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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, OCTOBER 1, 1783
The Superintendant of finance, to whom was referred a memorial of John Halsted, having laid before Congress a report from the commissioner of accounts for the commissary's department, on the accounts of the said J. Halsted,
Resolved, That the accounts of John Halsted be settled on the principles stated in the said report.2
[Note 2: 2 The letter of the Superintendent of Finance, dated September 29, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 137, III, folio 159.
From this point to the end of the day the proceedings were entered only in the manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs, and in Secret Journal No. 4. A copy is in Secret Journal No. 6, Vol. III.]
Congress resumed the consideration of the before mentioned report,3 and thereupon,
[Note 3: 3 See ante, September 29.]
Resolved, That Mr. Jay be authorised to direct Mr. Carmichael to repair to Paris, should Mr. Jay be of opinion that the interest of the United States at the Court of Madrid may not be injured by Mr. Carmichael's absence; and that he bring with him the books and vouchers necessary to make a final and complete settlement of the accounts of public money which have passed through the hands of Mr. Jay and himself, and that Mr. Barclay attend Mr. Jay and Mr. Carmichael to adjust those accounts.
Resolved, That Mr. Jay have leave to go to Bath, should he find it necessary, for the benefit of his health.
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The following paragraph being debated, viz.
That the ministers be informed that Congress do not intend to appoint any other than citizens of the United States to the office of consuls or vice consuls.
On the question to agree to this, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry,
{table}
So the question was lost.
Ordered, That the committee appointed to prepare instructions to the ministers of the United States prepare drafts of letters to the several ministers, to be signed by the President, on the respective subjects beforementioned.
The Committee consisting of Mr S[amuel] Huntington, Mr [Abraham] Clark and Mr [Elbridge] Gerry to whom were referred the report on the letter of President Weare of the State of New Hampshire, report:
That by an act of Congress of the 4th Sept., 1782, iris recommended to the legislatures of the respective States to levy such taxes as shall appear to them effectual for immediately raising their quotas of
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1,200,000 dollars, which when raised in each State shall be applied towards paying the interest due on certificates issued from the loan office of such State, and other liquidated debts of the United States contracted therein, before any part thereof shall be paid into the public treasury. In order, therefore, that every embarrassment in the way of conducting this business to the greatest convenience to the States may be removed,
Resolved, That the legislatures of the several States be authorized to require the loan officers in their respective States, to take receipts for one year's interest upon all certificates issued from the Loan Office of each State tendered for [obliterated] on which one year's interest interest was due at the time of passing the abovesaid act, and to issue certificates for such interest under the authority of the State in such member as the legislature shall direct, which State certificates thus issued shall not bear interest, but may be received in taxes for the quota of such State as fixed by the requisition above mentioned; That the several loan officers be required to keep an exact [line cut off] discharge the U.S. for the same against the creditors so paid [provided that no State issue certificates for interest to the amount of a greater loan than such States quota of the beforementioned requisition].1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Abraham Clark, except the part in brackets at the end, which is in the writing of Samuel Huntington, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 20, I, folio 27. The indorsement shows that it was delivered October 1, read, and ordered to be taken into consideration on Tuesday, October 8.]
The committee of the week [Mr. James McHenry, Mr. Silas Condict and Mr. Elbridgo Gerry] report that the petition of Joseph Traversi be read in Congress.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, in the writing of James McHenry, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, VII, folio 454. Traversi's memorial is on folio 451.
On this day, as the indorsement states, a memorial from Henry Remsen, Jr., and Benjamin Bankson, clerks in the office of the Secretary of Congress, dated Princeton, October 1, asking for an allowance for extra services and expenses, was read and referred to Mr. [Abraham] Clark, Mr. [Samuel] Holten and Mr. [Benjamin] Hawkins. According to Committee Books No. 186 and No. 191, the report was made October 6 and acted upon October 31. The memorial is in No. 41, VIII, folio 335.]
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