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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, FEBRUARY 1, 1785.
Congress assembled. Present as yesterday.
On the report of a Grand Committee, consisting of Mr. [Jacob] Read, Mr. [Abiel] Foster, Mr. [George] Partridge, Mr. [David] Howell, Mr. [Joseph Platt] Cook, Mr. [Zephaniah] Platt, Mr. [Lambert] Cadwallader, Mr. [John] Henry, Mr. [James] McHenry, Mr. [Samuel] Hardy, Mr. [Hugh] Williamson and Mr. [William] Houstoun, to whom was referred a letter of 30 Septr. from the late Superintendant of finance, enclosing the terms of a loan of two Millions of Gilders, negotiated in the United Netherlands, by the honble. John Adams, and an obligation for the same, entered into the 9th of March, 1784, by him, on behalf of the United States of America,
Resolved, That three fair copies of the obligation be made out, and that a ratification be endorsed on each of them, duly attested; and that the Secretary for the department for foreign affairs, transmit the same, by several Conveyances, to the Minister of the United States, to their High Mightinesses the States general of the United Netherlands.
Resolved, That the ratification be in the following terms, viz.
Be it remembered, that the within Contract or engagement, entered into by the honble. John Adams, esquire, Minister plenipotentiary of the United States of America, to their High Mightinesses the Lords the States general of the United Netherlands, in behalf of the said States, with Messrs. Wilhelm, and Jan Willink, Nicholas and Jacob Van Staphorst and de la Lande and Fynje, and their successors or assignees, for a loan of two Million of Gilders, dated at the Hague, March the ninth, 1784, hath been read in Congress, approved and ratified, and declared obligatory on the United States of America. Done in the City Hall, in the city of New York, by the United States in Congress assembled, this first day of February, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred
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and eighty five and in the ninth year of our Sovereignty and Independence.1
[Note 1: 1 This report was also entered in the manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs No. 5. The report, in the writing of Jacob Read, is in No. 29, folio 337.]
A motion being made by Mr. [Charles] Pinckney, seconded by Mr. [David] Howell, "that the salary of the Secretary at War bedollars per annum," and the blank being filled with the words, "twenty five hundred," so that it read, "that the salary of the Secretary at War be twenty five hundred dollars per Annum."
On the question to agree to this, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Charles] Pinckney,
{table}
So the question was lost.
[Motion of Mr. James Monroe, Referred to Mr Robert R. Livingston, Mr. John Beatty, Mr. James Monroe, Mr. William Samuel Johnson, Mr. Elbridge Gerry, Mr. John Henry, Mr Rufus King.]
Whereas by the Acts of several of the States, ceding vacant territory to the U. S. there is a comfortable prospect that by a proper disposition
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of of making it it may be made a valuable fund for the discharge of the public debt, and whereas security to the persons and property of the settlers will contribute much to the facility and expedition of the sales, therefore
Resolved, That 1500 men be rais'd for said purpose to serve for the term of three years unless sooner discharg'd and quota'd on the States in the following proportions, viz.:
[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of James Monroe, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, II, folio 501. The indorsement and Committee Book No. 190 state that it was offered this day and referred as above. See post, February 21.]
[Motion of Mr. Jacob Read, on the reading Mr. Jay's letters of 31 Jany. and 1st. Feby., 1785. Referred to Mr. James Monroe, Mr. Zephaniah Platt, Mr. Jacob Read, Mr. Samuel Hardy and Mr. Richard Dobbs Spaight.]
That the letters and papers from the Secretary of the Department of foreign Affairs be referred to the said Secretary in order to be translated.
That it is the sense of Congress that all papers written in any foreign language which may in future be Communicated to Congress from the Secretary of foreign affairs be accompanied by a fair translation into English.
That the Secretary of foreign Affairs be and he is hereby authorized to appoint an Interpreter to his Office who shall be entitled to receive a salary ofHundred Dollars per Annum for his services and previous to his entering on his duty, the Interpreter shall take the
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usual Oath of fidelity and Secrecy a Copy of which shall be filed in the Office of the Secretary of the United States in Congress assembled.1
[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of Jacob Read, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, II, folio 519. The indorsement states that it was referred on this day. Committee Book No. 190 gives the committee as Mr. [James] Monroe, Mr. [Zephaniah] Platt, Mr. [Jacob] Read, Mr. [Samuel] Hardy and Mr. [Richard Dobbs] Spaight. A report was made February 2.]
The Committee of the Week Mr. Pierse Long, Mr. Joseph Gardner and Mr. Samuel Holten beg leave to report, that they have attentively perused the Petition of Michael Byrne relative to his new invented Instrument for solving problems and fixing Latitudes; but until the said Mr. Byrne give some proof of the utility of such Instrument and that the invention merits the notice of Congress, they recommend that his application lay on the Table.
Your Committee further report that the Testimonials produced by Mr. John Fitch as to his capacity in the business of surveying appear very sufficient, and that his application and Credentials be referred to the Register or Surveyor General of the first new State to be laid out.
Your Committee further report that the memorial of Giles Woolcott do lay on the Table until a Secretary at War be appointed.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, in the writing of Pierse Long, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 32, folio 579. The indorsement states that it was reported January 28 and read February 1. See post, February 3.]
[Motion of Mr. Robert R. Livingston for securing Western Territory:]
Resolved, That a Committee be appointed to consider of the best means to obtain possession of the Western and Northern Territory of these States and of the posts that it may be necessary to establish therein.3
[Note 3: 3 This motion, in the writing of Robert R. Livingston, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, IV, folio 101. According to the indorsement it was referred on this day to Mr. R[obert] R. Livingston, Mr. [John] Beatty, Mr. [James] Monroe, Mr. [William Samuel] Johnson, Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry, Mr. [John] Henry and Mr. [Rufus] King. See post, February 21. To this committee was referred also, according to Committee Book No. 190, the letter from Major William North, dated December 13, 1784.
According to Committee Book 186, the Committee of January 24, on the petition of Timothy Bradley, for additional pay for his services in 1777--8, brought in a report this day, which was read. It is in No. 19, I, folio 411, and was passed verbatim June 7.
Also, the committee of January 15 brought in a report this day, on the letter of Marbois respecting the removal of the portraits of the King and Queen of France, which was read. It is in No. 25, II, folio 411, and was adopted verbatim on February 11.]
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The Committee to whom was referred a letter dated Philadelphia 4th December, 1784, and signed Jno. Hopkins, late Deputy Corer of Prisoners, praying an allowance of sundry charges objected to by the Comptroller in the settlement of his accounts--beg leave to submit the following report.
That your Committee on perusal of the letter and its several inclosures to them referred; first that on the 21st. day of November, 1779, Majr. Hopkins received a Deputation from Jno. Beatty Esqr. then Acting as Comy. Genl. of Prisoners, as a Deputy Comr. for the Department Eastward of the Connecticut River: that among sundry instructions given him at the same time on the nature and duties of his office, they find the following. "You are to employ only as many persons in the Department as are absolutely necessary and render them sufficient, tho' not extravagant wages, they are each of them to receive one ration per day, and you are to be accountable for their good conduct ". That under this instruction he employed one person as a Clerk in his office, and another as Master or Captain of a Prison Ship: that he continued to execute the office of Depy. Comy. of Prisoners untill the 24th day of July, 1782, when it was resolved by Congress "That all resolutions and appointments respecting the Department of the Commissary General of Prisoners be and hereby are repealed": That Genl. Lincoln then Secretary at War, by virtue of powers vested in him by the Acts of Congress of the date last mentioned; did appoint and Commissionate Majr. Hopkins, as Intendant of Prisoners for the States of New Hampshire and Massachusetts Bay, with a power to take to his assistance such persons as were necessary to the collecting and safe keeping of the Prisoners; that in this case also he continued in his employ, a Clerk and a Master of the Prison Ship: That from the remote and scattered situation of the Prisoners under his care, and the duties of the department frequently requiring his being absent from his office, your committee consider, that aids of this kind became absolutely necessary and beg leave to recommend that it be
Resolved, That the Comptroller in settling the Accts. of Majr. Hopkins, be directed to pass to his credit, all such necessary sums of money, as may appear to have been disbursed by him in the hire of a Clerk and Master of the Prison Ship, while acting as Depy. Comy. and Intendant of Prisoners.
Your Committee report further--that in Majr. Hopkins acct. of Disbursements they find the sums of £57 9 7 new Emission and £30 2 11 specie charged by him as necessarily expended in the
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execution of his office and as coming within the Resolution of Congress of the 21st May, 1778, which recites, "That the necessary contingent charges of executing the office of Comy. General of Prisoners be allowed over and above the present pay". That these sums being for travelling expenses, the Comptroller does not think himself authorized to pass them under the head of contingencies: That your Committee from investigating the origin and causes which gave rise to this resolution, cannot but consider it as providing for the expenses of such extra travelling, as the duties of that office would unavoidably occasion:
Whereupon your Committee submit the following resolution.
Resolved, That the Comptroller be directed in settling the Accts. of Majr. Hopkins, to allow such travelling charges, as were necessarily incurred in the execution of his Office.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of John Beatty, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, III, folio 171. The indorsement states that it was read this day. See post, February 11.]
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