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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, AUGUST 31, 1785.
Congress assembled. Present, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, South Carolina and Georgia; and from the State of Rhode Island, Mr. [David] Howell; from New Jersey, Mr. [Lambert] Cadwallader, and from North Carolina, Mr. [William] Cumming.
The Committee consisting of [Mr. Pierse Long, Mr. Joseph Gardner, and Mr. Samuel Holten] To whom was referred the papers of Bryan Bruin, Esqr. late a Capt. in the Virginia line, and Aid de Camp Majr. General Sullivan, on the subject of his not being allowed any pay or depreciation for his Extra Services as Aid de Camp aforesaid, are of Opinion that said papers be refer'd to the Commissioner for settling the Army Accounts to report.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Pierse Long, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, I, folio 435. It is undated, but seems to have been read in Congress sometime in August, 1785, as the indorsement states that it was referred to the Paymaster General to report and that he reported in September. Committee Book No. 191 notes that a communication from the Commissioner of Army Accounts on the case of Bruin was delivered September 22 and transferred; this doubtless means transferred to the Paymaster General whose report along with that of the Commissioner was acted on February 3, 1786.]
The Board of Treasury to whom was Referred the Letter of Michael Hillegas, Treasurer of the United States, dated the 12th. Instant, Beg leave to Report--
That the Resolve of Congress of the 18th. Septr., 1782, relative to the Mode of destroying the Old Continental Currency in the Treasuries of the respective States, be and it is hereby Repealed.
That all Continental Currency in the said Treasuries (not exceeding the Quota of the several States as fixed by the Act of Congress of the 18th. March, 1780) be forthwith transported to the Treasurer's Office of the United States, there to be Examined and Destroyed.
[The Continental loan officers in the several states previously giving a certificate of the number of dollars so sent on subject the examination aforesaid]2
[Note 2: 2 This report, signed by Samuel Osgood and Walter Livingston, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 139, folio 65. According to the indorsement it was read this day and passed February 2, 1786. The paragraph in brackets was added, apparently in Congress, prior to February 2, 1786.]
August 27th., 1785.
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The Board of Treasury to whom was Referred the Letter and Report of William Barber Commissioner of Accounts for the State of New York, on the Claim of Francis Cazeau of the Province of Canada, Beg leave to Report--
That they have maturely Considered the Report of the said Commissioner, and do not find the Claims of Francis Cazeau supported by any other Evidence than his own Deposition; although the Resolve of the 18th. March, 1784, directs that Mr. Cazeau's Testimony under Oath should be admitted, in support of such other Evidence as the circumstances of his Case required.
That from the Character of the late General Arnold, with whom Mr. Cazeau's Agreement is said to have been verbally made, the time at which the Purchases of Supplies took place and the circumstances of their Capture, the Case of Mr. Cazeau in the Opinion of this Board require:
The Board beg leave to Observe, that to innovate on the Established System, and principles for the settlement of Accounts is, in their Opinion, pregnant with the most dangerous Consequences, and ought never to take place, but in extraordinary cases, where application cannot be made to the usual Officers, and where the want of the ordinary Voucher is supplied by the strongest presumptive Proof of the right of the Claimant. That Mr. Cazeau's Claim is not only destitute of such Proof, but in the Opinion of the Board, of such a Nature, as to render the most critical examination necessary. They are further of Opinion, that Congress having by their Resolve of the 18th. March, 1784, directed the Superintendant of Finance to order the Accounts of the said Francis Cazeau to be Adjusted; and Order having been taken on the same, the reconsideration of these Accounts do not come under the Cognizance of the Commissioner of Accounts for the State of New York.
From these Considerations, added to the full conviction in the mind of this Board, that the Admission of Mr. Cazeau's Demand on
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his mere Oath, will let in a Flood of unwarrantable Claims, which no Revenue would be Adequate to Discharge,
They submit to the Consideration of Congress the following resolve.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, signed by Samuel Osgood and Walter Livingston, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 138, I, folio 207. According to indorsement it was read August 31, 1785, and the resolve submitted, passed February 2, 1786, where it is spread verbatim on the Journal.
On this day, according to indorsement, were read two letters of August 30, from the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, transmitting letters of June 17 from Thomas Jefferson and of June 18 from Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. The letter of June 17 is in No. 87, I, folio 9, and was returned to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs. That of June 18 is in No. 86, folio 291. Jay's letters are in No. 80, I, folios 345 and 357, respectively.
Also, according to Committee Book No. 190, the committee of August 30 on the letter from John Fitch, was this day discharged and his letter ordered to be filed. See post, September 1.
On folio 49 of No. 287 is recorded, by Roger Alden, a list of the delegates in Congress for the month of August 1785, with check-marks against the names of the absentees. See ante, August 17.]
August 29th., 1786.
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