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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 --MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 1785.
Mr. John Sitgreaves, a delegate for the state of North Carolina, attended, and took his seat.
Congress assembled. Present, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Virginia and North Carolina; and from the state of Pennsylvania, Mr. [Joseph] Gardner; from Maryland, Mr. [James] McHenry, and from South Carolina, Mr. [Charles] Pinckney.
Congress took into consideration the ordinance for ascertaining the powers and duty of the Secretary at War; and the same being read a second time,
Ordered, That Wednesday the 19th of the present month, be assigned for the third reading.
[Motion of Mr. David Howell:]
That Congress in future be supplied with such newspapers from each State as the Delegates representing such State in Congress for the time being shall point out to the Secretary.
[Motion of Mr. Hugh Williamson:]
It is unnecessary that Congress in future be supplied with any other newspapers than such as are published in the place of their present Residence.1
[Note 1: 1 These motions, in the writing of Howell and Williamson respectively, are in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 23, folios 221 and 223. They were referred to Mr. Williamson, Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry and Mr. [Joseph] Gardner, who reported February 28.
On this day, according to the indorsement, was read a letter from William S. Smith, dated January 15, 1785, offering his services to Congress. It is in No. 92, folio 1.
January 17: On this day the Committee of the Week was designated as Mr. [John] Sitgreaves, Mr. [Joseph P.] Cook and Mr. [Pierse] Long.
The following committees were appointed:
A Grand Committee--Mr. [Abiel] Foster, Mr. [Rufus] King, Mr. [David] Howell, Mr. [Joseph P.] Cook, Mr. [Zephaniah] Platt, Mr. [Lambert] Cadwallader, Mr. [Joseph] Gardner, Mr. [John] Vining, Mr. [James] McHenry, Mr. [Samuel] Hardy, Mr. [Hugh] Williamson, Mr. [Charles] Pinckney and Mr. [William] Houstoun, to whom was referred a letter of August 17, 1784, from the Superintendent of Finance, of August 30, on the Holland loan and of August 30 on duties payable in free ports of France; papers respecting a Mint, January 24, letter of November 11, 1784, from John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson; letter of November 3 from John Adams; letter of January 15, 1782, from the Superintendent of Finance on a Mint and the instructions to the Massachusetts delegates respecting the regulation of gold and silver coins. This committee was renewed April 6.
Mr. [Charles] Pinckney, Mr. [Samuel] Hardy, Mr. [James] Monroe, Mr. [William S.] Johnson and Mr. [Zephaniah] Platt, on the instructions to the Massachusetts delegates to obtain the opinion of Congress on sundry parts of the Definitive Treaty. See post, August 19.
Mr. [Jacob] Read, Mr. [John] Beatty, Mr. [David] Howell, Mr. [Samuel] Hardy and Mr. [Rufus] King were appointed a standing committee on qualifications. See post, March 14.
Mr. [David] Howell, Mr. [Hugh] Williamson, Mr. [Jacob] Read, Mr. [Samuel] Hardy and Mr. [John] Beatty, on motion of Mr. Read for appointing five commissioners to survey the western country ceded to the United States. See ante, December 2, 1784, and post, April 13.
Mr. [David] Howell, Mr. [Hugh] Williamson, Mr. [Zephaniah] Platt, Mr. [Pierse] Long and Mr. [James] McHenry, to review the regulations of the Treasury Department and report an ordinance for its future regulation, also a motion of Mr. [Charles] Pinckney that the Commissioners of the Board of Treasury give bond for the faithful discharge of the office. A report on Mr. Pinckney's motion was made January 31. This committee was renewed April 12.
Mr. [Samuel] Hardy, Mr. [Charles] Pinckney, Mr. [Hugh] Williamson, Mr. [David] Howell and Mr. [Rufus] King, to report an ordinance to regulate the Indian trade. See post, May 16.
Mr. [John] Beatty, Mr. [David] Howell and Mr. [William Samuel] Johnson, on the accounts of John Hopkins, Commissary of Prisoners. Mr. Johnson took the place of Mr. Gunning Bedford on this committee which had been appointed December 7, 1784. A report was rendered February 1.
Mr. [Hugh] Williamson, Mr. [William Samuel] Johnson and Mr. [Pierse] Long, on the petition of James Rumsey, relating to his invention of a power boat. This committee took the place of Mr. Benson, Mr. Williamson and Mr. William Churchill Houston, who has been appointed December 8, 1784. A report was rendered May 11.
Mr. [Samuel] Holten, Mr. [Jacob] Read, Mr. [Samuel] Hardy, Mr. [Richard Dobbs] Spaight and Mr. [William Samuel] Johnson, on the note from the Minister of the United Netherlands, dated December 8, 1784, relative to a change in the form of sea letters. To this committee also was referred letters from William Carmichael, dated August 2, 1783, respecting commerce with Saxony, and Philip Thierot, commercial agent for Saxony. This was a change in personnel from the committee as originally appointed on December 9, 1784, which was Holten, W. C. Houston, Read, Bedford, and Hardy, which later became Holten, Read, Gerry, King, and W. Livingston and on January 17 as above. This committee was discharged February 15. Van Berckel's letter is in No. 81, I, 491 and Carmichael's is in No. 88, II, folio 380. See post, February 15 and November 1.
Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry, Mr. [James] Monroe, Mr. [Samuel] Hardy, Mr. [Hugh] Williamson and Mr. [William Samuel] Johnson, to revise the plan of a Convention for regulating the powers and privileges of consuls, vice consuls and agents which had been proposed to the Court of Versailles; also the letter of September 17, 1784, from Thomas Barclay. This committee had been appointed December 14 with Mr. John Jay as chairman.
Mr. [John] Beatty, Mr. [David] Howell and Mr. [Samuel] Holten, on letter of December 16, 1784, from John White, applying for appointment as commissioner for settling accounts between the United States and Maryland; also letter of January 5 from Joseph Hardy applying for the same commissionership or that for North Carolina. The committee was discharged of Hardy's letter January 24 and reported on White's letter January 26.
Mr. [Hugh] Williamson, Mr. [Jacob] Read, Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry, Mr. [Rufus] King and Mr. W[illiam] Livingston, the Committee on Post Office, "To enquire fully into the proceedings of the post office & report agreeable to resolution 17 July, 1782. Reported up to I Jany." This was a change of personel from the committee appointed December 9, which consisted of Mr. Williamson, Mr. [William] Houstoun, Mr. [John F.] Mercer, Mr. [John] Jay and Mr. [Jacob] Read.
Mr. [Hugh] Williamson, Mr. [Samuel] Hardy, Mr. [George] Partridge, Mr. [Samuel] Holten and Mr. [Richard D.] Spaight, on papers respecting capture of the schooner Good Fortune belonging to R. Ellis. Mr. Richard D. Spaight had been added to this Committee which was appointed December 16, 1784 and Mr. William Houston dropped.
Mr. [John] Beatty, Mr. [Zephaniah] Platt and Mr. [Pierse] Long, on memorial of Mordecai Hale, surgeon's mate, for relief on account of disablement in service. This committee took the place of that appointed December 16, 1784, Mr. Egbert Benson, Mr. John Beatty and Mr. Samuel Dick. Report made January 24.
The following committees were renewed:
On report on reprinting the Journals with additions: Mr. [Samuel] Hardy, Mr. R. R. Livingston, Mr. [William C.] Houston, Mr. [David] Howell and Mr. [James] McHenry in place of Mr. Gunning Bedford. See ante, December 7, 1784.
On letter of August 26, 1783, from the Governor of Havana, Luis de Unzaga, on detention of Oliver Pollock and letter of September 30 from Pollock: Mr. [George] Partridge, Mr. [John] Beatty, Mr. [Joseph] Gardner, Mr. [Charles] Pinckney and Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry, with Gerry in the place of William Houston, the committee of December 1, 1784. Committee discharged February 9, and papers referred to Secretary for Foreign Affairs.
On letters from Superintendent of Finance, August 17, September 30, on loan in Holland, September 30, on duties payable in free ports in France. Committee "To meet in this room on Saturday next at 10 o'clock": Mr. [George] Partridge, Mr. [David] Howell, Mr. [William] Houstoun, Mr. [James] McHenry, Mr. [John] Vining, Mr. [Samuel] Hardy, Mr. [Hugh] Williamson, Mr. [John] Beatty, Mr. [William C.] Houston, Mr. [Abiel] Foster, Mr. [Joseph P.] Cook and Mr. [Egbert] Benson.
On instructions to delegates of Massachusetts to take the opinion of Congress on sundry parts of the Definitive Treaty: Mr. [Charles] Pinckney, Mr. [Samuel] Hardy, Mr. [James] Monroe, Mr. [William] Gibbons and Mr. [Gunning] Bedford.
On motion of Mr. [Jacob] Read for appointing five Commissioners to survey the western territory ceded to the United States: Mr. [David] Howell, Mr. [Hugh] Williamson, Mr. [Jacob] Read, Mr. [Samuel] Hardy and Mr. [William] Houstoun.
Grand Committee on instructions to delegates of Massachusetts on regulation of gold and silver coins.
On revision of regulations of the Treasury Department and report on ordinance for its future regulation and motion of Mr. Pinckney that the Commissioner "give bond & security for faithful discharge of the office": Mr. [Egbert] Benson, Mr. [David] Howell, Mr. [William] Houstoun, Mr. [Gunning] Bedford and Mr. [Hugh] Williamson.
To report an ordinance for regulation of the Indian trade: Mr. [Samuel] Hardy, Mr. [Charles] Pinckney, Mr. Egbert Benson, Mr. [Hugh] Williamson and Mr. [David] Howell.
On motion of Mr. John F. Mercer "That a Comtee. be appoind. to consider whether any and what measures may be necessary for Congress to adopt in pursuance of their recommendats. to the States of April 18th, 1783": Mr. [David] Howell, Mr. [James] Monroe and Mr. [Samuel] Holten in place of Mr. Mercer, Mr. John Jay and Mr. Howell, who had been appointed December 17, 1783. See post, February 14.
On letter of November 22, 1784, from the President of Pennsylvania; sentence of Longchamps and all papers respecting him: Mr. [Rufus] King, Mr. [Jacob] Read, Mr. R. R. Livingston, Mr. [William] Houstoun and Mr. [William S.] Johnson, this last in place of Mr. John F. Mercer, who with the others, had been appointed December 22. The committee was discharged February 11 and "all papers referred to Secy. for Foreign Affairs."
On letter of September 30, 1784, from Superintendent of Finance concerning Oliver Pollock and Morris' letter of resignation, November 1, 1784: Mr. [Jacob] Read, Mr. [James] Monroe and Mr. [James] McHenry. This committee was appointed December 1, 1784, on this renewal Mr. McHenry was appointed in place of Mr. [William] Houston. Committee was again renewed March 14.
Committee Book No. 186.]
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