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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, JULY 14, 1786.
Congress assembled. Present, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.
Mr. Nathan Miller, a delegate for Rhode Island and Providence plantations, attended, and produced the credentials of his Appointment, by which it appears, that he is empowered to represent the said State until the first Monday in November next.
By His Excellency William Greene, Esquire, Governor, Captain-General and Commander in Chief of and over the State of [SEAL] Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.
To Nathan Miller, Esqr. Greeting:
Whereas you the said Nathan Miller was at the General Assembly of the State aforesaid held at Providence on the last Monday in February last appointed One of the Delegates to represent the said State in Congress until the First Monday in November next: I do therefore hereby empower and authorize you the said Nathan Miller to represent the said State, in the Congress of the United States of America now sitting at New York; and to continue and act as a Delegate of the said State in the same, whensoever and wheresoever the said Congress shall meet, until the said First Monday in November next. And for your so doing this Commission shall be your sufficient Warrant
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Given under my Hand and the Seal of the said State the Sixth Day of March A.D. 1786, and in the Tenth year of Independence.
W. Greene.1
[Note 1: 1 This credential is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, Rhode Island, Credentials. According to indorsement it was read July 14. It is entered in Record of Credentials, No. 179, and not in the Journal.]
By His Excellency's Command:
Henry Ward, Secry.
On the report of a committee, consisting of Mr. [Henry] Lee, Mr. [Rufus] King and Mr. [John] Kean,
Resolved, That Congress consider the Confederation as a compact between the several States for mutual good:
That the Union, under the authority of that Compact, has a right to demand the duties stipulated to be performed by each state, expressed by the Articles of the said Compact:
That the first claim which the whole has on its parts, is to comply with the formation of the sovereignty, as a compliance therewith is essential to the execution of the purposes of the Confederation:
That the states have a right to appoint their delegates, subject to the qualifications of the 5th article of the Confederation, as they may please:
That such appointments being made conformable to the Confederation, it becomes the duty of the states, seasonably to send forward their delegates, and the state neglecting so to do, becomes responsible to the Union for the delays and evils which may ensue from such neglect.
On a question to agree to the following clause of the report, viz. "That a delegate having taken his seat in Congress, has no right to withdraw himself without permission obtained either from Congress or the state he represents," the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Charles] Pinckney,
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So the question was lost.1
[Note 1: 1 July 14: The petition of Richard Gridley was referred to the Board of Treasury to report and a report rendered July 26. The petition prays reimbursement for a horse and sulkey, used during the siege of Boston and, according to indorsement, was read July 14. It is in No. 42, III, folio 287.
Committee Book No. 190.
Also, according to indorsement, was read a letter of July 5 from Governor Patrick Henry to the Virginia delegates in Congress, on conditions on the frontier relative to the Creek Indians and the tribes living on the Wabash. It is in No. 71, II, folio 441.]
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