| 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 --FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1780
A letter, of this a day, from Ira Allen and Stephen R. Bradley; and a memorial from David Shaffer, were read.1
[Note 1: 1 The letter from Allen and Bradley is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 40, I, folio 557; Shaffer's memorial, undated, is in No. 41, IX, folio 123.]
Ordered, That the memorial be referred to the Board of Treasury.
The Committee on the Post Office, and the committee to whom was referred the motion of the delegates of Virginia, respecting lands that may be ceded in pursuance of the recommendations of the 6th instant, delivered in reports.
Congress proceeded to the election of a commissary general of prisoners; and the ballots being taken, Mr. Abraham Skinner was elected.
Congress proceeded to the election of a major general for the Maryland line; and the ballots being taken, Brigadier General Smallwood was elected.
Congress took into consideration the report of the committee on the letter, of 20 August and subsequent letters from General Washington; Whereupon,
Ordered, That the committee appointed to confer with the directors of the bank in Philadelphia, apply to the said directors, and request them to purchase five hundred head of cattle, in lieu of part of the flour engaged by them to Congress, or to furnish the commissary general with money sufficient to purchase the said cattle, for which the commissary general is to be accountable; a duplicate receipt to be taken and lodged with the Treasury Board.
Resolved, That for the supply of the army, the states of New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, and Connecticut, be
Page 829 | Page image
called upon to furnish, weekly, one thousand head of cattle, in the following proportions, to wit:
Ordered, That copies of the above resolution be forwarded by express to the said states respectively, and that the President, in his letter, urge the necessity of an immediate and full compliance therewith, and the fatal consequences which must fall upon the army, in case of failure in either.
Resolved, That the states of New Jersey, Pensylvania, and Delaware, be requested, immediately with all possible dispatch, to furnish for an immediate supply to the army, the following number of cattle, to wit:
That for defraying the expence of forwarding the said cattle to the army, from the states of New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, and Connecticut, (for a weekly supply,) warrants be drawn monthly upon the loan offices of the said states, in favour of the commissary general, until the further order of Congress, in money of the new emission, viz.
On the loan officer for the State of New Hampshire, for 1418 2--3 dollars; Massachusetts Bay, 7186 2--3 dollars; Connecticut, 5030 2--3 dollars.
And for defraying the expence of forwarding, for an immediate supply, the cattle from New Jersey, Pensylvania, and Delaware, that warrants be drawn upon the loan offices of the said states, in favour of the commissary general, for the following sums, in money of the new emission, viz.
On the loan officer of the state of New Jersey, for 550 dollars; Pensylvania, 2919 dollars; Delaware, 1236 dollars.
And that the commissary general be authorized, in case any of the said states have not received their money of the
Page 830 | Page image
new emission, to apply to the executive of the said states, who are requested to advance him, upon the said warrants, an equivalent in other money.
A letter, of this day, from the honble the Minister Plenipotentiary of France, was read, enclosing the following Declaration:1
[Note 1: 1 The Declaration is printed in volume XI, p. 461, and I give here only the Minister's certificate. The Minister's letter is printed in the Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution (Wharton), IV, 57.]
"Nous Cesar Anne de la Luzerne, Chevalier de l'ordre de St. Jean de Jerusalem, brigadier des armées de S. M. T. Ch. et son Ministre plenipotentiaire près des états unis de l'Amérique septentrionale, &c. certifions que la copie ci dessus d'une declaration relative a la suppression des articles onze et douze du traité de commerce et d'amitié entre S. M. et les états unis de l'Amérique septentrionale est conforme aux originaux dont l'un est depose dans les archives du département des affaires étrangères et l'autre a été remis entre les mains du Ministre plenipotentiaire des dits états unis.
Fait en notre hotel à Philadelphie le quinze Septembre, mille sept cent quatre vingt.
(Sign[é]) Le che. De La Luzerne.
[Translation.]
I, Cæsar Anne de la Luzerne Knight of the order of St. John of Jerusalem, brigadier of the armies of his most Christian Majesty and his Minister plenipotentiary to the United States of North America, &c. do certify that the above copy of a declaration relative to a suppression of the eleventh and twelfth articles of the treaty of amity and commerce, between his Majesty and the United States of North America, is conformable to the originals, one of which is deposited in the archives of the department of foreign affairs, and the other left in the hands of the Minister plenipotentiary of the United States.
Done at Philadelphia, the fifteenth September, one thousand seven hundred and eighty.
(Signed) Le Ch. De La Luzerne."
In conformity to the foregoing declaration of his Most Christian Majesty, the Commissioners Plenipotentiary of the United States
Page 831 | Page image
signed the following "Declaration. The Most Christian King having been pleased to regard the representations made to him by the general Congress of North America, relating to the eleventh article of the treaty of commerce, signed the sixth of February in the present year, and his Majesty having therefore consented that the said article should be suppressed on condition that the twelfth article of the same treaty be equally regarded as of none effect, the general Congress hath declared on their part, and do declare that they consent to the suppression of the eleventh and twelfth articles of the above mentioned treaty and that their intention is that these articles be regarded as having never been comprized in the treaty signed the 6 of February.
"Done at Paris the first day of September, 1778."
Ordered, That the letter of the honorable the Minister of France, with the above recited declaration be referred to the Committee of Foreign Affairs.
Ordered, That Mr. [Nathaniel] Folsom have leave of absence.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
PREVIOUS SECTION .. NEXT SECTION .. NAVIGATOR
| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |