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A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Sir No. 1. New York 25th January 1785.
The Ship Philadelphia, Captain Bass, which sailed from Philadelphia on the 19th Decr. last Carried in separate letters advices from the Delegation(1) upon all Such Subjects as they had in their power to give any Intelligence to your Excellency for the Information of the Legislature---;among the most Material was the Conclusion of a treaty of peace with the Six Nations a Copy of which Mr Read of our Delegation had the pleasure to inclose in a private letter to your Excellency.(2) After the sailing of Captain Bass's Ship we had the pleasure to receive Your Excellency's dispatches by Captain Allibone. They are the latest advices with which we have been favoured from Carolina.
The very Strait'ned Situation in which the delegates in Congress found themselves in Trenton rendering it impossible to continue their Session at that small Village it was thought prudent to adjourn to some larger Town till buildings in a federal City Can be provided for the accomodation of that body and the public Officers. Every one appears at present to reprobate the Idea of an Itinerant federal Council and to be Convinced of the necessity there was to repeal the Votes of Congress passed at Princeton in 1783 respecting an alternate residence in Annapolis and Trenton.(3) That plan had its advocates when
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first proposed and adopted but on Trial has been found so inconvenient and to derogate so greatly from the dignity of the Supreme Council of the Union that it is now totally laid aside.
Your excellency will we trust by this time have received from the Secretary of Congress the ordinance passed on the last adjournment respecting the building a federal City.(4) We hope it will meet the Approbation of the Legislature of South Carolina.
As the dignity of the federal government seems emminently Concerned in the Congress's possessing an independent Situation and Exempt jurisdiction it highly imports the Individual States to make exertions for Carrying the ordinance last mentioned into effect. We Cannot entertain a doubt but that the legislature of the State We have the honour to represent will Cheerfully grant such sums as may be necessary as well for the buildings requisite for the service of the United States and their officers as for a House proper for the accomodation of its own delegates. According to the present Idea the Several States are to build Houses for the accomodation of their respective delegations at their separate expence---;but if one Uniform plan cou'd be adopted & the whole be done at the expence of the Union it wou'd tend greatly to the Beauty and Elegance of the federal City and perhaps be productive of more solid advantages by removing jealousies from the Minds of the less Wealthy states than any difference of expence to the greater and more opulent Can possibly amount to.
As some Considerable time was necessarily employed in the transportation of the records to this City Congress adjourned on the twenty fourth of December to meet here on the Eleventh of the present Month but from the Inclemency of the Season a sufficient quorum of the States did not assemble for some days after that time. Ten States are on this day for the first time represented and as the Members find themselves Comfortably accomodated we have every prospect of a Steady and Sedulous attention to the public business, and we trust it may prove an advantageous one to the Confederacy at large.
We are sorry it is not in our power at present to give Authentic intelligence on Several great National points but the fewness of the States on the floor has hitherto prevented our touching on the Most important objects as without more than nine States we had no prospect of Coming to dignified and decisive Conclusions.
The business of a requisition on the Several States is now before a grand Committee and will we trust be forwarded to the Legislature in time for their acting on it during their present Session.(5)
The Critical Situation of the United States will also urge Congress to take the earliest opportunity of introducing to the Consideration of the several Legislatures a Variety of other Matters on Which the Credit, peace and perhaps the very existence of the United States may depend.
Your Excellency will receive by this conveyance a Letter from the president of Congress Covering Copies of some of the Most important
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Letters and paragraphs of Letters from the Ministers of the United States at foreign Courts.(6) As they are under an Injunction of Secrecy We do not think it proper to make a further Mention of them---;they will speak for themselves and Shew pretty plainly the Situation of our Credit and money Concerns abroad. We Cannot doubt their having a proper Effect in our Legislature, 'tis perhaps not very difficult to preserve our Credit, but if once lost, Who Can tell the price at which We may be obliged to purchase it anew?
While on the Subject of Communications from the Ministers of the United States at foreign Courts, We beg leave to observe that we feel ourselves much hurt at the publication in the Gazettes at Charleston of Certain extracts of a Letter from Doctor Franklin Communicated by Mr Read of our Delegation from Annapolis to your Excellency,(7) and Which have been Copied into all the public prints in this part of the Union. We wou'd observe to Your Excellency that all Letters from our Ministers at foreign Courts are Necessarily under injunctions of Secrecy and When by leave of Congress on application of any Member or State Extracts are permitted to be sent to the Executive of the Several States, it is ever under the Idea that no Copies for publication will on any Account be suffered to be taken.
If a Contrary practice was to prevail our Ministers wou'd be deterred from fully Communicating their opinions and ever exposed to the Intrigues and Vengeance of the particular Court or Minister of whose conduct they entertained suspicions. It is true that Secrets of State and public dispatches of a Secret Nature have frequently got into print but it has ever been thro' the Violation of the Injunction of Secrecy and want of Honour of some Unworthy Individual of Congress and always from the most Mischevious Motives. We hope our future Communications may not be exposed to be printed except where Congress think no injury to the Interests of the Union Can possibly arise from their being made public in that Manner, Which Opinion We shall not fail always to Communicate.
We expect soon to inform your Excellency of the proceedings of Congress respecting the Affairs of the Southern Indians. That business is before a Committee and will receive some Considerable advantages from the papers forwarded by you to the Chairman of the late Committee on Indian Affairs.(8)
The public prints and general Tenour of advices from Europe seem to determine that War is actually Commenced between the Emperour and their high Mightinesses. The first Cannon are said to have been fired, Ships Stopped and Hostilities Compleatly Commenced. But for the quiet of Mankind We hope that during the Winter the differences between the Contending powers may be compromised. Shoud it happen otherwise a general War seems inevitable. Prusia, France and England may probably be obliged to take a part. America will We
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hope be kept out of the Scrape and may receive great advantages in the Sale of her produce during a general Commotion.
We have great pleasure in informing Your Excellency that the overtures for forming Commercial Treaties with several European powers made by the Commissioners plenipotentiary of the United States at Paris have been very Cordially receivd and that there is the greatest prospect that Connexions highly advantageous to the Trade and Commerce of these States will soon be formed with the principal Kingdoms and States not already in alliance with these United States.
As Citizens of the State of South Carolina as well as Delegates from that State to the Supreme head of the Union We enjoy the greatest pleasure in hearing that an Uninterrupted harmony prevails throughout the State and that the Contests on the important point of a Choice of representatives were Conducted with Temper & the greatest decorum and We heartily reciprocate Your Excellency's congratulations on that pleasing Circumstance.
No Conveyance will be omitted by which we Can possibly lay before Your Excellency and the Legislature any Important transactions that may take place in Congress and we trust we shall be favoured with your Communications by all Convenient opportunities for our guidance and Information.
We are with the greatest respect, Sir, Your Excellency's Most obedient Most Humble Servants. Jacob Read
John Bull
Charles Pinckney
RC (ScCoAH: Governor's Messages). Written by Read and signed by Read, Bull and Pinckney.
1 Only Charles Pinckney's December 14 letter has been found although John Bull and Jacob Read were also in Trenton in mid- December.
2 Not found, but Read had informed Guerard of the treaty with the Six Nations in an earlier letter of November 20, 1784.
3 See JCC, 25:714.
4 See Richard Henry Lee to the States, December 24, 1784.
5 For the work of the grand committee preparing the requisition to the states for 1785, see the Grand Committee Minutes of Proceedings, December 4, 1784, and January 29, 1785; and Grand Committee to Robert Morris, February 1.
6 See Richard Henry Lee to the States, January 21.
7 Only two letters (March 1 and 19, 1784) that Jacob Read wrote to Guerard from Annapolis have been found; neither mentions the enclosure of "extracts of a Letter from Doctor Franklin," although the former contained information from a November 1, 1783, Franklin letter regarding problems in the French banking system. See Read to Guerard, March 1, 1784, note 8.
8 For the work of "the late Committee on Indian Affairs," see Richard Beresford to Certain States, March 30, 1784. Its report had been referred on December 15 to a new committee consisting of Samuel Hardy, William Houstoun, Jacob Read, Hugh Williamson, and Samuel Holten whose March 4 report was issued as a broadside for consideration of the delegates. It was recommitted on March 10 when David Howell took Read's place on the committee and an amended report was considered on March 11 and adopted on the 15th. The resolution specified that three commissioners be ap-
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pointed to inform the southern tribes of the territory ceded to the United States by Great Britain and to make peace with them, "receiving them into the favour and protection of the United States." They were to secure the release of all prisoners and property---;including Negroes---;held by the Indians. They were also to give notice of the time and place of their treaties to Virginia, the Carolinas, and Georgia, each of which could send one representative to the negotiations, and to request up to 150 militiamen for protection. Congress allotted $9,000 for the commissioners' salaries and expenses and up to $4,000 for presents for the Indians. On March 21 Congress added two more commissioners, electing Benjamin Hawkins, Daniel Carroll (declined; replaced on May 16 by Lachlan McIntosh), William Peery, Andrew Pickens and Joseph Martin, any three of whom would form a quorum. On March 21 Hugh Williamson moved that the commissioners meet at Charlest on on May 16 to decide upon times and places for negotiations. See JCC, 28:118--;20, 136--;39, 159--;62, 183--;84, 195--;96, 362, 29:917; and PCC item 186, fol. 173. See also Charles Thomson to Certain States and to the Indian Commissioners, March 24, 1785.
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