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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, DECEMBER 17, 1784.
Congress assembled: Present as yesterday.
Congress proceeded to the election of two chaplains to Congress, and, the ballots being taken, the Rev. Daniel Jones was elected, having been previously nominated by Mr. [William] Gibbons.
Ordered, That the election of another chaplain be postponed till Tuesday next.1
[Note 1: 1 From this point the proceedings for the day were entered only in the manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs No. 5 and in Secret Journal, No. 4. The entries in each differ in words but not in sense.]
The committee, consisting of Mr. [James] Monroe, Mr. [Charles] Pinckney, Mr. [William] Houstoun, Mr. [John] Jay, Mr. [Gunning] Bedford, Mr. [Samuel] Hardy Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry, to whom was referred a note of the 19 November from Mr. De Marbois Chargé des affaires of France, having reported thereon, and the report being amended to read as follows:
Resolved, That it is necessary a minister be commissioned to represent the United States at the Court of Madrid, 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.
When the question was about to be put, a division was called for; and on the question to agree to the first part as far as "Court of Madrid," inclusive, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Richard Dobbs] Spaight,
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So it was
Resolved, That it is necessary that a Minister be commissioned to represent the United States at the Court of Madrid.
Mr. [David] Howell, having asked and with unanimous consent obtained leave to change his No on the last question into Ay, and the alteration being made the report was agreed to as follows
On the question to agree to the latter clause, viz. "for the purpose," &c. to the end, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [William] Ellery--
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So the question was lost it was resolved in the affirmative.
On motion of Mr. [William] Houstoun, seconded by Mr. [Richard Dobbs] Spaight,
Resolved, That Wednesday next be assigned for the election of a minister to represent the United States at the Court of Madrid.
On motion of Mr. [Egbert] Benson, seconded by Mr. [Richard Dobbs] Spaight,
Ordered, That the committee who brought in the report prepare a draught of Instructions to the minister to represent the United States at the Court of Madrid.1
[Note 1: 1 On this day, as the indorsement states, was read a letter of December 16 from Daniel Jones. It is in No. 78, XIII, folio 317.
Also, a letter of December 16 from Major William North and referred to Mr. [William] Ellery, Mr. [David] Howell and Mr. [Hugh] Williamson. Committee Book, No. 186, says a report was made March 7, 1785.
Also, a letter of--from Lieutenant Jaque Jolibois was referred to Mr. [William] Ellery, Mr. [James] Monroe, Mr. [Jacob] Read, Mr. [Hugh] Williamson and Mr. [Richard Dobbs] Spaight. It is in No. 35, folio 143.
Also, a petition of Timothy Divine was referred to Mr. [Egbert] Benson, Mr. [Gunning] Bedford and Mr. [John Francis] Mercer on December 11; the Committee was discharged December 17 and on that day the petition was referred to Mr. [William] Ellery, Mr. [James] Monroe, Mr. [Jacob] Read, Mr. [Hugh] Williamson and Mr. [Richard Dobbs] Spaight. It is in No. 35, folio 151.]
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