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A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Mr. [Jesse] Root, a delegate for the State of Connecticut, attended, and took his seat in Congress.
On motion of Mr. [James] Madison, seconded by Mr. [Ezekiel] Cornell,
Resolved, unanimously, That a committee be appointed to confer with the Superintendent of finance and Secretary at War, on the practicability and means of procuring supplies for the southern army by contracts, and report thereon.1
[Note 1: 1 According to the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 186, the committee consisted of Mr. [John] Rutledge, Mr. [Theodorick] Bland, and Mr. [Samuel] Osgood; but on June 3, Mr. [David] Ramsay was added in place of Rutledge. The committee reported June 21.]
The report of the committee which was yesterday under consideration, being taken up and agreed to as follows:
Resolved, That the Superintendent of finance be, and hereby is authorised, to appoint an inspector for the main and another for the southern army, to take care that the contracts for supplying rations be duly executed by the contractors; that the said inspectors shall also be, and they hereby are fully empowered and directed to attend to the expenditures of public property in the several departments of the army, and report any fraud, neglect of duty or other misconduct by which the public property is wasted, or expence unnecessarily accumulated, so that the party charged therewith may be tried by court-martial on such charges exhibited against him by either of the said inspectors; and that neither the said inspectors nor the said contractors, or their property, be liable to arrest or subject to martial
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law, except by the express order of the Commander in Chief, or commander of the army to which the inspectors respectively shall be appointed, any resolution or act of Congress heretofore made notwithstanding:
That the pay to each inspector be one hundred and sixty-six dollars and two thirds of a dollar per month in full of all allowances:
That each inspector when appointed, shall take an oath for the faithful and impartial execution of the trust reposed in him, as inspector of the contracts of the army.1
[Note 1: 1 From this point to the end of the day, the proceedings were also entered in the manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs.]
On the report of a committee, consisting of Mr. [Elias] Boudinot, Mr. [Samuel John] Atlee, and Mr. [John] Rutledge, to whom was referred a letter of 24 April from the governor of Connecticut:
The Committee to whom was referred the letter from Governor Trumbull of 24th April 1782
Report,
That the situation of our fellow citizens prisoners in the different goals in England, require the constant attention of Congress; but as their condition there tho' confined as traitors is far preferable to the state of the marine prisoners at New York, confined in prison ships, your Committee are of opinion that no remedy can at present be afforded them but the making of provision for increasing the number of marine prisoners on the part of the United States. That our Seamen in England tho' confined as traitors, yet are allowed to be subject to exchange and are actually exchanged whenever we have seamen to return for them.
That from some incidental circumstances it became necessary for our Minister at the Court of France to lend about 500 marine prisoners to the Court of France; but for political reasons, the Court of Great Britain have refused to accept of prisoners captured by the subjects of France in exchange for American prisoners--Wherefore your Committee recommend the following resolution,
Ordered, That the Secretary for foreign affairs inform our minister at the Court of Versailles, that it is the desire of Congress that he make application to the Court of France,
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for direction to the commander of his Most Christian Majesty's navy in the West Indies, to forward the number of prisoners due to these United States to some port thereof, in order that they may be exchanged for our prisoners at New York.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Elias Boudinot, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 20, I, folio 331.]
On the report of a committee consisting of Mr. [John] Rutledge, Mr. [Elias] Boudinot and Mr. [James] Madison, to whom was referred a report from the Secretary for Foreign Affairs relative to the Ceremonial on admitting the Minister of France to a public audience,
The Committee to whom the Report of the Secretary of foreign affairs relative to the Ceremonial on admitting the Minister of France to a public audience, beg leave to Report the following, as proper to be adopted on this occasion:
Resolved, That the Minister shall come in his own coach to the state house, and shall be received at the foot of the steps by two Members of Congress deputed for that purpose, who shall conduct him to his seat in the room of Congress. As the Minister enters, the President and the house shall rise, the President remaining covered, the Minister shall bow to the President and then to the house before he takes his seat. The President shall uncover his head as he returns his bow. The Minister shall then seat and cover himself; the members conducting him shall sit on each side of him. The members of the house shall seat themselves.
When the Minister speaks, he shall rise; the President and house shall remain sitting till he has spoken and delivered his letter by his Secretary to the Secretary of Congress, who shall deliver it to be read by the interpreter in the original language. The interpreter shall then deliver a translation to be read by the Secretary of Congress, after which the President shall deliver his answer standing and covered, the Minister and the house also standing but uncovered. The President and the Minister having bowed to each other and
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the latter to the house who shall be standing to receive it, he shall be reconducted to the foot of the stairs of the state house in the same manner in which he came in.1
[Note 1: 1 Up to this point a copy of the report, in the writing of a clerk, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 25, II, folio 227.]
After the Audience shall be over the house shall adjourn. when the President and members shall individually pay their compliments to the Minister of France.
That seats be provided places be assigned for the principals in the three great executive departments under Congress, and for the President and executive council of the State.
That general officers, judges of appeals, the treasurer, paymaster general, comptroller, auditor and chaplains of Congress. the assistants and principal secretaries in each of the departments, be admitted without the bar of the house.
That the Secretary at War take order to receive the Minister with military honor, and to conclude the audience with the discharge of thirteen cannon and a feu de joye of musquetry, and for the display of fireworks in the evening at 8 o'clock.
That all that relates to the placing the persons particularly admitted within the bar of Congress to the Audience be under the direction of the Secretary of Congress.
That each member of Congress be entitled to admit two persons, and be furnished with tickets for the purpose by the Secretary.
That tickets be sent by the Secretary for Foreign Affairs to such foreigners or other strangers as he may judge it proper to admit.
That on Monday next an entertainment be provided by Congress at the city tavern, to which shall be invited in the name of the President and Congress for the Minister of France and his suite, to be under the direction of the Secretary for Fore n Affairs, who may invite thereto such general officers and foreigners of distinction in town as the President
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shall approve, who shall give invitations in the name of Congress to the president and council of Pennsylvania, the principals of the three executive departments under Congress, and such other persons as he may think proper.
That a letter be written to the Commander in Chief, and to the Commander in the Southern Department, by the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, informing them of the public annunciation of the birth of the Dauphin, that the same may be published in both armies with such demonstrations of joy as their commanders shall respectively direct.
That the Secretary for Foreign Affairs also inform the governors and presidents of the respective states of the birth of an heir to the Crown of France, that the people of each State may partake in the joy which an event that so nearly affects the happiness of their great and generous ally cannot fail to excite.1
[Note 1: 1 This paragraph and the preceding one were printed in the Secret Journal under date of May 7, and in the Public Journal under date of May 13. The report, in the writing of a clerk, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 25, II, folio 99.
On this day, according to the indorsement, was read a letter of same date, from the Secretary at War, enclosing a memorial dated March 4, from Lieut. Col. Edward Antill. The letter is in No. 149, I, folio 337. The memorial is in No. 41, I, folio 81, and was referred to the Secretary at War.]
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