The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

For the New-Hampshire Gazette.

Mess. PRINTERS,

Please to insert the following in your usual paper, and you will oblige a friend to the public.

A member of the community asks the wisdom of the United States, why the Loan Office Certificates are not consolidated, that the owners of them may know what value their obligations are to them, and why the interest is not paid either by money or bills, as well as on those that were given before the depreciation? For my part I can't conceive why those certificates that were given in the year 1778, and so on, are not as valuable to the possessors, according to their tenor, as those that were given before the depreciation; and why the interest on such securities are not as punctually paid? Many persons, to my knowledge, have sold interest for public securities, and depended on the faith of the United States for the punctual payment of the interest of their monies for their support, are now in needy circumstances for want thereof, and cannot so much as hire a room to live in, or buy them one bushel of corn to eat for a non consolidated note; even it will not prevent a man from the common jail for debt, when he shall have a thousand pounds of them in his pocket. No wonder the public faith is at so low an ebb, when their public securities are despised by the lowest class of people. If the Congress in their wisdom would be so kind as to consolidate all their certificates, that the owners of them may know the true value, then the poorer of them may, when under necessitous circumstances, help himself without so much difficulty. Suppose a man dies possessed with a thousand pounds of these notes, and a letter of appraisement is issued from the judge of probate, is it not seized that the thousand pound is prized as part of the man's estate? I suppose it will be expected that justice may take place with the heirs to said estate, when a settlement is made. Then in the name of common sense, should they not be of more value than they appear to be at present? Yes, most certain. If they are looked upon as part of an estate, then they ought in justice, in my humble opinion, be of so much value as to prevent the owners of them from the common jail for debt, when offered as a tender. Then the loan office certificates will be of value, and Mr. Hillegas's name will appear of as great importance as George the third's head is upon the English guinea. Much more might have been said on the subject, but this must suffice for the present.

AMICUS