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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, AUGUST 7, 1783
Mr. [Daniel] Carroll, a delegate for Maryland, and Mr. [Ezra] L'Hommedieu, a delegate for New York, attended, and took their seats in Congress.
A motion was made by Mr. [Abraham] Clark, seconded by Mr. [Jacob] Read, in the words following:
The Commander in Chief having been requested to attend Congress as soon as he shall return from the northward, by a resolution of the 26 July,
Resolved, That a committee be appointed to confer with him on the peace arrangement; and that they be instructed to report the proper manner of receiving him.
A motion was made by Mr. [David] Howell, seconded by Mr. [William] Ellery, to postpone the consideration of the motion, in order to take up the following, viz. That a
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committee be appointed to consider and report what measures are proper to be adopted by Congress with respect to the reception of the Commander in Chief, on his arrival at Congress.
And on the question to agree to postpone for the above purpose, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [David] Howell,
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So the question was lost.
A division of the main question being called for, and on the question to agree to the first part, as far as the words "peace arrangement, inclusive, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. Howell [William] Ellery,
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So it was resolved in the affirmative.
The latter part of the motion being agreed to, it was resolved as follows:
The Commander in Chief having been requested to attend Congress as soon as he shall return from the northward, by a resolution of the 26 July,
Resolved, That a committee be appointed to confer with him on the peace arrangement; and that they be instructed to report the proper manner of receiving him.
Ordered, That the committee consist of five members.
On motion of Mr. A[rthur] Lee, seconded by Mr. [Theodorick] Bland,
Resolved (unanimously, ten states being present) That an equestrian statue of General Washington, be erected at the place where the residence of Congress shall be established.
Congress took into consideration On the report On the a Committee, consisting of Mr. A[rthur] Lee, Mr. [Oliver] Ellsworth and Mr. [Thomas] Mifflin, appointed to prepare a plan of an equestrian statue of the Commander in Chief,
Resolved, 1That the statue be of bronze: The General to be represented in a Roman dress, holding a truncheon in his right hand in the other hand bearing a wreath of laurel, [and his head encircled with a laurel wreath]. The statue to be
[Note 1: 1 The entry in the Journal for the balance of this day was made by Heary Jun., of the Secretary's office.]
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supported by a marble pedestal, on the four faces of which are to be represented, in basso relievo, the four [following] principal events of the war, in which General Washington commanded in person, viz. The evacuation of Boston--the capture of the Hessians at Trenton--[the battle of Princeton]--the action of Monmouth, and the surrender of York. On the upper part of the front of the pedestal, to be engraved as follows: The United States in Congress assembled ordered this statue to be erected in the year of our Lord 1783, in honor of George Washington, Esquire the illustrious Commander in Chief of their the Armies [of the United States of America], during the war which vindicated and secured their Liberty, Sovereignty and Independence.
Resolved, That a statue conformable to the above plan, be executed by the best artist in Paris [Europe], under the superintendence of the Minister of the United States at the Court of Versailles; and that the Treasurer furnish money to defray the expence of the same, [be furnished from the treasury of the United States].
Resolved, That the secretary for Foreign Affairs [of Congress] transmit to the Minister of the United States at the Court of Versailles, the best resemblance of the face and person of General Washington that can be procured, for the purpose of excuting the above statue [having the above statue erected]; together with the fittest description of the events, which are to be the subject of the basso relievo.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Arthur Lee, except, the words in brackets, which are in the writing of Elias Boudinot, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, VI, folio 441. According to the indorsement, it was delivered May 8, entered and read. See ante, May 6.
On this day, as the indorsement indicates, was read a letter of August 7 from the Secretary at War. It is in No. 149, III, folio 115.]
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