By the United States in Congress Assembled,
February 17th, 1783.
Whereas by the eighth Article of the Confederation & perpetual union it is agreed and declared, that all charges of War, and all other expences for the common defence and general welfare allowed by the United States in Congress Assembled shall be defrayed out of a common Treasury which shall be supplied by the several States in proportion to the value of all Lands with each State, granted to or surveyed for any person, as such Land and the Buildings and improvements thereon, shall be estimated according to such mode as the United States in Congress Assembled shall from time to time direct and appoint.
Resolved that the Legislature of each State, be, and they are hereby required to take such measures as shall appear to them most effectual for obtaining a just and accurate account of the quantity of Land in such State granted to or surveyed for any person, the number of buildings thereon, distinguishing dwelling houses from other buildings, and the number of its inhabitants, distinguishing white from Black. That the Legislature of each State be and they are hereby required to cause the said account to be transmitted and delivered to Congress on or before the first day of March, 1784, and that Congress will on the second day of March, 1784, or at their next setting thereafter appoint a grand Committee, consisting of a member present from each State, to take into their consideration the said returns, any nine of whom concuring shall make a Just and true Estimate of the value of all the lands in each of the United States granted to or surveyed for any person, and of the Buildings and improvements thereon and shall report such Estimate to Congress, to be subject only to their approbation and rejection. That the said Estimate when approved by Congress, shall be a rule for adjusting all accounts between the United States and the individual States, that is each State shall be debited for its just quota or proportion, on the principle aforesaid, of the money theretofore
advanced or paid, and of the amount in value of the supplies furnished by all the States for the service of the United States and credited for the money advanced and the amount in value of the supplies furnished by such State, for the service of the United States. That the said Estimate shall operate for a term not exceeding five years, as a rule for apportioning on the several States the sums which Congress shall from time to time deem necessary and required to be raised for supporting the public Credit and Contingent expences; and that the money which shall be paid from time to time by any State into, the Continental Treasury, on account of such quota or apportionment, shall be duly passed to the Credit of such State, on the said account.