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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 --FRIDAY, JULY 9, 1784.
The Committee of the States assembled: Present, nine states as yesterday.
The committee, consisting of Mr. [Jacob] Read, Mr. [Francis] Dana, and Mr. [Jeremiah Townley] Chase, to whom were referred two letters from Mr. Adams, minister plenipotentiary of the United States of America at the Hague, of 27th March, and 10th April, 1784, with sundry papers enclosed, reported the draft of a letter to the said minister, which was agreed to.
The Committee [Mr. Jacob Read, Mr. Francis Dana and Mr. Jeremiah Townley Chase] to whom was referred the letters of Mr. Adams, Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States at the Hague, with the papers inclosed, report the following draft of a letter to him thereupon, to be signed by the Chairman of the Committee of the States.
Annapolis July 1784.
Sir,
Your letters of the 27th. of March and the 10th. of April together with a copy of the plan of a Treaty proposed by his Prussian Majesty, and Copies of the letters one without Date, and one of the 14th. and another of the 25th. of March last from the Prussian Minister at the Hague to yourself relative to that subject, and also a note from the same Minister respecting the Estate of one Christian Ravenhorst, and of his widow late of Georgia, and the Claims of several Prussian subjects thereto, have come to hand a few days since and after the adjournment of Congress; who stand adjourned to the 30th. of Oct.r. next.
The Committee of the States not having a power to appoint foreign Ministers, or to form Treaties, cannot grant such a Commission as you request or make any alterations in the proposed Treaty, or give any Instructions relative thereto.
Nor indeed can it now be necessary to be done, as Congress have already appointed yourself Dr. Franklin and Mr. Jefferson (who we suppose, is now on his passage from Boston) their Ministers to form Commercial Treaties with most of the Sovereigns of Europe, one among whom the King of Prussia is named. Mr. Jefferson carries
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with him a Commission for that purpose, and such Instructions as Congress have thought proper to give in addition to those heretofore sent to their Ministers.
Touching the subject of the note above mentioned, upon the supposition that the facts stated in it are true, you are very sensible that the parties interested may obtain ample Justice in the ordinary Courts of Law, either by their sending an agent to Georgia, or full powers to some person there, with the necessary proofs to prosecute their Claims; and that Congress cannot interfere in the administration of common Justice within any of the United States; Copies of the will and other papers mentioned in the note, may doubtless be had upon application to the proper officers in Georgia.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Francis Dana, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 32, folio 29.
On this, or an approximate date, as the indorsement indicates, was read a letter dated Paris, February 24, 1784, from Inspector Beden. It is in No. 59, IV, folio 119.]
The Agent of Marine to whom it was referred to Report to Congress a reasonable allowance per day for naval officers employed on Courts martial begs leave to offer the following resolution viz.
Resolved, That such naval officers as have been employed on Courts Martial out of the States of their residence or in a State where the ships or vessels of war to which they were attached did not lie at the time of their being so employed be and they are hereby entitled to an extra allowance of three dollars and one third of a dollar per day each in addition to the pay and subsistence to which they were entitled by former acts of Congress.
That the said extra allowance commence on the day such officer or officers set out from his or their place of residence or from the ship or vessel of war to which they were attached at the time & continue until they return to their said residence, ship or vessel of war. Provided that not more than a reasonable time for going to and returning from the place of the sitting of such Court be allowed.
Marine Office 5 July, 1784.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 137, III, folio 663. The indorsement states that it was referred on this day to Mr. [Jacob] Read, Mr. [Jonathan] Blanchard and Mr. [Jeremiah Townley] Chase, referred to Congress and passed April 11, 1787.]
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