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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, SEPTEMBER 18, 1782

Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1782

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Link to date-related documents.

On motion of Mr. [Daniel] Carroll, seconded by Mr. [David] Howell,

Resolved, That the sum of one million two hundred thousand dollars required to be raised by the resolution of the 4th, and which was quotaed upon the several states by an act of the 10th of the present month of September, be, when received, credited to the accounts of the several states on interest, to be hereafter adjusted agreeably to the resolution of the 6th of October, 1779.¹

[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of Daniel Carroll, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, I, folio 385.]

According to order, Congress proceeded to the election of a judge-advocate; and, the ballots being taken, Major Richard Howell was elected, having been previously nominated by Mr. [Elias] Boudinot.

Mr. [James] Madison, Mr. [Ralph] Izard, Mr. [John] Witherspoon and Mr. [George] Clymer, four of the committee appointed pursuant to the resolution of the 17 June last, to enquire fully into the proceedings of the department of foreign affairs, having executed the business of their appointment, reported the result of their enquiries, which was read.

The Committee ^* appointed to enquire into the proceedings of the Secty. for the Department of Foreign Affairs, Report,

[Note *: * Mr Lowell one of the Committee having left Congress before the inquiry was completed is not to be considered as a party to this Report.--Note in the report.]

That they have in pursuance of their appointment enquired fully into the proceedings of the said Department from the Institution thereof down to the 1st day of July last.

That it appeared to the committee that conformably to the duty assigned to the said Secretary in the second clause of the act which models his Department a proper attention has been given to the custody and arrangement of the books and papers belonging to it, of which books and papers a list is herewith laid before Congress.

That in discharge of the other duties assigned to the said Secretary in the act above referred to, and in subsequent resolutions of Congress, the following letters have been written by him.

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I. Letters to the Ministers of the U. States and others in foreign parts,

To the Minister Plenipo: at the Court of Versailles 14 letters, dated:
• Oct. 20, 1781.
• do. 24, do.
• Nov. 24, do.
• do. 26, do.
• Dec. 16, do.
• Jany. 7, 1782.
• do. 23, do.
• do. 26, do.
• Feby. 13, do.
• March 9, do.
• May 22, do.
• do. 30, do.
• June 23, do.
• July 5, do.

To the Minister Plenipo: at the Court of Madrid 10 letters, dated:
• Nov. 1, 1781.
• do. 28, do.
• Dec. 13, do.
• Feby. 2, 1782.
• March 8, do. To
• April 16, do.
• do. 27, do.
• do. 28, do.
• May 9, do.
• June 23, do.

To the Minister Plenipo: at the Hague 8 letters, dated:
• Oct. 23 & 24, 1781.
• Nov. 1, do.
• do. 20, do.
• Dec. 26, do.
• Jany. 9, 1782.
• March 5, do.
• May 22, 1782.
• do. 29, do.
• do. 30, do.

To the Minister at the Court of Petersburgh 5 letters, dated:
• Oct. 22, 1781.
• March 2, 1782.
• May 10, do.
• do. 22, do.
• do. 29, do.

To the Secretary to the legation at Madrid 2 letters, dated:
• Dec. 20, 1781.
• May 1, 1782.

To the Consul for France 4 letters, dated:
• Nov. 28, 1781.
• April 19, 1782.
• May 29, do.
• do. 31, do.

To the agent at the Havana 1 letter dated:
• Feby. 26, 1782.

To Mr Dumas, 1 dated:
• Nov. 28, 1781.

To Messrs. de Neufville & Son 1 dated:
• Dec. 27, 1781.

To Mr Harrison at Cadiz 3, dated:
• Dec. 20, 1781.
• Feby. 13, 1782.
• May 21, do.

To Samuel Parsons at Martinique 1 letter dated:
• Jany. 12, 1782.

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These letters consist chiefly, 1, of a communication of political and military occurrences within the U. States. 2, of resolutions and instructions of Congress. 3, hints relative to the proceedings of those to whom the letters were respectively addressed. 4, request of political information relative to the countries in which they respectively reside.

II. To the Minister Plenipotentiary of France 13 letters, dated:
• Oct. 24, 1781.
• Nov. 2, do.
• do. 6, do.
• do. 21, do.
• Dec. 10, do.
• do. 21, do.
• Jany. 19, 1782.
• Jany. 31, 1782.
• Feby. 20, do.
• May 8, do.
• do. 9, do.
• June 7, do.

2 notes dated:
• May 12, do.
• July 3, do.

Some of these letters and notes inclosed Resolutions of Congress; others related to the cases and applications of foreigners and other matters within the Department of foreign affairs.

III. To the Governours and Presidents of the States letters of the following dates and on the following subjects:

(Circular) Nov. 12, 1781, Requesting an authenticated state of damages sustained from the Enemy.

(Circular) Feby. 18, 1782, Inclosing resolutions of Congress touching a Consular Convention with France and requesting authenticated documents respecting territorial claims in pursuance of directions of Congress.

(Circular) Feby. 19, 1782, Transmitting in pursuance of the direction of Congress communications made to them by the Minister Plenipotentiary of France.

(Circular) May 2, 1782, Communicating, in pursuance of directions of Congress, the refusal of the British Court to accede to the Mediation of the Courts of Vienna and Petersburgh, and urging the necessity of vigorous preparations for the war.

(Circular) May 9, 1782, Announcing the birth of a Dauphin, in pursuance of the direction of Congress.

To the Governour of Connecticut, Jany. 22, 1782, inclosing copies of certain letters from S. Deane, in pursuance of the direction of Congress.

To the same, June 12, 1782, On the subject of the said Governor's answer to a letter from S. Deane.

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To the Governour of South Carolina, Feby. 19, 1782, Communicating intelligence received from Mr Harrison at Cadiz.

Upon the whole the Committee Report that the business of this Department appears to have been conducted with much industry, attention and utility, and without any errors or defects worthy of being taken notice of to Congress. Such improvements and alterations in the general plan of the business as were judged by the Committee proper they have taken the liberty of suggesting to the Secretary in the course of their inquiry. As far as these suggestions can be of use, the Committee have no doubt that they will be attended to.¹

[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of James Madison, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 25, II, folio 131. The list of books and papers is on folio 73 and is as follows:
List of the Books and Papers kept in the office of foreign affairs.

BOOKS.
• 1. Book of Foreign Letters.
• 2. Book of American Letters.
• 3. Book of Resolutions of Congress.
• 4. Journal of daily Transactions.
• 5. Book of Reports made to Congress.
• 6. Letters of the late Committee for foreign affairs.
• 7. A Book containing commissions and instructions to the Ministers at Foreign Courts.
• 8. One more Secret do.
• 9. A Book of the letters of the Commissioners in France while Mr Adams was among them.
• 10. Communications of Mons. Gerard.
• not compleated.
  • 11. do. of the Chevr. de la Luzerne
  • 12. Letters of Mr J. Adams.
  • 13. Letters of Mr Arthur Lee.

PAPERS.
• 1st Box. 1. Joint letters from the Commissionrs of Congress at Paris.
• 2. Letters from the Hon'ble B. Franklin.
• 3. Letters from the Hon'ble H. Laurens.
• 4. Letters from the Hon'ble J. Laurens.
• 5. Letters from Mr T. Barclay.
• 6. Correspondence between Mr Adams and Count Vergennes.
• 2nd Box. 1. Letters from the Hon'ble J. Jay.
• 2. Letters from the Hon'ble W. Carmichael.
• 3. Letters from Mr R. Harrison.
• 3rd Box. 1. Letters from the Hon'ble John Adams.
• 2. Letters from F. Dana Esq.
• 4th Box. 1. Letters from Mr Dumas.
• 2. Letters from Mr J. de Neufville.
• 5th Box. Letters from Messrs. Deane, Izard &c.
• 6th Box. Letters from Messrs. Bingham, Parsons &c.
• 7th Box. Letters. Notes, Memorials and communications of the Chevr. de la Luzerne.
• 8th Box. Original papers relative to complaints referred to the office of foreign affairs.
• 9th Box. Miscellaneous Letters and papers.

The report and list are recorded in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 188. Reports of Committees, folios 5--12.]

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The Superintendant of finance, to whom was referred a resolve of the house of delegates of Virginia of the 2d of July last, having reported a resolution, and the same being postponed, a motion was made by Mr. [Abraham] Clark, seconded by Mr. [John] Rutledge,

"That the commissioners appointed to settle the accounts of the several states agreeably to the act of the 20 of February, 1782, be directed to examine, receive and destroy so much of the old continental money as may be in the treasury of any of the states, not exceeding the quota of such State as fixed by the act of Congress of the 18 of March, 1780, and transmit to the Superintendant of finance accounts of the moneys so destroyed."¹

[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of Abraham Clark, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, I, folio 387.]

A motion was made by Mr. [Samuel] Osgood, seconded by Mr. [Jonathan] Jackson, to strike out the words, "not exceeding the quota of such State as fixed by the act of Congress of the 18th March, 1780."

And on the question, shall those words stand? the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Samuel] Osgood,

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So it was resolved in the affirmative.

The question was then taken on the motion, and resolved in the affirmative.

Ordered, That the letter of 15th June from Doctor Franklin to the Superintendant of Finance as far as it relates to money matters be referred to Mr. [Arthur] Lee, Mr. [Ralph] Izard and Mr. [James] Duane.

That so much of the above letter of Dr. Franklin to the Superintendant of Finance as relates to Captain Gillon be referred to Mr. [Theodorick] Bland, Mr. [Jonathan] Jackson and Mr. [David] Howell.

Ordered, That a motion of Mr. [Samuel] Osgood "for Crediting the States for the sums of Old Continental Money in their respective treasuries over and above the quotas assigned by a resolution of 18th March, 1780, according to the current value thereof compared with Gold and Silver at the time when such State had delivered over its proportion to the loan Officer" be referred to the Grand Committee.¹

[Note 1: 1 These orders were entered only in the journal kept by the Secretary of Congress for the Superintendent of Finance: Morris Papers, Congressional Proceedings.]

The Committee consisting of Mr [James] Duane, Mr [Daniel] Carroll, Mr [Jonathan] Jackson, Mr [Hugh] Williamson and Mr [John] Rutledge, to whom was committed the motion of Mr. [Joseph] Montgomery of yesterday, beg leave to report,

That they have examined into the present state of the Treasury, the supplies for the army and the engagements and prospects of the Superintendant of the Finances; and are of opinion that the appropriation of any part of the Dutch loan for the discharge of the interest of domestic debts, or for any other purpose than the immediate

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support of the army, may endanger the public safety; and that the motion referred to your Committee ought therefore to be rejected.¹

[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of James Duane, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 26, folio 375. It was delivered on this day, as the indorsement shows.
On this day a letter of the same day from the Superintendent of Finance was read. It is in No. 137, I, folio 761.
Also, on this day, as the indorsement indicates, was read a letter of March 30 from the Marquis de Lafayette. It is in No. 156, folio 278, and is a duplicate of the one on folio 270, which was read on May 27.
Also, a letter from General Washington, dated Head Quarters September 16, relative to a general cartel. It is in No. 152, X, folio 731.]

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