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A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --SATURDAY, JUNE 3, 1775
The Congress met according to adjournment.
A Letter from the prov. Convention of New York, together with sundry Letters and papers enclosed, ∥from Albany,∥ were laid before the Congress and read.
Ordered, To lie on the table.
Upon motion Resolved, That a committee of five persons be chosen to take into consideration the letter from the Convention of Massachusetts bay, dated the 16 of May, and report to this Congress what in their opinion is the proper Advice to be given to that Convention.
The following persons were chosen by ballot, to compose that committee, viz. Mr. J[obn] Rutledge, Mr. [Thomas] Johnson, Mr. [John] Jay, Mr. [James] Wilson, and Mr. [Richard Henry] Lee.
Upon motion Resolved, That a committee be appointed for the purpose of borrowing the sum of six thousand pounds for the use of America; for the repayment of which with interest, the Congress will make full and ample provision, and that the sd com[mittee] apply the sd sum of money to the purchase of gunpowder for the use of the Continental Army.
That the Delegates for Pensylvania compose sd Committee, with power as well to borrow the money as to apply it to the purpose intended.
Upon motion Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed to draught a petition to the King.
That a committee ∥of three∥ be appointed to report an address to the people of Great Britain.
Also a committee ∥of four be appointed∥ to report an address to the people of Ireland.
Also a committee ∥of three be appointed∥ to draught a letter to the inhabitants of Jamaica.
That the three last committees consist each of three.
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That a Committee [of five] be appointed to bring in an estimate of the money necessary to be raised.
That this committee consist of 5 persons.
That the committee to report a petition to the King be Mr. [John] Dickinson, Mr. [Thomas] Johnson, Mr. J[ohn] Rutledge, Mr. [John] Jay, and Mr. [Benjamin] Franklin.
That the Committee to report an Address to the inhabitants of Great Britain be Mr. [Richard Henry] Lee, Mr. R[obert] R. Livingston and Mr. [Edmund] Pendleton.
That Mr. [James] Duane, Mr. Will. Livingston and Mr. S[amuel] Adams and Mr. J[ohn] Adams be ye com[mittee] to report an Address to the people of Ireland.
That Mr. [William] Hooper, Mr. [James] Wilson and [Thomas] Lynch be a committee to draught a Letter to the inhabitants of Jamaica.
That Mr. [George] Washington, Mr. [Philip] Schuyler, Mr. [Silas] Deane, Mr. [Thomas] Cushing, and Mr. [Joseph] Hewes be a committee to bring in an estimate of the money necessary to be raised.
Resolved, That this Congress will on Monday resolve itself into a committee of the whole to take into their farther consideration the State of America.
Adjourned till Monday at 9 o'Clock.1
[Note 1: 1 "The Congress, tho' not numerous, are yet a very unwieldy Body, in their very nature, as no motion or resolution can be started or proposed but what must be subject to much canvassing before it will pass with the unanimous approbation of Thirteen Colonies, whose situation and circumstances are various. And Unanimity is the basis on which we mean to rise; and I thank God, it hitherto prevails to a most surprising degree. Besides, our business has run away with us, as I may say, for though the Northern Expedition met with a warm approbation, yet the resolutions necessary to be formed respecting those posts put by the forming a general plan of operation, which, had it been previously laid, every such manoeuvre would, of course, have been provided for at once." Silas Deane to his wife, 3 June, 1775.
Writing to Lord Dartmouth, 7 June, 1775, Lieutenant Governor Colden, of New York, said: "In this gloomy Prospect of Affairs the Friends of Government have received a glimpse of Hope upon hearing that Mr. Duane, a Delegate from New York, has moved in the Continental Congress to introduce a Plan of Accommodation which produced a warm debate, but was carried in favour of the motion." Collections of the New York Historical Society, 1877, p. 421.]
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