RECOKDS OF THE FEDERAL CONVENTION 6I 9 Friday MADISON September x4 motion & insert "from time to time". which would enjoin the duty of frequent publications and leave enough to the discretion of the Legislature. Require too much and the diffi- culty will beget a habit of doing nothing. The articles of Confederation require half-yearly publications on this sub- ject- A punctual compliance being often impossible, the practice has ceased altogether-- Mr Wilson zded. & supported the motion-- Many opera- tions of finance cannot be properly published at certain times. Mr, Pinkney was in favor of the motion. Mr. Fitzimmons-- It is absolutely impossible to pub- lish expenditures in the full extent of the term. Mr. Sherman thought "from time to time" the best rule to be given. "Annual" was struck out--& those words--inserted nem: con: The motion of Col. Mason so amended was then agreed to nero: con: and added after -- " appropriations by law as follows m "And a regular statement 'and account of the re- cepits & expenditures of all public money shall be published from time to time. "?? The first clause of Art I. sect IO- was altered so as to read-- "No State shall enter into any Treaty alliance or confederation; grant letters of marque and reprisal; coin money; emit bills of credit; make any thing but gold & silver coin a tender in payment of debts; pass any bill of attainder, ex post law, or law impairing the obligation of contracts, ?8 or grant any title of nobility." x7 Mr Gerry entered into observations inculcating the impor- tance of public faith, and the propriety of the restraint put on the States from impairing the obligation of contracts -- Alledg- ing that Congress ought to be laid under the like prohibitions. he made a motion to that effect. He was not zded Adjourned. ?7 This paragraph is possibly a later in.?ertion. If 8o it was taken from Journal. See above note 2. xs "obligation of contracts", see above August ?8 and Apl?ndlx A? CCXXIX? CCCXCVIII.
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