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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, DECEMBER 7, 1784.
Congress assembled: Present, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia; and from New Hampshire, Mr. [Abiel] Foster; from Connecticut, Mr. [Joseph Platt] Cook, and from Pensylvania, Mr. [William] Henry.
Mr. Walter Livingston, a delegate for New York, attended, and took his seat; his credentials having been previously laid before Congress.
Mr. Robert R. Livingston, a delegate for the State of New York, attended, and produced the credentials of his appointment, which were read.
The People of the State of New York, by the Grace of God Free and Independent: To ALL to whom these Presents shall come, send Greeting: Whereas our Senate and Assembly have, on the twenty seventh day of November in this present year Nominated and Appointed the Honorable Robert R. Livingston Esquire, Chancellor of our said State, a Delegate on this special Occasion to represent our said State in the United States in Congress assembled until the first Monday in November next: Now therefore Know Ye, that, in pursuance of the said Nomination and Appointment, We have by these Presents Commissioned Him the said Robert R. Livingston Esquire with full power and authority to Him the said Robert R. Livingston to Represent our said State in the said Congress accordingly: In
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Testimony Whereof We have caused these our Letters to be made patent and the Great Seal of our said State to be hereunto affixed. Witness Our Trusty and Wellbeloved George Clinton Esquire, Governor of our said State, General and Commander in Chief of all the Militia and Admiral of the Navy of the same, at our City of New York, the second day of December in the Year of our LORD one thousand seven hundred and eighty four: and of our Independence the ninth.
Geo: Clinton
[With the Great Seal appendant]
Passed the Secretary's Office the 2d. Decemr. 1784
Robt Harpur, D. Secry. of the State.1
[Note 1: 1 The original is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, New York, Credentials of Delegates, and is indorsed: "Mr. Chancellor Livingston's Commission as Special Delegate to Congress from New York." It was read December 7, and entered in No. 179, Record of Credentials, and not in the Journal.]
On motion of Mr. [Samuel] Hardy, seconded by Mr. [Hugh] Williamson,
Resolved, That the Secretary in the War Office be directed to stop the sale of such quartermaster and military stores as were directed to be sold under a letter from the said Secretary of 23 May, 1784, until the further order of Congress.2
[Note 2: 2 This motion, in the writing of Samuel Hardy, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, II, folio 469.
On this day, as the indorsement states, a letter of October 29 from W. Greene, Governor of Rhode Island, was read. It is in No. 64, folio 536.
Also, a letter of December 4 from Jno. Hopkins. It was referred to Mr. [Gunning] Bedford, Mr. [William] Beatty and Mr. [David] Howell. It is in No. 78, XII, folio 351. Committee Book, No. 186, states that the committee was renewed January 17, 1785.]
On the report of a committee, consisting of Mr. [Samuel] Holten, Mr. [William] Ellery, Mr. [Samuel] Hardy, Mr. [James] Monroe and Mr. [Hugh] Williamson, to whom was committed a resolution passed on Friday last, pursuant to a former report of the said committee,
Resolved, That the Secretary in the War Office, cause the troops at Fort Stanwix, to be marched immediately to Fort Rensselaer.
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The order of the day for electing two commissioners for the Board of Treasury being called for,
On motion of Mr. [Jacob] Read, seconded by Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry,
Ordered, That Tuesday next be assigned for the election of the said commissioners.
[Report of Mr James Monroe, Mr Charles Pinckney, Mr William Churchill Houston, Mr John Jay, Mr Gunning Bedford, Mr Samuel Hardy, Mr Elbridge Gerry, on note of Mr Marbois of 19th Nov. and papers enclosed touching the navigation of Mississippi.]
The Committee to whom was referred the note of Mr de Marbols chargé des affaires of his Most Christian Majesty with the papers enclosed submit the following Report:
That the following answer signed by the President be returned to Mons. de Marbois.
Sir,
I have reed. the note which you did me the honor to write on the 19th of Nov. with the papers enclosed. Congress are happy in the assurance that his Most Christian Majesty will see with pleasure measures taken to consolidate and maintain a good understanding between his Catholic Majesty and the U. S. and they flatter them selves that their disposition and endeavors to cultivate the friendship of the Catholic King will produce the desired effect.
The Committee are further of opinion it is very necessary and important that one of the ministers now in Europe a Minister be immediately commissioned to represent the U.S. at the Ct of Madrid and instructed to adjust if possible for the purpose of adjusting the interfering claims of the two nations respecting the navigation of the Mississippi and other matters highly interesting to the peace and good understanding which ought to subsist between them.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of James Monroe, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 25, II, folio 377. The indorsement states that it was read on this day, Friday next assigned for consideration, and on Tuesday, 14th December, "postponed till tomorrow." See post, December 15 and 23.
On this day, as the indorsement states, instructions to the delegates of Virginia, relative to the right of navigating the Mississippi River were referred to Mr. [James] Monroe, Mr. [Charles] Pinckney, Mr. [William Churchill] Houstoun, Mr. [John] Jay, Mr. [Gunning] Bedford, Mr. [Samuel] Hardy, and Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry. They are in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 71, II, folio 379.]
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