Birth of the Nation: The First Federal Congress, 1789-1791 | Next Page
Creation of the Executive
Treasury Act [HR-9]
Treasury Act [HR-9],
September 2, 1789
(Courtesy of the Connecticut State Library)

This act gave the secretary of the treasury the power to "digest and prepare plans for the improvement and management of the revenue, and for the support of the public credit" and to give information in person or in writing to either house of Congress. By these provisions, the Congress created an office with the power to manage the nation's financial business. According to Maclay's diary, Alexander Hamilton, the first secretary of the treasury, attended congressional committee meetings to represent his viewpoint. He also drafted legislation and submitted his drafts to Congress, something that members who supported the powers quoted above claimed would not happen.

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