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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 --THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 1785.
Congress assembled. Present as before.
The consideration of the Ordinance for ascertaining the mode of disposing of Lands in the Western territory, was again resumed, and the question yesterday postponed in right of the State of Virginia, was farther postponed by order of the house. When a motion1 was made by the Delegates of Virginia, to amend the Ordinance by striking out the last clause thereof, namely; "Saving and confirming always, to all Officers and Soldiers entitled to lands on the northern side of the Ohio, by donation or bounty, from the Commonwealth of Virginia, and to all persons claiming under them, all rights to which they are so entitled by the Laws of the said State, and the Acts of Congress accepting the cession of Western Territory from the said state." And in lieu thereof to insert the following: "Saving and confirming always, to all Officers and Soldiers entitled to Lands on the northwest side of the Ohio, by donation or bounty, from the Commonwealth of Virginia, and to all persons claiming under them, all rights to which they are so entitled, under the deed of Cession, executed by the Delegates for the State of Virginia, on the first day of March, 1784, and the Act of Congress accepting the same. And to the end, that the said rights may be fully and effectually secured, according to the true intent and meaning of the said deed of cession and Act aforesaid, Be it ordained, that no part of the Land included between the rivers called little Miami and Sciota, on the northwest side of the river Ohio, shall be sold, for the benefit of the states or in any manner alienated, disposed of until there shall first have been laid off and appropriated for
[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of Arthur Lee, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, III, folio 19. The words lined out so appear in the motion, but not in the Journal.
On this day, according to the indorsement, the letter from William Winder, Commissioner for settling the accounts of the State of Delaware, dated March 17, which had been referred to a committee March 23, was referred to the Board of Treasury which reported May 13. See post, May 23.
Also, according to Committee Book No. 190, the committee of January 24 on Canadian claims was, this day, discharged of the claim of Laurent Olivier and an indorsement on the Lee motion above notes that "they [the papers in the Canadian claims were] deliver'd to the persons upon application." See ante, March 9.
On this day also, according to the indorsement was read a letter from the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, dated April 27, enclosing a letter from George Washington dated April 5, to Charles Thomson respecting negroes carried away by the British from New York city in 1783 and enclosing also a letter from Thomson to Secretary Jay, dated April 22, relative to the same matter. Jay's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 80, I, folio 145. Washington's letter is entered in the Washington Letter Books, No. 6, p. 63.
April 28: The following committees were appointed: Mr. [William Samuel] Johnson, Mr. [Rufus] King, Mr. J[ohn] Henry, Mr. [Charles] Pinckney, Mr. [John] Lawrence, Mr. [James] Monroe and Mr. [William] Grayson, on the letter from the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, of April 28, relative to the case of Longchamps and a letter from Marquis de Lafayette, of February 8, respecting the same. This was a renewal of the committee of March 29. Jay's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 80, I, folio 149, and is indorsed: "July 13 returned the enclosed to the Office for F. Affairs." Committee Book No. 190, however has a note by Thomson, "July 20 discharged and business referred to Secy for forn. Affairs to report." Also against the entry of Lafayette's letter is noted: "discharged of this."
Mr. [James] Wilson, Mr. [David] Howell and Mr. [William] Grayson, on memorial of Michael Hillegas, requesting to continue his office of Continental Treasurer in Philadelphia. This committee was discharged May 13.
Committee Book No. 190.]
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the said Officers and Soldiers, and persons claiming under them, the lands they are entitled to, agreeably to the said deed of cession, and Act of Congress accepting the same.
And on the question to agree to this amendment, the yeas and nays being required by the Delegates of Maryland,
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So it was resolved in the affirmative.
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