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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 --SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1786.
Congress assembled. Present, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and South Carolina, and from Connecticut, Mr. [Stephen Mix] Mitchel, and from Maryland, Mr. [William] Hindman.
The Board of Treasury to whom was referred the petition of Stephen Ranney Junr., late a Surgeons Mate in the General Hospital of the United States, Beg leave to Report:
That since the said Memorial has been presented to Congress, the Accounts of the said Stephen Ranney have been Liquidated by the Commissioner for Settling Accounts in the Hospital Department, and a Balance found due to him from the United States on account of his Nominal Pay, and Rations of Five hundred and thirty two Dollars 66/90 ths, for which he has received the usual Certificate.
The Board beg leave further to Report, That from the Report of the Commissioner of the Hospital Department to this Board, it appears, that there is due to the said Stephen Ranney from the State of Connecticut (of which he states himself an Inhabitant) the
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Sum of Two thousand and nineteen Dollars on account of Depreciation of Pay, on the principles of the Resolves of Congress of the 10th. April, 1780, and 20th. February, 1782.
In Support of this Claim of the Memorialist the Board submit to the Consideration of Congress the following Resolve, viz.
That it be recommended to the Legislature of the State of Connecticut, to settle and Discharge the Depreciation of Pay due to Stephen Ranney Junr., late a Surgeons Mate in the General Hospital of the United States, agreeably to the Resolve of Congress of the 20th. February, 1782.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, signed by Samuel Osgood, Walter Livingston, and Arthur Lee, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 138, II, folio 277. According to indorsement it was read February 25 and passed April 6.]
February 22d. 1786.
Office For Foreign Affairs,
21st. February, 1786.
The Secretary of the United States for the Department of foreign Affairs to whom was referred, a Letter to him of 28th. November last from the Chargé des Affaires of France enclosing a Plan of a Treaty for the Correspondence of Letters between the Post Offices of France and those of the United States, Reports:
That he has submitted the said Plan to the Consideration of the Post Master General of the United States, whose Opinion thereon appears in the following Letter, vist.--
General Post Office,
February 16, 1786.
Sir: I have had under Consideration the proposed "Plan of a Treaty for the Correspondence of Letters between the Post-Offices of France and those of the United States of North-America," and observe but one Defect in it; and that is, it is left optional with the Writers to pay the Postage or not; and if we may judge from Experience, they will not pay it. The Consequences will be--
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the Risque of the United States; which will, evidently be very great, if we consider the Distances to which the Letters must travel, the Size and Situation of many of our Ferries, and our Seasons, especially the Winter.
We were exactly upon the above Plan with Respect to the british Packets at their first Establishment, as you will observe from the enclosed Advertisement; but the Inconveniences attending it were so great that it was found necessary to make an Alteration; and the whole Business was amazingly simplified by providing that all the Packet Postage should be paid in England. By this small change in the System every Difficulty is removed; and, as Experience has evinced its Utility, I beg leave to recommend the Adoption of the same Mode in the present Case. Indeed, it will be more advantageous to France than the Plan now proposed, because the number of refuse Letters will be lessened by it, as all the Letters put into the Offices in Prance will then be paid for, and the refuse Letters from this side of the Water will not be more numerous upon this Plan than upon the other: there will also be a Saving of the Commissions allowed to the Deputy Post Masters for transacting the Business.
The other Regulations, such as giving the Captains, Receipts for the Mails, sending Invoices of the Letters &ca. are equally proper upon either Plan.
I have the honor to be &ca.
(Signed) Ebenr Hazard.
The Honble: the Secy: for foreign Affairs.
Your Secretary thinks the Observations of the Post Master General are well founded, and therefore is of Opinion, that he the said Post, Master General should be duly authorized to conclude the said Treaty with the Director of the French Posts vested with equal Powers on the part of his Most Christian Majesty, provided the Alterations in question are admitted, and provided further that the Duration of the said Treaty shall not exceed the Term of ten Years.
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Your Secretary is also of Opinion that the said Treaty should be engrossed and executed in beth Languages.
All which is submitted to the Wisdom of Congress.
Joan Jay.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 81, II, folio 35. According to indorsement it was read February 25, 1786, and "Referred back to Secy. for foreign Affairs to report." Committee Book No. 190 shows that the, Secretary again reported March 29. The advertisement referred to is a broadside notice of the New York-Falmouth packets issued by the British Postmaster General, 1783, November 18, and is on folio 77.]
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Board of Treasury,
February 20th. 1786.
Samuel Osgood,
Walter Livingston.
Arthur Lee.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 140, II, folio 115. According to Committee Book No. 190, it was considered February 25 and referred to the Grand Committee of February 25. The letter from the Board of Treasury, forwarding this report is dated February 22 and is in No. 140, II, folio 131. A printed pamphlet of 13 folio pages headed Estimate of the Annual Expenditures of the Civil Departments of the United States, and dated at the Board of Treasury, February 20, 1786, is among the Continental Congress broadsides in the Library of Congress. It includes the above report and various statements of accounts of both 1785 and 1786 and appears to have been printed July 3 as an accompanying document to the report of the Board of Treasury, dated June 22, and read June 27.
February 25: The following committees were appointed:
Mr. [Samuel] Livermore, Mr. [Stephen Mix] Mitchell, Mr. [John] Lawrance, Mr. [John Cleves] Symmes, Mr. [Arthur] St. Clair, Mr. [William] Hindman, Mr. [Arthur] Lee, and Mr. [John] Kean, a grand Corn., "on Report of Board of Treasury and estimate of the money wanted for 1786. The Comee to meet in the Congress chamber on Monday next at 10 clock. June 1 The Comee. discharged and the report and Estimate referred to the board of treasy. to report."
Mr. [William] Grayson, Mr. [John] Kean, Mr. [William Samuel] Johnson, Mr. [John Bubenheim] Bayard and Mr. [Nathaniel] Gorham, "to prepare and report an Ordinance on the post Office. 11 feby., 1786. Letter from Com.ee. of Merchants and traders of Philada" This was a renewal of the committee of December 27, 1785, on post office, which reported January 6, 1786. Report was rendered June 15. The letter from the Philadelphia merchants complained of the inconvenience of the mails, is dated February 11 and is in No: 59, III, folio 351.
Mr. [Rufus] King, Mr. [Pierse] Long and Mr. [Stephen Mix] Mitchell on a memorial for depreciation losses from Francis Nichols. See ante, January 27, committee on depreciation petitions from quartermaster department employees. Nichols' petition is in No. 41, VII, folio 126.
The report of the Committee of February 21 was received and this day recommitted. See post, February 28.
Committee Book No. 190.]
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