Founding Fathers and the Articles of Confederation

By granting to Congress a power to collect moneys from the commerce of these states, indefinitely as to time and quantity, and for the expenditure of which they are not to be accountable to the states, they would become independent of their constituents; and so the proposed impost is repugnant to the liberty of the United States. " (Document A) This quote from the letter of Rhode Island explains that they reject the recommendation of Congress to control imported goods because it would hurt the economy of commercial states and Congress would abuse the power and take over the economy disregarding the state governments. Since the central government was drowning debt, this made it difficult for the government to pay the soldiers who fought on the side of the continental army against Britain. According to a letter from Delegate Joseph Jones from Virginia written to George Washington, "they found the opinion that justice is not intended to be done to them, is the delay in complying with their requests (for bonus and back pay). Every class of public creditors must know the inability of Congress to pay their demands, unless furnished with the means by the several States, and the exertions of that body have not been (lacking) heretofore to obtain the means " (Document C) This quote means that with the because to the mountain of debt Congress has to comply with, Congress keeps delaying to pay the Revolutionary War soldiers since they (Congress) didn't have the money to pay the soldiers back, and that everyone show know about Congress's inability to pay them for their services unless if they get some money from the States. The Articles of Confederation gave the States the power to control foreign trade. The states could set their own tariffs on foreign imports, and they could set trade deals (Southern states with tobacco, etc.) with foreign nations. Under the Articles of Confederation, the USA economy was unbalanced because of growing national debt and Congress having the inability to control taxation and interstate/ foreign trade.