M^r Gerry said that for himself he had no interest in the question being
not possessed of more of the securities than would, by the interest, pay
his taxes. He would observe however that as the public had received the
value of the literal amount, they ought to pay that value to some body.
The frauds on _the soldiers_ ought to have been foreseen. These poor &
ignorant people could not but part with their securities. There are
other creditors who will part with any thing rather than be cheated of
the capital of their advances. The interest of the States he observed
was different on this point, some having more, others less than their
proportion of the paper. Hence the idea of a scale for reducing its
value had arisen. If the public faith would admit, of which he was not
clear, he would not object to a revision of the debt so far as to compel
restitution to the ignorant & distressed, who have been defrauded. As to
stock-jobbers he saw no reason for the censures thrown on them. They
keep up the value of the paper. Without them there would be no market.