男人。他也从未想过她会爱上他!她用一种看着狗的眼神看着他,挑战人类心理承受的极限。他用一种看着神的眼神看着她,听从她的一切安排!……单身公害系列是以十二个不同星座的女人为主题写的系列文,这些女人美丽且充满智慧,拥有权势,同时也拥有爱情,都市一对一专情文,希望朋友们喜欢!
  • 豪门斗爱:首席情深深

    豪门斗爱:首席情深深

    “沈太太,这是我的所有动产不动产,全部改成了你的名字,银行卡密码全部是你的生日,跟我回家吧!”“值钱的留下,其余的扔垃圾桶!”盛浅予高傲的撩了撩长发,看也不看单膝跪地的男人。男人站起来一把将她揽进怀里。“你干什么……和你不熟!”盛浅予炸毛。“沈太太,我就是最值钱的。”盛浅予无语:“呵呵,您老还真是回望自己脸上贴金。”“妈咪是我的!”突然冲出来萌萌哒的小萝莉,伸出软软的小手掌:“想要我妈咪,我要……我要五十块!”男人爽快的将小萝莉抱起来,把手里的文件袋塞进她怀里,“成交!”盛浅予彻底无语:“……”宝贝,你这么坑你亲妈真的合适吗?
  • 小娘子的桃花劫

    小娘子的桃花劫

    简介:她是灵珑,她是一个传说。(上部完结)
  • 禅门诸祖师偈颂

    禅门诸祖师偈颂

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。