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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 --TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 1782
A letter of this day from Mr [Samuel] Livermore was read, informing that he has this day sent his resignation to the president of the State of New Hampshire and no longer considers himself invested with the powers of a delegate.3
[Note 3: 3 The letter of Samuel Livermore is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XIV, folio 319.]
On a report of the Secretary at War, on a memorial of Captain Schreiber:
Resolved, That the pay and depreciation of a lieutenant of artillery be allowed to Captain Schreiber, from the 26th day of November, 1779, to the 2d of March, 1780; and that his accounts for pay as captain of engineers, from the 2d day
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of March, 1780, to the 1st day of May, 1782, be settled on like principles with the accounts of other foreign officers retiring from the service.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 149, I, folio 287.]
On motion of Mr. [James] Madison, seconded by Mr. [Joseph] Montgomery,
Ordered, That the Superintendant of finance do prepare and lay before Congress, a state of the monies borrowed and not repaid by the United States, prior to the first day of January last; and that he also lay before Congress every half year, computing from the said first day of January, a state of all monies borrowed and bills emitted during such periods respectively, that the same may be transmitted to the respective states pursuant to the direction contained in the 9 article of the Confederation.2
[Note 2: 2 This motion, in the writing of James Madison, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, I, folio 291.]
On a motion of Mr. [James] Madison, seconded by Mr. [Joseph ?] Jones,
Resolved, That the minister plenipotentiary of the United States at the Court of Madrid be informed, that Congress entirely approve of his conduct as detailed in his letter of the 3d of October last; that the limitation affixed by him to the proposed surrender of the navigation of the Mississippi in particular, corresponds with the views of Congress; that they observe, not without surprise and concern, that a proposition so liberal in itself, and which removed the only avowed obstacle to a connexion between the United States and his Catholick Majesty should not have produced greater effects on the counsels of the latter; that the surrender of the navigation of the Mississippi was meant as the price of the advantages promised by an early and intimate alliance with the Spanish monarchy; and that if this alliance is to be procrastinated till the conclusion of the war, the
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reason of the sacrifice will no longer exist; that as every day which the proposed treaty is delayed, detracts from the obligation and inducement of the United States to adhere to their overture, it is the instruction of Congress, that he urge to the ministers of his Catholick Majesty the obligation it imposes on Spain to make the treaty the more liberal on her part, and that in particular he use his endeavours to obtain, in consideration of such delay, either an enlargement of her pecuniary aids to the United States, a facilitating of the use of the Mississippi to the citizens thereof, or some peculiar indulgences in the commerce of the Spanish colonies in America.1
[Note 1: 1 This resolution was entered only in the manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs, and in Secret Journal, No. 4. A copy is in Secret Journal, No. 6, Vol. III.]
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