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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, NOVEMBER 27, 1782
Mr. W[illiam] Floyd, a delegate for New York, attended and took his seat.
The committee, consisting of Mr. [David] Ramsay, Mr. [Abner] Nash and Mr. [Richard] Peters, to whom was referred a letter of 20 from the Secretary at War, reported the draught of a supplemental ordinance for regulating the Post Office, which was read a first time:
A Supplementary An Ordinance for amending an Ordinance for regulating the Post Office of the United States of America.
Whereas since passing the ordinance for regulating the Post Office of the United States of America and the supplement thereto, it hath been represented to the United States in Congress assembled that great inconveniences arise from the priviledge of franking letters not being extended to the several officers at the Heads of Departments in and attached to the Armies of the said United States, who have frequent occasions to correspond on the business of their respective Departments--
Be it ordained by the United States in Congress assembled, and it is hereby ordained by authority of the same, That all letters in public service to and from the Inspector General, Adjutant General and Quartermaster General of the Army of the United States, the
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Director General of the Hospitals of the said United States, the Chief Physician, the Commissary of Prisoners, the Judge Advocate and the Paymaster General of the said Army shall pass free of postage.
And be it farther ordained, by the authority aforesaid that the like priviledges be and they are hereby extended to the officers at the heads of the like Departments in any Separate Army of these United States.
And be it further ordained by the authority aforesaid, that all sons having by virtue hereof the priviledge of Deposit with the Postmaster General or his Deputy at the place where the several offices and persons aforesaid shall or may respectively reside an impression of the seals with which their letters are usually sealed, and also their respective Signatures, and the letters shall be endorsed "on Public Business" and the whole of the Superscriptions written in the proper handwritings of the persons so as aforesaid priviledged who shall also sign their names on such Superscriptions to the End that comparison being made with their seals and signatures deposited as aforesaid all Counterfeits and Impositions be detected.
And be it farther ordained, by the authority aforesaid, That the Postmaster General shall once in every six months render an account to Congress of the franked letters passing thro' the different offices under his direction, and of the sums to which the postage would have amounted if the same had been charged.
And be it farther ordained by the authority aforesaid that so much of the ordinance of the eighteenth of October last which directs the Postmaster General or his Deputies to furnish extraordinary expresses be and the same is hereby repealed.
Done by the United States in Congress assembled theDay ofAnno Domini 1782 and in the Seventh year of our Independence.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Richard Peters, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 59, III, folio 369. The indorsement shows that Monday, December 2, was assigned for a second reading; that on December 2 it was recommitted; a new ordinance was reported December 4, read and "Friday next [December 6] assigned for the second reading."]
Ordered, That Monday next be assigned for the second reading.
Ordered, That Mr. [James] Duane and Mr. [Ezra] L'Hommedieu have leave of absence.
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On the report of a committee, consisting of Mr. [Samuel] Osgood, Mr. [Daniel] Carroll, and Mr. [John] Rutledge, to whom was referred a letter of the 19th from the Commander in Chief, enclosing a paper endorsed, "Information of Christopher Osgood"--
Resolved, That the Commander in Chief be and he is hereby empowered and directed, to take immediate measures for apprehending and securing Luke Knoulton, of Newfane, and Samuel Wells, of Brattleborough, both in the State of Vermont so-called [both of the district of country commonly called the New Hampshire Grants, west of Connecticut river,] and such others within the limits [district] aforesaid as there may be good reason to apprehend have been concerned with the said Knoulton and Wells in a dangerous correspondence and intercourse with the enemy; [and that the Commander in Chief be authorised to communicate this resolution, and the information on which it is grounded, to such persons exercising authority in the district aforesaid, and at such time as he shall think proper.]1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Samuel Osgood, except the part in brackets which is in Elias Boudinot's writing, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, III, folio 397. Another paragraph was postponed and passed December 3. See under that date. The resolution was entered only in the manuscript Secret (Domestic) Journal and in Secret Journal No. 8, A.
The following motion, in the writing of James Duane, and undated, is in No. 36, IV, folio 281:
That Copies be transmitted to the Commander in Chief, and that he be authorised and directed to take effectual measures to prevent the dangerous all communications which are carrying on, unless under his own authority between the western part of the district called the Grants and the British Government of Canada and will effectually to secure those our Northern Frontiers against the open assaults as well as the secret practices of the Enemy.]
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[Motion Passed Nov. --, 1782.]
That the Superintendant of Finance report to Congress the causes that impede the execution of the resolution offor settling the public accounts and what progress has been made in the same.1
[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of Elias Boudinot, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, I, folio 441.]
The Superintendant of Finance to whom was referred the Letter of Captain J. Schreiber of the 22nd November 1782 prays Leave to report,
That upon an application of the Paymaster General dated the ninth Instant, for Money to discharge a Warrant granted by the Honorable Secretary at War on him, in Favor of Capt. Schreiber for his Pay from the first Day of May to the first Instant the said Superintendant declined to furnish Money for that purpose, because he conceives it of the utmost importance to delay such payment until the State of the Treasury will admit of equal Sums being granted to every officer in the Service; Their Claims on the Public are all founded in the same Justice and on the same principles. If particular circumstances of any Individual induce a Disbursement of the public Money the plea of necessity and peculiarity of Circumstances, will be urged by all, and if not gratified the Charge of Injustice will follow.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 137, II, folio 43. The indorsement shows that it was delivered on November 25, and on November 27 referred to Mr. [Alexander] Hamilton, Mr. [Richard] Peters and Mr. [Samuel] Osgood.
On this day, according to the indorsement, a letter of November 26, from Lieutenant Colonel Cambray, was referred to Mr. [Alexander] Hamilton, Mr. [Richard] Peters, Mr. [Samuel] Osgood. It is in No. 78, VI, folio 163.]
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