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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, MAY 12, 1784.
Congress assembled: Present, eleven states as yesterday.
Congress proceeded to the election of a Secretary to the Commission for negotiating treaties of Commerce with foreign powers; and, the ballots being taken, Mr. David Humphreys was elected.1
[Note 1: 1 This paragraph was also entered in the manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs.]
The committee, consisting of Mr. [Thomas] Stone, Mr. [Edward] Hand and Mr. [Roger] Sherman, to whom was referred a letter of May 3, from Samuel Hodgdon, commissary of military stores, enclosing a letter of 14 April, from Joseph Whiting, and other papers; report,
"That it appears from the letter of Joseph Whiting, that a certain Luther Stoddart, of Salisbury, in the state of Connecticut, hath, without any lawful authority or just cause, taken, carried away and converted to his own use, military stores the property of the United States, to about the value of 23,737½ dollars. That the only excuse made by the said Luther Stoddart for his conduct was, that he had got possession of continental certificates to the amount of about 73331/3 dollars:" Whereupon,
Resolved, That the said letters and papers be transmitted to the Superintendt. of finance, and that he take the most effectual measures for recovering the property of the United States, and for bringing the said Luther Stodart, and all those concerned with him, to trial, and that they may be dealt with as to law and justice appertains: and that the governor of Connecticut be requested to give every proper and necessary assistance to the Superintendt. of finance for effecting these purposes.2
[Note 2: 2 Hodgdon's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XII, folio 319.]
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On the report of a commee., consisting of Mr. [John Francis] Mercer, Mr. [Arthur] Lee, Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry, Mr. [David] Howell and Mr. [Ephraim] Paine, appointed to consider of the measures proper to be adopted in order totake possession of the frontier posts,
Resolved, That the commanding Officer of the troops now in the service of the United States be, and he is hereby directed to open a correspondence with the commander in chief of his Britannic Majesty's forces in Canada, in order to ascertain the precise time when each of the posts within the territories of the United States, now occupied by British troops, shall be delivered up.
That he endeavour to effect an exchange with the british commanding Officer in Canada, of the cannon and stores, at the posts to be evacuated, for cannon and stores to be delivered at West point, New York, or some other convenient place; and if this cannot be accomplished, that then he cause the complement of cannon and stores, requisite for those posts, to be in readiness to be transported thither in the most convenient and expeditious manner possible.1
[Note 1: 1 This report was also entered in the manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs.]
The Committee consisting of [Mr. Hugh Williamson, Mr. Elbridge Gerry and Mr. Richard Dobbs Spaight] to whom was referred a letter of the 28th. April from the Minister of France inclosing the copy of a letter from the Paymaster General respecting the accounts of the late Baron de Kalb and other French officers, beg leave to report, That in May 1780 the sum of 226,000 dollars of the old paper emissions were advanced to Baron de Kalb for the use of the troops under his command when he marched to the southward. That in the action on the 16th. August where the Baron was killed, his baggage, and papers and money fell into the hands of the enemy, on which your committee, submit the following resolve.
That the sum of two hundred and twenty-six thousand dollars of the old emissions paid into the hands of the late Major General Baron de Kalb in May 1780 for the use of the troops under his command,
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be passed to his credit, without requiring Vouchers for the expenditure, his accounts and vouchers having fallen into the hands of the enemy.
Your Committee are of the opinion that the demands of half pay which are made by certain foreign officers or their representatives must be determined by the former acts of Congress on that subject.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Hugh Williamson, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, II, folio 53. The indorsement states that it was read this day. See post, August 3, 1785.]
The Committee [Mr. Hugh Williamson, Mr. Jacob Read and Mr. Arthur Lee] to whom was referred the motion of Mr. [William] Ellery for giving leave to the Honorable B. Franklin Esq. to retire from public service in consideration of his advanced age and his repeated applications for that purpose submit the following report.
When the numerous and important treaties now pending in Europe shall have been negotiated it may be proper to consider whether the U. S. will dispense with the services of that Minister.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, in the writing of Hugh Williamson, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, II, folio 353. The indorsement states that it was read on this day.
Also, a petition dated Boston, February 25, 1784, of Jonathan Eddy and others. It was referred to the Committee of the States to report thereon to Congress. The indorsement continues: "read in Committee July 26th 1784 and referred to the consideration of the next Congress ordered to lie."]
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