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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 --WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 1779
A letter, of 20 December, from Major General Sullivan to General Washington was laid before Congress, and read;4 enclosing an intercepted letter and sundry papers of intelligence;
[Note 4: 4 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 160, folio 215.]
Ordered, That the same be returned to the General.
The delegates for Maryland laid before Congress a declaration of that State relative to the Confederation, and a resolution relative to the treaty of commerce and
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treaty of alliance between France and the United States, which were read:1 Whereupon, a motion was made. After debate,
[Note 1: 1 This declaration is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 70, folio 293.]
Ordered, That the consideration thereof be postponed.
A letter, of this day, from Thomas Paine, was read:2 Whereupon,
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 55, folio 1.]
The order of the day on the memorial from Mr. Gérard was called for, and the said memorial being read:
Ordered, That Mr. John Dunlap, printer, and Mr. Thomas Paine, attend immediately at the bar of this House.
Mr. John Dunlap attending, was called in, and the newspapers of the 2 and 5 January, entitled, "Pennsylvania Packet or General Advertiser," being shewn to him, he was asked whether he was the publisher; to which he answered, yes:
He was then asked who is the author of the pieces in the said papers, under the title "Common Sense to the public on Mr. Deane's affairs;"
To which he answered, Mr. Thomas Paine: he was then ordered to withdraw.
Mr. Thomas Paine attending, was called in, and being asked whether he was the author of the pieces in the Pennsylvania Packet or General Advertiser of January 2 and 5, 1779, under the title "Common Sense to the public on Mr. Deane's affairs;" he answered, He was the author of those pieces: he was then ordered to withdraw.
The memorial of Mr. Gérard and the offensive passages in the pieces entitled "Common sense to the public, &c" referred to in the said memorial, were read; Whereupon a motion was made. After debate,
Resolved, That all the late publications in the General Advertiser, printed by John Dunlap, relative to American foreign affairs, are ill
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judged, premature and indiscreet; and that as they must in general be founded on very partial Documents, and consequently depend much on conjecture, they ought not by any means to be considered as justly authenticated.
Resolved, That Congress never has given occasion for or to sanction to any of the Said publications.
Resolved, That Congress never has received any species of Military Stores as a present from the Court of France, or from any other Court or persons in Europe.1
[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of Nathaniel Scudder, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, IV, folio 123.]
Resolved, that a Committee be appointed to enquire into the Truth of the assertions contained in the publications under the signature of Common Sense, in Dunlaps paper of the 2d and 5th instant and pointed at by the Minister of France in his Memorial, and that they report to this House the Evidence thereof.2
[Note 2: 2 This resolution, in the writing of Meriwether Smith, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 55, folio 22½.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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