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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 --THURSDAY, JULY 12, 1781
A letter, of 11, from Mr. Huntington, late President, was read;
Ordered, That the vote of thanks, and this letter in answer thereto be published.
A letter of this day from Mr. Lewis, a commissioner of the Board of Admiralty, was read, requesting leave to resign:3
[Note 3: 3 Huntington's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XII, folio 159; Lewis's is in No. 78, XIV, folio 445.]
Ordered, That the same, together with the report of the Board of Admiralty respecting A. Murray, be referred to the committee on the report from the said Board on a letter, of 3, from Captain J.P. Jones.
The Admiralty Board to whom the Memorial of Alexander Murray, and a letter which accompanied it, from Capt. James Nicholson were referred, beg leave to Report,
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That it appears from said memorial and letter that the memorialist had been promised by Mr. Hancock who was chairman of the Marine Committee, and several other Members of Congress the rank of a Lieutenant in the Navy of the United States--and it further appears from Conversation with persons acquainted with him, that he is a man of merit and well skilled in marine affairs.
The Board therefore recommend Alexander Murray as a person entitled to the Rank of Lieutenant in the Navy of the United States of America, and that a Commission should issue accordingly.
Admirality Office
18th. June 1781.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 37, folio 487.]
The committee of the week made report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a letter of N. Denison be referred to the Board of War.2
[Note 2: 2 This letter, dated June 13, 1781, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, VII, folio 395.]
A motion was made by the delegates of Georgia:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War to take order.
On the application of the hon. S[amuel] Huntington, one of the delegates for the State of Connecticut:
Ordered, That a warrant issue in his favor on the treasurer, for one hundred and thirty-three dollars, and one-third of a dollar, specie, to be charged to the said State, in part payment for the schooner Spy, furnished by the said State for the use of the United States, and lost in their service.3
[Note 3: 3 This report, in the writing of Oliver Ellsworth, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 20, I, folio 273.]
A report from the Board of War was read:
At a Board of War July 12th. 1781.
Present Mr Peters
Col. Grayson
General Cornell
Agreed to report to Congress.
That the Board of war be authorised and directed to draw a warrant on the Paymaster General in favor of Colonel David Hall of the
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Delaware Regiment for twelve hundred and forty dollars in bills of the new emissions on account of his pay, for which sum he is to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 148, II, folio 31. The indorsement says that on July 13 it was taken up and passed in the negative.]
Ordered, That it be re-committed, that the Board may report specially.
The committee, ∥consisting of Mr. Varnum, Mr. Madison, Mr. Partridge, ∥ to whom was referred the memorial from Mr. Marbois, chargé des affaires of France, delivered in a report; Whereupon, it was resolved as follows:
Whereas it has been represented to the United States in Congress assembled, that there are many French seamen, subjects of his Most Christian Majesty, in the United States, employed on board armed and other vessels in the service of the said states, or the citizens thereof; and, whereas the Comte de Barras commanding his said Majesty's squadron in the seas of the said United States hath represented it has also been represented, that the said seamen are necessary for completely manning the squadron under the Count de Barras: It is therefore ordered that All officers, therefore, commanding armed or other vessels under commissions from the United States in Congress assembled, are hereby ordered and directed immediately to deliver to the said Count de Barras, or to any person or persons by him appointed to receive the same, all French seamen, subjects of his said Majesty, who are or may be entered on board their vessels respectively; and if any officer, commissioned as aforesaid, shall neglect or refuse complying with this order, he shall forfeit his commission, and be subject to such other punishment as to right shall appertain; and it is earnestly recommended to the legislatures and executives of the several states, to give effectual aid and support for the executing this order, and also for delivering to the Count de Barras, all
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French seamen as aforesaid, that may be otherwise employed within their respective jurisdictions.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of James Mitchell Varnum, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 25, I, folio 453.]
Congress proceeded to the election of a commissary general of military stores; and, the ballots being taken, Samuel Hodgdon was elected, having been previously nominated by Mr. [Richard] Howly.
A motion was made by Mr. [James] Madison, seconded by Mr. [John] Mathews, That the commission and instructions for negotiating a treaty of commerce between these United States and Great Britain, given to the honourable John Adams on the 29 day of September, 1779, be and they are hereby revoked.2
[Note 2: 2 This motion and the vote following were entered only in the manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs, and in the More Secret Journal.]
Resolved, That the Commission and instructions for negotiating a Treaty of Commerce between the U. States and G. Britain given to J. Adams Esqr. on theday ofbe and they are hereby revoked.
That the Ministers Plenipotentiary for negociating a Treaty of Peace, be and they are hereby instructed to admit into such Treaty no stipulations on the part of the U. States in favor of the Commerce of G. Britain unless such stipulations the same shall be absolutely necessary to obtain the proposed peace; and that in case of such necessity, they use their most strenuous endeavours to obtain in consideration thereof an explicit stipulation on the part of G. B. to the U. S. of the right of the latter to fish on the Banks of Newfoundland &c. as stated in the instructions of Congress of theday ofrelative to a Treaty of Commerce, of their Claim of Territory as stated in the Ultimatum of Congress on that subject in their instructions of theday of, relative to a Treaty of Peace; and also to obtain a relinquishment of any claims demands which may be made by G. Britain of the readmission of the persons or restitution of the property of those who have abandoned or been banished from any one of the United States.3
[Note 3: 3 This motion, in the writing of James Madison, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, IV, folio 367. It is undated, and is indorsed by Samuel Huntington as having been seconded by Mr. Sharpe. Another draft of the instruction, also in Madison's writing, is on folio 357.]
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On the question to agree to this, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [George] Partridge--
{table}
So it was resolved in the affirmative.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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