Messages and Letters of William Henry Harrison/Harrison to Congress Lack of funds to run the territorial government
Petition for Power to Lay a Tax
To the Honorable The Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress Assembled,
That your Memorialist, being authorized thereto by a Resolution of the Governor and Judges[1]of the Indiana Territory, in their legislative Capacity, a Copy of which is hereunto annexed, has the honor to represent to Congress;
That much Inconvenience has arisen, and does daily arise to the Citizens, from the Want of Money in the territorial Treasury to answer the Exigencies of the Government, which is unable to command a sufficient sum, even for the Apprehension and prosecution of the most notorious offenders against the laws.
Every object which would bear a Tax, and for [which] legal precedent could be found, has been sufficiently burthened to raise County Levies for the Erection of Jails, Court Houses &c. And after the most mature Consideration, it was evident to the Governor and Judges, that no Way of raising the sum, which the Circumstances of the Territory required, was so eligible as by imposing a small Tax upon the Indian Traders. No Tax could be collected with so much facility, or paid with so much Ease; and none can be more equitable, as all the other Traders in the Country contribute fifteen Dollars yearly towards the Support of County Establishments. Your Memorialist therefore prays, that a law may be passed, authorizing and requiring the Superintendant of Indian Affairs or other persons empowered to issue Licences to Indian Traders, within the Indiana Territory, to receive for each Licence issued, such a Sum for the Use of the said Territory, as in your wisdom may be thought reasonable. And your Petitioner as in Duty bound shall ever pray &c—
Indiana Territory
A Resolution requesting the Governor to make application to congress for the purposes therein mentioned Published at Vincennes the seventh day of November one thousand eight hundred and three, by William Henry Harrison Governor and Thomas T. Davis and Henry Vander Burgh Judges in and over the said Territory. Whereas in the present circumstances of this Territory the revenue is inadequate to the necessary expences thereof. And Whereas the Territory frequently incurs expences by reason of prosecuting on behalf of the United States, to defray which, there is no provision by any law of the United States. Resolved that the Governor be and is hereby requested to make application to Congress for leave to impose a reasonable tax, yearly, on all persons trading with the Indian tribes within this Territory to and for the use thereof. The foregoing is hereby declared to be a law of the Territory and to take effect accordingly. In Testimony whereof we, William Henry Harrison, Thomas T. Davis and Henry Vander Burgh have caused the seal of the Territory to be thereunto affixed and signed the same with our names.[2]
- ↑ This petition was read in the House of Representatives Jan. 2, 1804. referred
to a committee — John W. Eppes of Va., Henry W. Livingston of N. Y. and Ebenezer
Elmer of N. J. On the 10th of January this committee made an adverse Report.
Annals of Congress
- ↑ The territorial judges of Indiana were: William Clarke. Henry Vanderburg. and John Griffin. Clarke died suddenly Nov. 11, 1802 and was succeeded by Thomas Terry Davis who served till his death at Jeffersonville, Nov. 15, 1807. Davis was succeeded by Benjamin Parke who continued as a federal judge of Indiana till his death, July 12, 1835. The other two served their terms out.
Esarey, Courts and Lawyers of Indiana, I, 404