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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, JANUARY 7, 1779
Mr. Thomas Adams, a delegate from Virginia, attended, and took his seat.
A letter from Christ. Hele, of the 4, was read.
Ordered, To lie on the table.
A letter, of 6, from Marquis de Brétigny, was read.
A letter of this day from Thomas Paine was read:3 Whereupon, the subject under debate yesterday immediately before adjournment was called for, and a motion was made for leave to withdraw the motion under debate yesterday; which being granted, the following set of resolutions were moved, viz.
[Note 3: 3 Hele's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XI, folio 393; that of Brétigny is in No. 78, III, folio 247; and that of Paine, in No. 55, folio 5.]
Resolved, That all the late publications in the General Advertiser, printed by John Dunlap, relative to American
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foreign affairs, are ill 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 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:
Resolved, That Mr. Thomas Paine for his imprudence ought immediately to be dismissed from his office of secretary to the Committee for Foreign Affairs, and the said Committee are directed to dismiss him accordingly, and to take such further steps relative to his misapplication of public papers as they shall deem necessary.1
[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of Nathaniel Scudder, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, IV, folio 133.]
In amendment, and as a substitute to the foregoing, the following set of resolutions was moved: viz.
Whereas, Thomas Paine, secretary to the Committee for Foreign Affairs, hath acknowledged himself to be the author of a piece in the Pennsylvania Packet of January 2, 1779, under the title of Common Sense to the public on Mr. Deane's affairs, in which is the following paragraph, to wit, "If Mr. Deane or any other gentleman will procure an order from Congress to inspect an account in my office, or any of Mr. Deane's friends in Congress will take the trouble of coming themselves, I will give him or them my attendance, and shew them in a hand writing, which Mr. Deane is well acquainted with, that the supplies he so pompously plumes himself upon were promised and engaged, and that, as a present, before he even arrived in France; and the part that fell to Mr. Deane was only to see it done, and how he has performed that service the
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public are now acquainted with." The last paragraph in the account is "upon Mr. Deane's arrival in France the business went into his hands, and the aids were at length embarked in the Amphitrite, Mercury and Seine." And, whereas, the said Thomas Paine hath also acknowledged himself to be the author of a piece in the succeeding Packet of January 5, 1779, under the same title, in which is the following paragraph, to wit, "and in the second instance, that those who are now her allies, prefaced that alliance by an early and generous friendship, yet that we might not attribute too much to human or auxiliary aid, so unfortunate were these supplies, that only one ship out of the three arrived; the Mercury and Seine fell into the hands of the enemy:"
Resolved, That the insinuation contained in the said publications, that the supplies sent to America in the Amphitrite, Seine and Mercury were a present from France,1 is untrue:2
[Note 1: 1 In the margin Thomson here added: "or that France prefaced her alliance With those United States with any supplies."]
[Note 2: 2 These paragraphs to this point in the writing of James Duane are in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 55, folio 15. The last paragraph continued: "Congress being possessed of the fullest evidence that they were procured from private persons in the course of trade."]
Resolved, That the publications above recited tend to impose upon, mislead and deceive the public:
Resolved, That the attempt of the said Thomas Paine to authenticate the said false insinuation, by referring to papers in the office of the Committee for Foreign Affairs, is an abuse of office:
Resolved, That the said Thomas Paine be, and he hereby is, dismissed from his said office.3
[Note 3: 3 This set of resolutions, with the preamble, in the writing of Gouverneur Morris, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 15, folio 17. A somewhat similar motion in the writing of John Penn is on folio 23. It is indorsed as presented January 6, and withdrawn on the 7th.]
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Another [a third] set of resolutions was moved as an amendment of and substitute to both the foregoing sets, viz.
That Congress are deeply concerned at the imprudent publication of Mr. Thomas Paine, secretary to the Committee of Foreign Affairs, referred to by the Minister of France in his memorial of the 5th instant, and are ready to adopt any measure consistent with good policy and their own honor, for correcting any assertions or insinuations in the said publications, derogatory to the honor of the Court of France:
That a committee be appointed to consider the said memorial and paragraphs referred to, that they confer with the Minister of France on the subject, and report as soon as may be.1
[Note 1: 1 These two paragraphs, in the writing of Elbridge Gerry, are in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 55, folio 33.]
In lieu of the whole, the following resolution was moved as an amendment, to wit,
Whereas, exceptionable passages have appeared in Mr. Dunlap's Pennsylvania Packet, of the 2d and 5 instant, under the character of Common Sense; and Thomas Paine, secretary to the Committee of Foreign Affairs, being called before Congress, avowed his being the author of those publications:
Resolved, That Thomas Paine be summoned to appear before Congress at eleven o'clock to morrow, and be informed what those exceptionable passages are, and called upon to explain and to shew by what authority he made the said publications, in order that Congress may take proper measures relative thereto.2
[Note 2: 2 This resolution, in the writing of Jesse Root, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 55, folio 34½. A somewhat similar motion, in the writing of James Duane, is in No. 36, IV, folio 133a.]
The previous question was moved on the last amendment; Whereupon, the sense of the House was taken,
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whether the previous question is in order on an amendment:
Question put, passed in the negative.
On the question put to substitute the last resolution as an amendment to the whole, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. G[ouverneur] Morris,
{table}
So it passed in the negative.
Resolved, that the assertions and insinuations in the passages contained in the publication under the Title of "Common Sense to the public on Mr. Deane's affair" published in the Pennsylvania packet of [2nd] in the words following to wit:and in a continuation of the same published in the same paper of [5th] in the words following to wit:
Are groundless.
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That the Secretary furnish Thomas Paine, who yesterday at the Bar confessed himself to be the author of said publications, with copies of the said passages, and that the said Thomas Payne be directed to attend this House on theday of, to answer for misbehavior in his Office of Secretary to the Committee for foreign affairs in publishing the said passages.1
[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of Thomas Burke, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 55, folio 31. It is endorsed "Mr. Burke's motion on T. Paine's affair, January 7, 1779, withdrawn."]
That a copy of the Instrument, presented to Congress by the Minister of France, may be transmitted to Thomas Payne, Esq, agreeably to his application.2
[Note 2: 2 This motion, in the writing of William Ellery, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 55, folio 34. It is endorsed January 7, "withdrawn."]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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