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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 2, 1785.
Congress assembled. Present, as before.
The secretary of the United States for the department of foreign affairs, to whom was referred his letter of the 24th November, to his excellency the president, with Mr. J. Temple's commission, having reported,
"That John Temple, esq. has presented to the United States in Congress assembled, a commission in due form, bearing date the 5th day of February last, from his Britannic majesty, constituting and appointing him the consul general of his said majesty in these states. That there is as yet no commercial treaty or convention subsisting between his Britannic majesty and the United States, whereby either have a perfect right to establish consuls in the dominions of the other, but that amicable negotiations for that and other reciprocal privileges are now depending: That although the issue of those negotiations is as yet uncertain, it will nevertheless be proper for the United States, on this and every other occasion, to observe as great a degree of liberality as may consist with a due regard to their national honor and welfare;" therefore,
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Resolved, That the said John Temple, esq. be, and he hereby is received and recognized as consul general of his Britannic majesty throughout the United States, and that his commission be registered in the secretary's office.
Resolved, That all the privileges, pre-eminences and authority, which the laws of nations, and of the land, give to a consul general received by the United States, from any nation with whom they have no commercial treaty or convention, are due to the said John Temple, and shall be enjoyed by him.
Ordered, That certified copies of the above resolutions be transmitted to the executives of the different states for their information.1
[Note 1: 1 The report and resolutions relative to John Temple were also entered in the manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs No. 5, by Benjamin Bankson.]
Pursuant to the resolution of the 29th September last, Congress proceeded to the appointment of three commissioners for running a line of jurisdiction between the states of Massachusetts and New York, conformable to the laws of the said states; and, the ballots being taken, Mr. Thomas Hutchins, Mr. John Ewing, and Mr. David Rittenhouse, were elected and appointed.
Motion: For suspending the transmission of the Act of 28 October until further Orders.
Ordered, That the above be referred to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs to take order.2
[Note 2: 2 This motion and order were entered by Benjamin Bankson in Resolve Book No. 123.
Also on this day according to indorsement, was read a letter from the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, dated December 2, forwarding a letter of November 28 from the French chargé des affaires relative to a proposed arrangement between the French and American post offices. It was referred back to the said Secretary to report. Jay's letter is in No. 80, II, folio 73. See post, March 29, 1786.
Also, according to Committee Book No. 190, "A Motion of Mr. King for regulating the post between U. S. and Canada" was this day referred to the "Postmaster gent to report."]
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The Board of Treasury to whom was referred the petition of Edward Keran, claiming depredation on Monies received by him whilst in the Ordinance Department, beg leave to Report to Congress--
That having referred the said claim for examination to the Comptroller of the Treasury, they find that it had been regularly examined and reported on previous to the Memorilists presentment of his petition to Congress as will appear by the enclosed papers.
The Board therefore submit to Congress the following Resolve, Viz.
That the claim of Edward Keran for depreciation of pay during his service in the Ordnance Department is inadmissable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, signed by Samuel Osgood and Walter Livingston, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 138, II, folio 9. It was acted on February 1, 1786.]
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