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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 --WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 1781
A letter, of 8th, from E. Forman; and
One, of this day, from J. Moylan, cloathier general;1 were read.
[Note 1: 1 Forman's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, IX, folio 485; Moylan's is in No. 78, XVI, folio 195.
A letter of June 2, of the Board of War, calling attention to the report on the Clothier's Department, was read, as the indorsement states. It is in No. 148, I, folio 397.]
A report from the committee of the week was read; Whereupon,
The Committee of the week report,
That the memorial of Alexander Murray requesting rank in the Navy of the United States with the letter from Capt. Nicholson to the Delegates of the State of Maryland, be referred to the Board of Admiralty.
That the letter from John David Weaver a mate in the General Hospital requesting his pay, be referred to the purveyor of the General Hospital.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, in the writing of William Sharpe, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 32, folio 171; Murray's memorial is in No. 41, VI, folio 233; Nicholson's letter, dated April 17, 1781, is in No. 37, folio 491.]
Ordered, That a memorial of Alexr. Murray be referred to the Board of Admiralty;
That a letter from John David Weaver be transmitted to the purveyor of the general hospital.
An act of the State of New Jersey was read, empowering Congress to levy and collect the duties described in their resolution, of 3 February last;3
[Note 3: 3 A copy of this act is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 68, folio 573.]
Ordered, That a member be added to the committee appointed to prepare an ordinance for collecting the duties on imports and prizes in the room of Mr. [James] Duane, who is absent:
The member chosen: Mr. [Thomas] McKean.
Ordered, That the report of the committee on the memorial of Mr. Sullivan be re-committed, and that a member be
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added to the committee in the room of Mr. [Jesse] Root, who is absent:
The member chosen, Mr. [Oliver] Ellsworth.
Resolved, That it be, and hereby is recommended to the several states, to which the officers of the hospital and medical department now in service, respectively belong, or of which they are or were inhabitants, to settle the accounts of the said officers for depreciation, on the principles established by the resolution of Congress of the 10th of April, 1780; and to make provision for paying the balances that may be found due, in the same manner with officers of the line:
That each State which shall advance more money in making good the depreciation to its respective citizens than its proper proportion, shall be allowed for the same on account of the United States.
The letter from E. Forman was taken into consideration; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on Thomas Smith, commissioner of the continental loan office for the State of Pensylvania, in favour of Ezekiel Forman, for one thousand dollars in bills of the new emission, for which sum he is to be accountable.
The Board of War, to whom was referred the letter of 17 April from Governor Trumbull, report,
That from Colonel Nicola's return, it appears that there are no invalids from the Connecticut line at this post, and only thirty at Boston; that, however, as the Commander in Chief has called for the whole to compose part of the garrison at West Point, the Board are of opinion the general's requisition should be complied with:1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, V, folio 329.]
Resolved, That Congress agree to the said report.
Ordered, That the election of a secretary for foreign affairs be postponed till Friday next.
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Ordered, That Mr. [Artemas] Ward have leave of absence.
Congress proceeded to an election; and the ballots being taken, the honourable John Jay was elected.
Ordered, That the election of the other person be postponed till to Morrow.
The Committee reported the draft of a letter to his Most Christian Majesty, which was agreed to as follows:
The United States in Congress assembled, to their great, faithful and beloved friend and ally, Lewis the sixteenth, king of France and Navarre.
Great, Faithful, and Beloved Friend and Ally:
The United States in Congress assembled We have received your Majesty's letter of the 10 of March. The measures adopted by your Majesty in consequence of the representation made of the distressed situation of our finances, the repeated testimonies of your Majesty's unalterable determination to render the cause of the United States triumphant, and also the affection which your Majesty has been pleased to express for the United States in general, and for each State in particular, demand from them us the strongest sentiments of gratitude.
The important communications made by your Majesty's plenipotentiary have been considered by The United States in Congress assembled us with the greatest attention. The result of their our deliberations will be made known to your Majesty by their our minister plenipotentiary at the your court of Versailles, and will evince the entire confidence Congress we have in your Majesty's friendship and perseverance in the principles which have directed your conduct in maintaining the interest of the United States to this time.
The United States in Congress assembled We pray God that He will keep your Majesty, our great, faithful, and beloved friend and ally, in His holy protection.
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Done at Philadelphia, the 13 day of June, in the year of our Lord, 1781, and in the 5th year of our independence.
By the United States in Congress assembled.
Your faithful friends and allies.
S. Huntington, President.1
[Note 1: 1 This letter was entered only in the manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs, and in the More Secret Journal. A copy is found in Secret Journal, No. 4, and in Secret Journal, No. 6, Vol. III. The draft, in the writing of Daniel Carroll, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 25, I, folio 419, a fair copy being on folio 421--4.
The following proposed draft, in the writing of a clerk, except the words in brackets, which are in John Sullivan's writing, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 47, folio 305.
Great faithful and generous Friend and Ally.
The United States in Congress Assembled have been honored with received your Majesty's letter of the 10th day of March. We [and] beg leave to assure your Majesty that the generous and friendly efforts which you have been pleased to make for assisting [them] in supporting the present War in their behalf, and the repeated testimonies you have given us of your unalterable determination to secure the [their] Independence of these states impress us [them] with the most lively sentiments of gratitude.
Your Majesty's Communications through the Chevalier de la Luzerne have been considered with attention and such measures are adopted as we [they] trust will remove every obstacle which might tend to embarrass the negotiation set on foot by [resulting from] the intervention of the Courts of Petersburgh and Vienna.
Your Majesty may be assured of the unalterable adherence of the United States to the treaty of alliance so essential to the happiness and prosperity of the two nations and that on our [their] part no efforts shall be wanting to prevent the common Enemy from availing himself [themselves] of the temporary advantages which he had already [they have lately] gained.
The following letter was also drafted, in the same handwriting as the preceding, the words in brackets being in the writing of John Sullivan. It is in No. 47, folio 313, and is undated:
Great faithful and generous Friend and Ally.
The Congress of the United States though confident of the justice and equity of the mediating powers, and convinced that all your Majesty's friendship and influence will be exerted in their behalf cannot but be apprehensive that the present moment is by no means favorable for them to enter upon a negotiation for peace. Posts which the enemy have by their naval superiority gained a transitory residence in, may be construed by mediating powers into permanent possession [and temporary desultory ravages into decisive conquests.] But notwithstanding these disadvantages Congress convinced of your Majesty's friendship and influence and relying upon the success of their exertions in conjunction with your Majesty's forces in the present campaign have directed their minister plenipotentiary to concur in accepting the mediation of their Imperial Majesties rather than persist in prosecuting a war which might in case of refusal become dangerous to both nations.
We [They] herewith transmit copies of our [their] former and present instructions upon this subject. The first will inform your Majesty of the wishes and desires of Congress while the latter will demonstrate their readiness to accept a peace even upon terms where[in] considerable sacrifices must be the consequence of their pacific disposition.
The reasons for the claims of Congress in their former instructions need no explanation, the boundaries as therein described must at once appear to be necessary for securing their future safety and happiness and are clearly comprehended within the Charters granted to these States by the Kings of Great Britain, and the purchases made by them from the natives of the Country. However liable the title acquired by these Charters may be to objections, such objections can have no weight when coming from that Sovereign which made the grants. In case those limits cannot be obtained, Congress consent to leave the settlement to future discussion, and provided neither of these proposals be accepted and a peace should become absolutely necessary to prevent a more unequal and dangerous war, Congress will consent to any other [reasonable] limits on the north and north western parts of these States which may not give the Enemy any lands South of the river Ohio the Lakes Erie and Ontario, and of a line to be drawn from the North east end of Lake Ontario parallel with the River Irrequois, till it intersects the 45th degree of North latitude and then continuing on 45th degree of north latitude due East to the North west angle of Novia Scotia. The boundaries of the United States on all other sides will not admit of any difficulty or debate; all other points except securing the Independence of the United States agreeable to the tenor of the Treaty made with your Majesty must depend upon the disposition of the mediating and belligerent powers and the Circumstances we [they] may be in at the time of the negotiation.
We [Congress] most earnestly entreat your Majesty's influence to obtain those points if practicable or such of them as may be found so. We should not [They would] do justice [injustice] to your Majesty and to ourselves [themselves] if we [they] concluded this memorial without assuring you that we [they] deem them necessary to the happiness and future prosperity of these States and essentially so for perpetuating the alliance between the two nations.
The following draft, in the writing of Daniel Carroll. is on folio 311. A copy of the first two paragraphs is on folio 309.
The United States in Congress assembled have received your Majesty's letter of the l0th of March.
The measures adopted by your Majesty in consequence of the representation made of the distressed Situation of their finances and the repeated testimonials of your Majesty's unalterable determination to render the cause of the United States triumphant demand from them the strongest sentiments of Gratitude, and also the affection which your Majesty has been pleased to express for the U. S. in general, and for each State in particular claim their most faithful and perpetual attachment.
The important communications made by your Majesty's Minister plenipotentiary to the United States have been considered by the United States in Congress assembled with the greatest attention. The Result of their deliberations will be communicated through made known to your Majesty by their Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States at your Court, and will evince the entire confidence the United States in Congress assembled have in your Majestys friendship and perseverance in the principles which have directed your Majesty's Conduct, in maintaining the interests of the United States to this time.
We pray God &ca.]
Ch. Thompson, Secretary.
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Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.1
[Note 1: 1 According to the indorsement a letter of the 12th from the Board of War transmitting a copy of a letter from the Commander in Chief, which is indorsed: "August 23d 1781, not to be acted upon," was read this day. It is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, V, folio 321.]
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