Oh that this were still the case.....

An Estimate of the National Debt, viz:
Livres.
Dollars.
Due to the farmers general of France, ... 1,000,000
To individuals in France on unliquidated accounts, estimated, ... 3,000,000
To the Crown of France, including a loan of ten millions borrowed in Holland, and for which France is guarantee, ... 28,000,000
To ditto, a loan, for 1783, ... 6,000,000
... 38,000,000
at 5 livres 8 sous per dol. ... 7,037,037

To lenders in Holland, received in part of the loan contracted for by Mr. J. Adams, 1,678,000 florins, ... 671,200
Borrowed in Spain by Mr. Jay, ... 150,000
One year's interest of Dutch loan of 10,000,000 livres, ... 26,848
Foreign debt, 1 January, 1783, ... 7,885,085
Domestic Debt:
On loan-office certificates, reduced to specie value, ... 11,463,802
Interest unpaid for 1781, ... 190,000
Ditto 1782, ... 687,828
Credit to sundries in treasury books, ... 638,042
Army debt to 31 December, 1782, ... 5,635,618
Unliquidated debt, estimated at, ... 8,000,000
Commutation to the army, agreeable to the act of 22 March last, ... 5,000,000
Bounty due to privates, ... 500,000
Deficiencies in 1783, suppose ... 2,000,000
... 34, 115, 290
Total debt, ... 42,000,375
Annual Interest of the debt of the United States:
On the foreign debt, part at 4 and part at 5 per cent. ... 369,038.6
On the domestic debt, at 6 per cent. ... 2,046,917.4
... 1
[Note 1: 1 This estimate was also entered in the Book of Estimates, No. 12. Another estimate of the public debt in the writing of Thomas FitzSimons is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 26, folio 403. The interest, however, on the foreign debt is computed at 4 %, and gives the amount as $315,403.]

2, 415, 956

- Journals of the Continental Congress, TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 1783

And that was after seven years of war. Which was paid off in the early 1800's. Gee, look at us now....