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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 --SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1781
A memorial of John Patton and others, iron masters was read:2
[Note 2: 2 This memorial is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 43, folio 219.]
Ordered, That it, together with the reports of the Board of Treasury relative to the same, be referred to a committee of three.
The members, Mr. [Alexander] McDougall, Mr. [Samuel John] Atlee, Mr. [John] Sullivan.
A report from the Board of Treasury was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on Thomas Smith, commissioner of the continental loan office for the State of Pensylvania, for five thousand dollars of the new emissions in favour of John Pierce, paymaster general, to enable him to discharge sundry warrants from the Board of War which are or may be drawn on him by the particular direction of Congress, and for which sum of five thousand dollars of the new emissions the said John Pierce, paymaster general, is to be accountable.3
[Note 3: 3 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, V, folio 135.]
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On motion of the Medical Committee:
Ordered, That a warrant issue on Thomas Smith, commissioner of the continental loan office for the State of Pensylvania, in favour of Doctor Thomas Bond, purveyor of the hospital, for forty thousand dollars of the old emissions, to be applied towards paying the officers of the medical department in part of their salaries due since their appointment under the present arrangement, for which sum the said purveyor to be accountable.
On motion of the committee on the Post Office:
Resolved, That, the postage of letters in future be double the sums paid before the commencement of the present war.
That a warrant issue on Thomas Smith, commissioner of the continental loan office in the State of Pensylvania, in favour of Richard Bache, postmaster general, for thirty thousand dollars of the old emissions, in order to enable the postmaster to prosecute the business of the office, for which the postmaster general is to be accountable.
Congress took into consideration the report of the committee appointed to report the mode of announcing the final ratification of the Articles of Confederation; Whereupon,
That [on Thursday next at 12 o'Clock the final ratification of] the Confederation of the United States of America becompleted, by the execution thereof on the part of Maryland, at twelve o'clock on Thursday next, and that this important event be immediately announced to the publick,by the firing of thirteen cannon, and by the ringing of the bells in this city, (and that the Board of War and Board of Admiralty take order accordingly.)
That thissame (Important Event) be also communicated to the Executives of the several States,and to the Commander-in-Chief they be requested to proclaim it in their respective states.
That the several Ministers of these states in Europe beforthwith informed of the complete and final ratification of the said Confederation; and they beinstructed (ordered) tocommunicate (notify) the same to the respective courts at which they reside.
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Thatcopies of the foregoing resolutions, with authentick information of the completion of the said Confederation, be transmitted to the Commander in Chief; and that he be directed topublish (announce) the same to the Army under hisimmediate command,and to the fleet and army of our most illustrious ally, in America.
That the like information be transmitted to the commanding officer in the southern department, and that he be directed to announce the same to the Army under his command.
That the Minister of France be also informed, that it is intended to complete and ratify the said Confederation on Thursday next; and that he be requested to make the earliest communication of the same to his Court.1
[Note : * This report, in the writing of George Walton, except the portions in brackets, which are in Charles Thomson's hand, and those in parentheses, which are in Samuel Huntington's hand, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 23, folio 29. It is also entered in No. 9, (History of the Confederation.) A part of the report, but separately presented, is the following:
NOT OF RECORD
That the Congress adjourn after completing the Confederation; and the President shall invite the Minister of France, the Speaker and members of the General Assembly, the Vice-President and members of the Supreme Executive Council, and the officers of the Army and Navy, to drink a glass of wine [to] "The United States of America." A keg of biscuit, in the room of cake.*To be in the Hall where Congress sit.[Note *: * Does it mean the Cake room.]
The last six words are in James Madison's hand.
Another resolution, undated, in the writing of John Mathews, is in No. 36, IV, folio 423, as follows:
Resolved that -- next be appointed for the Delegates of Maryland to sign the Confederation.
That the President of the State of Pennsylvania the Minister of France, The Vice-President Council and assembly of Pennsylvania, the officers of the French and American Armies in this City, and all other public officers, be particularly invited to attend the ceremony and that the doors of the Congress chamber be opened at twelve oClock.
That the Board of War be directed to give proper orders, for announcing the final ratification of theAmerican Confederacy of the United States by the discharge of thirteen cannon.
That one of the Chaplains of Congressbe directed to prepare a suitable sermon for the occasion.]
Resolved, That on Thursday next, at twelve o'clock, the final ratification of the Confederation of the United States
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of America, be announced to the public; and that the Board of War and Board of Admiralty take order accordingly:
That this important event be communicated to the executives of the several states:
That the several ministers of these states in Europe be informed of the complete and final ratification of the said Confederation; and that they be ordered to notify the same to the respective courts at which they reside:
That it be also notified to the honorable the Minister Plenipotentiary of France:
That information of the completion of the said Confederation be transmitted to the Commander in Chief, and that he be directed to announce the same to the army under his command.
Congress resumed the consideration of the report of the committee appointed to confer with Colonel B. Harrison, and thereupon,
Resolved, That the Convention prisoners, now in Virginia, be removed into some State more northerly, and that the Board of War have them immediately put in motion for that purpose, and continue their march by the way [of] Knowland's ferry, until the farther order of Congress.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock on Monday.
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