| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |
A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --THURSDAY, AUGUST 17, 1786.
Congress assembled. Present as before.
According to Order, Congress went into a committee of the whole, and after some time the president resumed the chair, and Mr. Bull reported, that the Committee of the
Page 525 | Page image
whole have had under consideration the subject referred to them, but not having come to a conclusion, desire to sit again.
Ordered, That the Committee of the Whole sit again to Morrow.
Board of Treasury,
August 9th, 1786.
Sir: Since our Report to Congress of the 5th. Inst. on the propriety of renewing Certificates of Debt issued under the Authority of the United States, and made payable to Bearer, it has occurred to us that if the principles we have stated, are approved of by Congress, it might be proper to fix a period when the operation of the first Resolve Submitted in the Report should take place, and to permit all Applications for Renewal of Securities lost or destroyed previous to the date of passing such a Resolve to stand on their respective merits.
We are induced to make this proposition from a consideration that the Resolves of Congress of 10th May, and 18th July, 1780, permit the renewal of Certificates lost or destroyed under certain restrictions, and though this priviledge is confined by these Resolves to Loan Office Certificates, the Spirit of it extends to all Securities made payable to Bearer. In consequence of these Resolves it is probable that many persons who have lost Certificates have taken the previous measures pointed out by the Resolves aforesaid, to entitle them to a Renewal, and it therefore would not be equitable in our Opinion, to preclude them from the Benefit of a Right acquired under positive Acts of Congress. The possessors of Certificates made payable to Bearer being thus forewarn'd that no Renewal in case of Total Loss, or Destruction, would in future be admitted, would be more cautious in preserving the same, than hitherto they have been, or would Exchange their Certificates for such as are only transferable at the Treasury.
Page 526 | Page image
Your Excellency will oblige us in making this communication to Congress whenever the Report we refer to, is the object of their consideration.
We have the honor to be, etc.1
[Note 1: 1 This letter, signed by Samuel Osgood, Walter Livingston, and Arthur Lee, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 139, folio 375. According to indorsement it was referred on August 17 to Mr. [William Samuel] Johnson, Mr. [William] Grayson and Mr. Arthur St. Clair. See post, February 12, 1787.]
His Excelly.
The President of Congress.
The committee [consisting of Mr. William Samuel Johnson, Mr. John Cleves Symmes and Mr. James Manning] to whom was refered a letter from Lieut. Colonel Harmer to the Secretary of War, together with another letter from Mr. Ettwein to the Secretary of Congress both relative to the Moravian Indians, report:
That about one hundred of the said Indians having lately removed from the river Huron to Cayahoga, intend by the leave of Congress to return in the fall of the present year to their former settlements on the muskingum river.
The committee are of opinion that some attention as well in policy as charity ought to be paid to the accommodation of the said Indians, by giving them permission to return to the place of their old habitation on the Muskingum, and making some provision for their subsistence through the ensuing winter. That they also be assured of the friendship and protection of the United States.
The committee therefore submit to Congress the following resolution.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, in the writing of John Cleves Symmes, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 30, folio 389. According to Thomson's indorsement it was read August 17. The submitted resolution was passed with some additions, which are entered on this report, August 24. The Extract from Josiah Harmar's letter is in No. 150, I, folio 487. It was forwarded in a letter from Robert Pemberton, which is on folio 483 and according to Thomson's indorsement thereon the matter was referred to the same committee on August 7.]
[Office of Secretary of Congress,]
August 17, 1786.
On the memorial of F. Cazeau stating that in consequence of his memorial of the 31 July his claims therein mentioned have been liquidated at the treasury office and that he has received from the Register a certificate dated the 9th of this month for 91 54/90 dollars
Page 527 | Page image
bearing interest at 6 per cent from the 1 July, 1776, and praying on Account of his distressed situation that the amount of the said certificate with the Interest due thereon may be paid. The Secretary of Congress reports: Agreed to 18 Aug. That the memorial of Fra: Cazeau be referred to the board of treasury to report.
On the memorial of E. Fox stating that by his removal to New York in Obedience to the Order of Congress he has been exposed to heavy expences as well as to great loss and inconvenience and praying for a reimbursement of his actual expences and loss, the Secretary of Congress reports:
That the memorial of E. Fox be referred to a Agreed to 18th. Commee.
On the letter of 15 from Mr. A. Lee stating that there is in the post Office a small box directed to R. H. Lee, Esq. on which the postage charged from Baltimore is 30. 13. 4 and requesting as the putting it into the p. Office must have been from a mistaken Opinion that R. H. Lee, Esq. was attending Congress, that the p. master be directed to deliver the sd. box free of postage, the Secy. of C. reports:
That the letter of A. Lee be referred to the post Amended and agreed to 18th. Master general to take Order.1
[Note 1: 1 These reports were entered by Thomson in Reports of the Secretary, No. 180. Cazeau's memorial, dated August 10, is in No. 42, II, folio 214.]
PREVIOUS SECTION .. NEXT SECTION .. NAVIGATOR
| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |