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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, JUNE 15, 1785.

Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 1785.

Congress assembled. Present as before.

Congress resumed the consideration of the report of the committee on the letter of 25 April, from three of the Commissioners² for negotiating with the Indians, in the northern and middle departments; and on the question to agree to the following clause,

[Note 2: 2 See ante, May 31 and June 6.]

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That the board of treasury take order for the purchase of goods, in addition to those on hand at fort McIntosh, and those ordered to be purchased by the resolutions of the 18th of March last, for the purpose of carrying the said treaty fully into effect, to an amount not exceeding three thousand dollars.

The yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Charles] Pinckney,

{table}

So it was resolved in the affirmative.

Congress proceeded in the Consideration of the report, which being amended, was agreed to as follows:

• 1. Resolved, That the commissioners instructed to hold a treaty, under the resolutions of the 18 of March last, with the Western tribes of Indians, for the purpose of obtaining from them a cession of lands, be, and they are hereby authorized and directed, to avail themselves

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  of the disposition of the Indians, and the funds committed to their charge, to make such cession as extensive and liberal as possible.

• 2. That the board of treasury take order for the purchase of goods, and in addition to those on hand at fort Mcintosh, and those ordered to be purchased by the resolutions of the 18 March last, for the purpose of carrying the said treaty fully into effect, to an amount not exceeding three thousand dollars.
• 3. That the board of treasury take order for the purchase of provisions and other stores, for the support of the commissioners and others necessarily attending the treaty, to an amount not exceeding 2000 dollars.
• 4. That the board of treasury take order to answer the drafts of the commissioners of the treaty, for the pay of the officers, messengers, interpreters and artificers, in a sum not exceeding 2000 dollars.
• 5. That the board of treasury take order for contracting, upon the best terms they can, for the transportation of the said goods to the place at which the treaty may be held, or such other places as the commissioners may think proper; and also for the transportation of the troops and their baggage, which may be necessarily employed in attending the said treaty.
• 6. That the Commissioners be, and they are hereby authorized to make rules and regulations for the management of the treaty, and the government of all those who attend it.
• 7. That they endeavour to obtain from [the Inhabitants of Kaskaskies, St. Vincents, and others, a statement of their rights to lands within the said country guaranteed to them by Congress, in their acceptance of the Virginia cession,]¹

  [Note 1: 1 The portion in bracket, in the writing of William Samuel Johnson, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 30, folio 281, and was, evidently, submitted on or after May 5.]

  with the origin and extent thereof, and report the same. That they also administer to the said Inhabitants, the following oath of Allegiance: I -- do solemnly swear, (or affirm) that I²

  [Note 2: 2 At this point Benjamin Bankson begins recording the entry.]

  will be true and faithful to the United States of America; that I renounce all allegiance and dependence upon any foreign prince or potentate whatsoever; and that I will, as becomes a good Citizen, as far as in me lies, protect and defend the said United States from all attacks and invasions from other powers.
• 8. That they prohibit the settlement of all persons, not properly authorized for that purpose, upon the unappropriated Lands of the

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  United States, and that they cause to be circulated in the said country, the following proclamation:

"Whereas it hath been represented to the United States in Congress Assembled, that several disorderly persons have crossed the river Ohio, and settled upon their unappropriated lands; and whereas it is their intention, as soon as it shall be surveyed, to open Offices for the sale of a considerable part thereof, in such proportions, and under such other regulations as may suit the convenience of all the Citizens of the said States, and others, who may wish to become purchasers of the same; and as such conduct tends to defeat the object which they have in view, is in direct opposition to the ordinances and resolutions of Congress, and highly disrespectful to the federal authority, they have therefore thought fit, and do hereby issue this their proclamation, strictly forbidding all such unwarrantable intrusions, and enjoining all those who have settled thereon, to depart, with their families and effects, without loss of time, as they shall answer the same at their peril.

That the¹ Secretary at war be, and he is hereby directed to order the troops in the service of the United States, to be in readiness to march at such time, and to such place or places as the said commissioners, or any two of them, shall direct.

[Note 1: 1 Thomson here resumes the entries.]

That the fourth of the Instructions given on the 15 of October, 1783, to the commissioners for negotiating with the Indians, be, and it is hereby repealed.²

[Note 2: 2 On this day, as the indorsement states, was read a letter of June 11 from James Simpson accepting the office of a surveyor in the Western Territory. It is in No. 78, XXI, folio 395.]

Mr. [Samuel] Dick, Mr. [David] Howell and Mr. [William] Grayson to whom were committed the letter of John Adam praying an allowance of Extra Expences as Deputy Commissary of Prisoners, with the letters and Papers Accompanying the same and the Report of the Under Secretary of War thereupon

Recommend that the said Letters and papers with the Report thereon from the war Office be Refer'd to the Commissioners of the Treasury to Report.³

[Note 3: 3 This report, in the writing of Samuel Dick, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, I, folio 47. Committee Book No. 190 states that a report was rendered by the Treasury July 7.
June 15: The following committees were appointed:
Mr. [David] Howell, Mr. [William] Grayson, Mr. [James] McHenry, Mr. [Charles] Pettit and Mr. [Rufus] King, on two letters from David Luckett, with enclosures, on the demand of Craig, Bayard & Co., of Pittsburg for the land and buildings of Fort Pitt and also on the condition of the troops stationed there. The committee discharged August S. See ante, June 1. Luckett's letters are in No. 163, folios 443 and 447.
Mr. [Samuel] Hardy, Mr. [Charles] Pinckney, Mr. [David] Howell and Mr. [Samuel] Dick, on "The 7 article in the report of the Comee. on the letter of" [on the Indian treaty]. See ante, May 3.
Committee Book No. 190.
Also, according to Committee Book No. 190, the last paragraph of the report of the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, on William Shaw's letter, was, this day, struck out. See ante, June 9.]

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