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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 --FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 1781
A report from the Board of War was read; Whereupon,
War Office, June 6, 1781
Sir
The Board reported to Congress on the 31st of May the expediency of furnishing money for repairing fifteen hundred stand of Arms for the use of the Militia of the Southern States. The reason why the Board made their application on so contracted a scale, was the difficulty which they knew the supplying the Money would be attended with. Since this they have conferred with Mr Morris on the subject which has encouraged them to request that Congress will be pleased to direct that all the Arms at this post be immediately repaired and that these Arms as well as those ordered on by the Commander in Chief be sent forward to the Southern States in such proportions as
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shall be thought expedient towards arming the Continental Troops and Militia of those States.
The Board have the Honor to inclose the Estimates for Repairs and Transportation also an Estimate for thirteen hundred Cartridge Boxes for the use of the new levies of Maryland and Virginia. The Deputy Quarter Master has made his Calculations on Fredericksburgh in Virginia and Baltimore in Maryland as the points of destination this will make the Estimate for transportation in some measure defective as the Board think it expedient that part of the Arms should be sent to the upper parts of North Carolina. The Board will be glad to know the pleasure of Congress on this Occasion that no time may be lost and when Mr Morris has accepted of his Office they will apply for regular warrants in favour of the different departments.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, V, folio 277.]
Ordered, That the Board take order for having all the arms at this post immediately repaired; and that these arms, as well as those ordered on by the Commander in Chief, be sent forward to the southern states, in such proportions as shall be thought expedient towards arming the continental troops and militia of those states.2
[Note 2: 2 From this point the proceedings for June 8 were entered only in the manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs, and in the More Secret Journal.]
The subject of the instructions was resumed; and the first part of Mr. [John] Witherspoon's motion, which was again reported by the committee, being under debate, a motion was made by the State of Virginia to add to it as follows:
"Provided that you shall not recede from the former ultimatum of Congress on the subject of the boundaries of the United States, in any part thereof, except with respect to so much of the said ultimatum as delineates the boundary from the intersection of the forty-fifth degree of north latitude with the river St. Lawrence to the mouth of the Ilionois river, from which you are authorised to recede so far as to agree that the boundary of the states between these two points shall run from the intersection aforesaid, through the middle of the
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said rivers, of Lake Ontario, of the Strait of Niagara, and of Lake Erie, to the mouth of the Miami river, thence in a direct line to the source of the river Illionois, and thence down the middle of the said river to its confluence with the Mississippi."1
[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of James Madison, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 25, I, folio 441.]
On the question to agree to this, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Theodorick] Bland
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So it passed in the negative.
A motion was then made by the State of Virginia to add the words following:
"Provided that you shall not in any case agree to a cession of any part of the territory lying on the southeast side of the river Ohio; nor admit any exclusive claims on the part of Great Britain to the territory lying between the said river, the rivers Mississippi and Illionois, and the lakes Erie and Ontario."2
[Note 2: 2 This motion, in the writing of James Madison, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 25, I, folio 443.]
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A division was called for; and on the question to agree to the first clause as far as "the river Ohio" inclusive, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [James] Madison--
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So it passed in the negative, and the second clause was dropped.
A motion was then made by Mr. [Meriwether] Smith, seconded by Mr. [Theodorick] Bland, to strike out all that follows the words, "expectations of Congress."1
[Note 1: 1 The following, in the writing of James Madison, seems to belong to this part of the Journal. It is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 25, I, folio 447.
With respect to the boundaries of the 13 U. States you may if any obstacles to peace can be thereby avoided, and it should be approved by our Ally, leave the same altogether untouched and open to future adjustment. But as they will in all probability become an article of discussion, you are in the first instance to use every prudent endeavour to obtain an admission on the part of G. B. of the boundaries described in the ultimatum of Congress on that subject: and in case neither of these purposes can be effected you are to insist on the exclusive right of the United States to all the Territory included in the said ultimatum which is actually settles by citizens of any one of the 13 states, and avoid admitting any exclusive claims in favor of G. B. to the Territory remaining within the boundaries described in the aforesaid ultimatum, which is settled neither by citizens of the U. States nor by subjects of the King of G.B.]
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Question put.
Passed in the negative.
On the question to agree to the first part of Mr. [John] Witherspoon's motion, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Meriwether] Smith--
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So it was resolved in the affirmative.
On the question to agree to the second clause, viz. "You are to make the most candid," &c. to the end, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Artemas] Ward--
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So it was resolved in the affirmative.
A motion was then made by Mr. [Daniel] Carroll, seconded by Mr. [Samuel John] Atlee, to reconsider the third of the additional and secret instructions reported by the committee.
The question being put, was lost, only six states being in the affirmative.
On motion of Mr. [John] Witherspoon, seconded by Mr. [George] Clymer,
Resolved, That the first and second of the additional and secret instructions passed yesterday be reconsidered.
The question being then severally put to agree to the first and second of the additional and secret instructions,
Passed in the negative.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE INSTRUCTIONS TO THE MINISTERS PLENIPO.
TO NEGOTIATE A PEACE.
Resolved, That the Minister Plenipotentiary of these United States at the Courts of Versailles and Madrid be joined with the honorable John Adams in negotiating a peace between these States and Groat Britain, and that they or any two of them to be obligatory upon the United States of America and that the following instructions be immediately forwarded to them be authorized to negotiate a peace or execute the same, agreeable to the following Instructions.
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INSTRUCTIONS FOR MR. JOHN ADAMS.
Sir Gentlemen,
As by the Intervention of the Courts of Petersburgh and Vienna, a negotiation between the Belligerent Powers will may soon take place, and as your former instructions given to Mr Adams, under circumstances which would warrant the claims therein made by Congress, you may in case a negotiation should immediately take place would only serve to embarrass you and perhaps be a means of leaving us to support the war without the aid of our Allies, you will therefore consider all former instructions given on this head as not binding upon you or either of you in any respect and conform yourself yourselves to the following instructions.
The Boundaries of these States shall be
Congress having the highest confidence in the justice of the Mediating Powers, and in the friendship of his Most Christian Majesty direct you in all other points to conform yourself to the advice and opinion of the Minister Plenipotentiary, who may be appointed on the part of his Christian Majesty to negotiate a peace and therefore
Although former instructions given to Mr Adams upon this subject are not to be considered as binding upon you yet they will serve to explain the wishes of Congress the contents of which and of these instructions you will communicate to the Minister Plenipotentiary of his Most Christian Majesty, and solicit his aid and influence to procure a compliance with such of those demands as may be found practicable to obtain.
Should it be found impracticable to conclude a Treaty of Peace and a Truce should be proposed and thought advisable by the Plenipotentiaries of the other Belligerent Powers you may agree thereto upon such terms as may by them be thought reasonable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of John Sullivan, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 25, I, folio 448.]
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The instructions as agreed to are as follows:
You are hereby authorised and instructed to concur, in behalf of these United States, with his Most Christian Majesty, in accepting the mediation proposed by the Empress of Russia and the Emperor of Germany. But you are to accede to no treaty of peace which shall not be such as may, 1st, effectually secure the independence and sovereignty of the thirteen states, according to the form and effect of the treaties subsisting between the said states and his Most Christian Majesty; and, 2dly, in which the said treaties shall not be left in their full force and validity.
As to disputed boundaries, and other particulars, we refer you to your former instructions of the 14 August, 1779, and 18 October, 1780, from which you will easily perceive the desires and expectations of Congress; but we think it unsafe at this distance to tie you up by absolute and peremptory directions upon any other subject than the two essential articles above-mentioned. You will therefore use your own judgment and prudence in securing the interest of the United States in such manner as circumstances may direct, and as the state of the belligerent and disposition of the mediating powers may require.
You are to make the most candid and confidential communications, upon all subjects, to the ministers of our generous ally the king of France; to undertake nothing in the negotiations for peace or truce, without their knowledge and concurrence; and to make them sensible how much we rely upon his Majesty's influence for effectual support in every thing that may be necessary to the present security or future prosperity of the United States of America.1
[Note 1: 1 A letter, of this day, from the Board of War, was read, relative to the pay of Mr. Lotbinière, as the indorsement indicates. It is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 148, I, folio 403.]
[Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.]
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