| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |
A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1780
Ordered, That Tuesday next be assigned for electing a paymaster general in the room of Mr. Palfrey who is appointed consul of the United States of America to reside in France.
A letter, of 17, from the President of the State of Pensylvania was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the committee on Mr. Blaine's letter and who were appointed to confer with the committee of the honorable the general assembly of Pensylvania.
Page 1069 | Page image
A letter, of this day, from Colonel Armand was read:1
[Note 1: 1 The Pennsylvania letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 69, II, folio 302; that of Armand is in No. 164, folio 428.]
Ordered, To lie on the table.
The Board of War, to whom was referred an extract of General Washington's letter, of 21 October, with a copy of a letter, of 18 October, from Brigadier Knox, delivered in a report, which was read:
War Office, Nov: 16, 1780
Sir
The Board have been honored by a reference from Congress of an extract of a letter from the Comd. in Chief enclosing copy of a letter from Genl Knox relative to Colo David Mason being detained in public service for the making of Fuzes. The Board beg leave to observe that if Mr Mason's abilities are indispensable in this branch he may be hired as a private citizen and that it is not therefore necessary for him to hold his rank and appointments merely on this account. But the Commissary General of military stores at Philadelphia if furnished with money and the men supplied with provisions will undertake to provide all the Fuzes necessary for the next campaign as well as all other articles in the Ordnance department. We therefore offer to the consideration of Congress the following resolve,
That Genl Washington be informed in answer to that part of his letter of Octr 21 which respects Lieut Colo David Mason that Congress do not consider the reasons assigned for his continuance in the public service sufficiently strong to induce an alteration of their Resolution for the removal of Col. Mason from the public service of the 26th July last on the subject.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, IV, folio 675.]
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. [John] Mathews, Mr. [John] Sullivan, Mr. [James] Duane.
A report from the Board of Treasury, respecting the memorial of Mordecai Shaftall was read: wherein it is recited that "his account of pay and subsistance as deputy commissary of issues has been settled by the paymaster general."
Page 1070 | Page image
On motion of Mr. [George] Walton, seconded by Mr. [William] Few,
Ordered, That this part of the report be referred to the Board of War to make the necessary enquiry, and report specially.
Ordered, That the remainder of the report be postponed.
The committee, to whom was re-committed the report of the Board of Treasury of 9th, brought in a report; Whereupon,
The Committee to whom was recommitted the report of the Board of Treasury of 9 Inst. and other papers, report.
That a warrant issue on the managers of the United States' Lottery in favor of John Gibson, one of the Commissioners Postponed of the Board of Treasury, for thirty thousand dollars in part of the balance of Salary due to him
Ordered, That a warrant issue on Thomas Smith, commissioner of the continental loan office in the State of Pensylvania, in favour of Ezekiel Forman, one of the commissioners of the Board of Treasury, for thirty thousand dollars, in part of the balance of salary due to him.
PostponedAnd another warrant on Thomas Harwood, Esqr. Commissioner of the Continental Loan Office in the State of Maryland in favor of the said Ezekial Forman for ten thousand dollars in part of the balances of Salary due to him.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favour of George Measam, one of the commissioners of the chambers of accounts for fifteen thousand dollars, in part of the balance of salary due to him.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of William Churchill Houston, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 26, folio 219.]
That the remainder of the report be postponed.
The delegates for the State of Georgia laid before Congress sundry resolutions:
The underwritten Delegates of the State of Georgia propose, that the instructions to Mr. Jay, respecting the navigation of the Mississippi, and the territory claimed by several states upon its Eastern
Page 1071 | Page image
banks, be reconsidered, and that the ultimatum of these states, to the Court of Madrid, be given to the purport and in the manner following:
Whereas a powerful armed neutrality hath been formed in Europe, for the ostensible avowed purpose of vindicating and preserving the rights of a free commerce, and a congress of the neutral powers is said intended to be held in the ensuing winter: by which, it is not improbable, overtures of peace may be made, and that the principle, uti possidetis, may be the foundation, a principle utterly inadmissible by these States;
And Whereas it has been represented, that the only bar to an alliance with Spain, which it is our great interest to effect, is, the navigation of the river Mississippi;
Resolved, therefore, that Mr. Jay be instructed, in case he shall find it indispensibly necessary, to yield in his instructions heretofore given, upon this subject; and that he be empowered to cede to the Crown of Spain, the entire Navigation of the river Mississippi, together with a tract of territory, to begin upon the eastern bank of the said river, where the southern line of Georgia strikes it, running along the said line Eastwardly to the river Alabama Mobille, and thence Northwardly to Cape Anthony on the said river: provided his Catholic Majesty shall, at the same time, enter into a Treaty with these States, to be approved by Mr. Jay, and shall grant an annum subsidy of half a million of pounds sterling for twenty five years, or make a loan of double that sum annually during the war, and shall agree not to accede to proposals of peace upon the principle aforesaid without the concurrence of these States in Congress by their Minister Plenipotentiary, appointed for that purpose.
Resolved, That an Envoy extraordinary be appointed to go to the Court of Versailles, to make, in concert with Mr. Franklin, the public representations of the United States, and that he be charged also with the dispatches for Mr. Jay, which he is to send by a trusty courier, or, in case of his arriving upon or near the coast of Spain, he shall proceed first to the Court of Madrid, and deliver them in person.
Ordered, That the Board of Admiralty be directed to have a frigate in readiness, to carry the said Envoy and dispatches to Europe.
Done at Philadelphia the 10 November, 1780.
Geo Walton
Richd Howly1
[Note 1: 1 These resolutions, in the writing of George Walton, are in the United States Revolution, V.]
Page 1072 | Page image
Ordered, That Wednesday next be assigned for the consideration thereof.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock on Monday.
PREVIOUS SECTION .. NEXT SECTION .. NAVIGATOR
| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |