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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 --THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1775
On motion made, Resolved, That every member of this Congress considers himself under the ties of virtue, honor and love of his Country not to divulge directly or indirectly any matter or thing agitated or debated in Congress before the same shall have been determined, without leave of the Congress; nor any matter or thing determined in
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Congress which a majority of the Congress shall order to be kept secret and that if any member shall violate this agreement he shall be expelled this Congress and deemed an enemy to the liberties of America and liable to be treated as such and that every member signify his consent to this agreement by signing the same.1
[Note 1: 1 The agreement, signed by eighty-seven delegates, is among the miscellaneous unbound Papers of the Continental Congress.]
A letter from the Agents Mr. [Richard] Penn and Mr. A[rthur] Lee respecting the delivery of the petition and the reception it met with, was read:
Ordered, That the substance of said letter be published.2
[Note 2: 2 The Postscript to the Pennsylvania Packet, 10 November, 1775, contained the following:
"By authentic intelligence from London by the last vessel, we learn that on the 21st of August a copy of the petition to the King, which was sent from the Congress by Mr. R. Penn, was sent to the Secretary of State for America, and on the first of September, the first moment that was permitted, the original was presented to him, which his Lordship promised to deliver to his Majesty.
"His Lordship was pressed to obtain an answer, but those who presented it were told "THAT AS HIS MAJESTY DID NOT RECEIVE IT ON THE THRONE, NO ANSWER WOULD BE GIVEN.'"]
The Congress took up the order of the day for appointing a commander of the fortresses on Hudson's river, and some debate arising thereon,
On motion made, Resolved, That the appointment of a commander of the said fortresses be postponed to Wednesday next, and [that] Captain John Hanson take and keep the command of the said fortresses and the troops there, until the Congress shall appoint a commander.
On application made by the delegates of Georgia,
Resolved, That the president draw an order on the treasurers in favour of the delegates of that Colony, for the sum of five thousand dollars, towards the expence of the battalion ordered to be raised in that Colony, the said Colony to account for the same.
The Congress resumed the consideration of the report of the Committee appointed to consider the application
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from the Inhabitants of Nova Scotia, and after some debate, the same was postponed till to Morrow.
The order of the day renewed and the several matters to this day referred, postponed till to Morrow.
The order of the day renewed and the several matters to this day referred, postponed till to to Morrow.
∥Adjourned to ten o'clock to Morrow.∥
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