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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, FEBRUARY 18, 1783
Congress was resolved into a committee of the whole to consider farther the means of restoring and supporting public credit, and of obtaining from the states substantial funds for funding the whole debt of the United States, and after some time the President resumed the chair, and Mr. [Daniel] Carroll reported, that the committee have taken into their farther consideration the subject referred to them, and have come to sundry resolutions which he was directed to report, but that not having come to a conclusion, desire leave to sit again:
Ordered, That leave be granted.
On motion of Mr. [Theodorick] Bland, seconded by Mr. [Alexander] Hamilton:
Ordered, That the Superintendant of finance lay before Congress an estimate of the principal of the public debt to the first day of January, 1783, specifying the foreign debt, the pay due to the army, the debt due on loan office certificates, the debt due on liquidated accounts, for which certificates are issued, and also the supposed amount of the unliquidated debt.1
[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of Theodorick Bland, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, II, folio 29. It was also entered in No. 12 (Estimates) with a copy of the estimates laid before Congress. See post March 10.]
On motion of the delegates from Connecticut, in pursuance of an instruction from the legislature of their State:
Ordered, That the Superintendant of the Finances, the Agent of Marine, the Secretary at War, and the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, as it shall relate to their respective offices, lay before Congress an account of the names and titles of all officers and others employed in the civil list department, and in the civil and military staff; and also, of all ministers however denominated, which are employed abroad, under the
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authority of the United States, specifying in what state or kingdom such officers reside, and also what pay or salary is annexed to each of their respective offices, and likewise an account of all grants of half-pay if any have been made and of any gratuity or sum of money or allowance for expences, or for any other matter, to any officers or others, for past services, which are not included in their pay establishment.
so that the said delegates may be furnished with copies thereof to transmit to the legislature of the said State.1
[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of Oliver Ellsworth, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, II, folio 31. It was also entered in No. 12 (Estimates) with a copy of the accounts laid before Congress. See post March 10 and March 24.]
The committee consisting of [Mr. Richard Peters, Mr. Arthur Lee, Mr. Alexander Hamilton] on the letter of the Superintendant of Finance of the 17th instant respecting the exchange of sundry officers of the amy of the United States, prisoners of war, report,
That the Secretary at War and the Commander in Chief be authorized to make such exchanges of officers, prisoners of war, as to them shall seem expedient, any former resolutions of Congress to the contrary notwithstanding.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, in the writing of Richard Peters, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, IV, folio 383. It was delivered and read on this day, according to the indorsement. The letter of the Superintendent of Finance is in No. 137, II, folio 119, and the list of American officers to be exchanged is on folio 123.]
Whereas it is the desire of Congress that the motives of their deliberations and measures (as far as they can be disclosed consistently with the public safety) should be fully known to their constituents,
Therefore, Resolved, That when the establishment of funds for paying the principal and interest of the public debts shall be under the consideration of this House the doors thereof shall be open.3
[Note 3: 3 This motion, in the writing of Alexander Hamilton, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 21, folio 337. It is indorsed: "Mr. Hamilton and Wilson's motion negatived on motion to postpone to take it up, February 18, 1783."]
[Mr. John Rutledge's motion in Committee of the Whole February 18, 1783. Negatived.]
That the value be fixed at the same rates in each of the U. S. according to a table to be ascertained by Congress and in case any articles shall be imported, which are not mentioned in the said list or table the value of such shall be ascertained by the Merchant's
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oath, allowing the Collector to take such goods at the Merchant's valuation with an allowance of 10 per cent.1
[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of John Rutledge, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, II, folio 25.
On this day, as the indorsement indicates, was read a letter of February 18 from Job Summer relative to his rank, and referred to the Secretary at War. It is in No. 78, XXI, folio 271.]
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