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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, MAY 9, 1782
A motion was made by Mr. [Abraham] Clark, seconded by Mr. [Silas] Condict, in the words following:
It being represented to Congress, that one of the brigades in the Maryland line, and the brigade of New Jersey troops, are without brigadiers of the lines of those states,
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Resolved, That two brigadiers be appointed in the army of the United States.
A motion was made by Mr. [William] Ellery, seconded by Mr. [George] Partridge, to strike out the preamble, and on the question, "shall the preamble stand.?"The yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Abraham] Clark,
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So it passed in the negative.
On motion, the resolution was postponed, and a motion was made by Mr. [James] Madison, seconded by Mr. [Theodorick] Bland, in the words following:
General Greene, commanding the army of the United States in the southern department, having represented to Congress that the appointment of a brigadier general, to command a brigade in the Maryland line of the army, was rendered expedient by the proposed formation of the said line into two brigades, and having recommended Colonel Otho
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Williams, as an officer whose distinguished talents and services give him a just pretension to such appointment which recommendation is also supported by the testimony of the Commander in Chief in favour of the said officer:
Resolved, That in consideration of the distinguished talents and services of Colonel O. Williams, he be, and hereby is appointed a brigadier general in the army of the United States.1
[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of James Madison, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, I, folio 299.]
A motion was made by Mr. [John Morin] Scott, seconded by Mr. [Noble Wimberly] Jones, that the consideration of this motion be postponed; and on the question for postponing, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [John Morin] Scott,
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So it passed in the negative.
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A division was then called for, and on the question to agree to the preamble; the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [John Morin] Scott,
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So it was resolved in the affirmative.
On the question to agree to the resolution, resolved in the affirmative.1
[Note 1: 1 From this point the entries for this day are taken from the printed Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs, where they were inserted under date of May 20, 1782.]
May 9, 1782, a letter from the Superintendant of finance was read as follows:
Office of Finance, May 3, 1782.
Sir,
His Excellency the Minister of France, in a late letter to me has officially declared, that in future no sums will be paid to the ministers of the United States in
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Europe by his court. It becomes necessary, therefore, to make provision for their support here. I immediately applied to the minister for foreign affairs for an account of the annual salaries payable to his department. I have received it this day, and do myself the honour to enclose a copy. I must take the liberty to observe, that the sum is very large, and cannot be advanced without greatly retrenching from essential service, at least, in the present moment. It will, I humbly conceive, be necessary that arrangements should be taken, so that in future all such salaries as are payable to foreign ministers, be advanced in America, and negotiated by their respective agents. This will be more honourable to the United States, and, I should suppose, more agreeable to the gentlemen concerned.
The Minister of France has also observed, that the accounts between his Most Christian Majesty and the United States, having become very important by the greatness of the sums advanced and lent, it is indispensable that measures be taken to adjust them, and avoid that confusion which would be introduced by a longer delay. And in consequence he has desired that Congress would transmit to Dr. Franklin full powers finally to settle those accounts; and in the name of the United States to execute the proper obligations for securing the debt, and fixing the periods of payment. To this, he adds, that it is not expected that Congress can do any thing towards payment during the war; but that they will fix the several epochas at which it shall be made. To a proposition so reasonable there will, I presume, be no objection. The solidity of the observation on which it is founded cannot be called in question; and I am induced by it to extend the remark a little farther. The great sums which
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remain unsettled and undetermined between the French Court and the United States, are alike unsettled between the latter and their publick servants. How the accounts may stand I know not, but it is my particular duty to observe, that there appears to have been but little received for the great sums which have been expended; and therefore it is highly necessary that the publick accounts of these states with their servants in Europe be also settled. It shall be my study, in future, to prevent the existence of such accounts; but their magnitude, as well as other circumstances, makes me extremely solicitous to have them adjusted.
I have the honour to be, &c.
Rob. Morris.
His Excellency the President of Congress.1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 137, I, folio 439. The indorsement shows that it was referred on this day to Mr. [David] Ramsay, Mr. [James] Madison and Mr. [Abraham] Clark. It is Brined in the Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution (Wharton) V, 400.]
On the same day was received a letter from the secretary for foreign affairs as follows:
Office for Foreign Affairs, May 8, 1782.
Sir,
The enclosed account of the annual expence of the office for foreign affairs, exclusive of contingent expenses, was made out at the request of the Superintendent of the finances, that measures might be taken to discharge the salaries of the gentlemen in Europe, who express great uneasiness on the subject. But as it is incomplete till the allowances to the private secretaries of Dr. Franklin and Mr. Adams are ascertained, I have thought it proper to lay the whole before Congress for their direction thereon.
Congress were pleased to order, by their resolution of the second of January last, that the Secretary for
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foreign affairs lay before them an estimate of the expences which will probably be incurred by the foreign ministers of the United States, respectively, and their secretaries. I find myself under great embarrassments in preparing a report agreeable to their order, from not being able to enter fully into their views. I should presume that the expences of foreign ministers ought to be regulated by their salaries; though I feel that the desire of supporting the dignity of an office to which the salary is incompetent often urges men to quit this line, how much soever they may be embarrassed thereby. Justice suggests that the salaries of officers who are engaged in so delicate and difficult a department as that of foreign affairs should have such appointments as to free them from embarrassments with respect to their private affairs. I believe Congress had this in view when they settled those of their foreign ministers, none of whom complain of their being inadequate, unless it be Mr. Jay, who has given us some reason to think that his is, in his opinion, barely sufficient for his support, and that his manner of living is not equal to what he conceives the dignity of the United States requires. With respect to the salaries of the secretaries to the embassies, they are, in my opinion, (founded upon the practice of other nations) at least double of what they ought to be. If, as I presume, Congress intended by their resolution that I should lay before them an account of the manner in which our foreign ministers live at present, that they might be enabled to judge of the proportion it bore to their appointments, I can only say, that the result of inquiries on this head must necessarily be extremely uncertain. I submit them as far as they have come to my knowledge.
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Doctor Franklin has a part of Mr. Chaumont's house at Passy; he keeps a chariot and pair, and three or four servants; and gives a dinner occasionally to the Americans and others. His whole expence, as far as I can learn, is very much within his income.
Mr. Adams lives in lodgings, keeps a chariot and pair, and two men servants. lie has hitherto retained a private secretary, who will, in the absence of Mr. Dana, it is to be presumed, be paid by Congress. I have lately heard that Mr. Adams was about to take a house.
Mr. Dana's salary, even if he should assume a publick character in a country where the relative value of money is so high, that, if I am well informed, an elegant house may be hired for fifteen guineas a year, is very ample.
Of Mr. Jay's manner of living, I have been able to obtain no account; but I should conclude from the price of the necessaries of life in that part of Spain in which he lives, from the port the Court and the people about it maintain, and, above all, from its sitting in different parts of the kingdom, that to live in the same style with Doctor Franklin or Mr. Adams, his expences must amount to nearly the double of theirs.
But as every conjecture of this kind must be very uncertain, all I can do is to lay before Congress the relative expence, as far as I can learn it, between the different places at which the ministers reside, taking Philadelphia for a common standard.
Paris, if wine, clothing and the wages of servants are included, is about twenty per cent. cheaper than Philadelphia; Amsterdam, ten; and at Madrid, the expences of a family are somewhat higher than at this
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place. But the unsettled state of those who follow the Court, their travelling equipage and charges, must greatly enhance this expence.
Congress will make their own deductions from these facts, after allowing for their inaccuracy. I would, however, take the liberty to submit the enclosed resolutions to Congress. The first is founded upon the propriety of supplying Doctor Franklin with a secretary, which his age and the dignity of his employment render necessary. As Mr. Jay is not yet acknowledged, Mr Carmichael's services in Spain mat be dispensed with.
The second, third, fifth and sixth are designed to make a reform in this article of expence.
The fourth to prevent the claim which any gentleman, who may be appointed to either of the northern courts, may have to the salary settled by Congress on the 5th of October; and to adapt the character to the allowance.
The sixth to enable Congress, without injuring the dignity of their ministers, to proportion the allowance to the expence of the court they reside at, as well as the port they would wish them to maintain.
I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed) Robert R. Livingston.1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is printed in the Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution (Wharton) V, 397.]
Office Of Foreign Affairs, May 9, 1782.
The Secretary for foreign affairs humbly submits the following resolutions to the consideration of Congress.
Resolved, That Mr. Carmichael be appointed secretary to the embassy from the United States to the Court of Versailles, with a salary of four thousand dollars per annum.
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Resolved, That Mr. Jay be empowered to appoint a private secretary, with a salary of one thousand dollars per annum.
Resolved, That Mr. Laurens, when he enters upon his mission to the United Provinces of the low countries, be empowered to appoint a secretary, with a salary of one thousand dollars per annum.
Resolved, That the commissioners for negotiating a peace, in case Mr. Dana shall not return, appoint a secretary to the commission, with a salary of one thousand dollars per annum.
Resolved, That the commission of minister plenipotentiary from the United States of America to the court of Petersburg be revoked; and that a commission issue to Francis Dana, esquire, constituting him resident at the said court.
Resolved, That when he shall have been received in that character, he be empowered to appoint a private secretary, with a salary of eight hundred dollars per annum, who shall remain in office till Congress think it proper to make another appointment.
Resolved, That the appointment of no secretary to any of the northern courts in future shall exceed one thousand dollars per annum; and that the appointments of a secretary to the embassy in France, Spain and Holland, shall in future be two thousand dollars, excepting such secretaries as have been heretofore appointed.
Resolved, That the salary of a minister plenipotentiary from the United States, from the first day of January next, shall not exceed five thousand dollars, and that of a resident, three thousand; but thai an allowance be made for household expences, at and after the following rates:
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[Note 1: 1 To this point, this letter is printed in the Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution (Wharton) V, 402.]
Annual expence of the department of foreign affairs, exclusive of contingencies.
[Note 2: 2 A copy of this statement of annual expense is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 137, I, folio 443.]
Ordered, That a letter, of the 8th, from Messrs. Govett, Geddes, and J. D. Mercier, auditors, for an augmentation of Salary, be referred to the Superintendant of Finance.3
[Note 3: 3 This order was entered only in the journal kept by the Secretary of Congress for the Superintendent of Finance: Morris Papers, Congressional Proceedings.
On this day, according to the indorsement, a letter of April 11, from the Governor of South Carolina, was read. It is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 72, folio 558.]
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