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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 --THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1786.
Congress assembled. Present, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.
The committee, consisting of Mr. [William Samuel] Johnson, Mr. [Edward] Carrington, Mr. [Henry] Lee, Mr. [Nathan] Dane and Mr. [Nathaniel] Ramsay, to whom was referred a letter of the Secretary at War, of the 20 instant, with a paper enclosed, having reported "That in their Opinion the measures adopted by the said Secretary, relative to the Ordnance and stores, mentioned in his letter, were proper and expedient."
Report, that in their opinion the measures adopted by the said Secretary relative to the arsenal, ordnance and stores of the United States mentioned in his said letter were proper and expedient and the only measures that can be prudently taken under circumstances and to prevent any damage being done to the said ordnance and Stores hereafter.
Resolved, That the Secretary at war adopt such measures and make such arrangements as in his opinion shall be prudent and best calculated to prevent their being seised or damaged by any disorderly men for the preservation of the same.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Nathan Dane, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 27, folio 311.]
In order to prevent any damage being hereafter clone to the said Ordnance and stores,
Resolved, That the Secretary at War adopt such measures and make such arrangements as in his Opinion shall be best calculated for the preservation of the same.
On the report of a committee, consisting of Mr. [Edward] Carrington, Mr. [John Bubenheim] Bayard and Mr. [William Samuel] Johnson, to whom was referred a petition of David Henly,
Resolved, That David Henly be allowed five hundred dollars, as an indemnification for his extraordinary expenses,
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while in Command with the militia employed as a guard over the convention troops at Cambridge, in the state of Massachusetts, in the years 1777 and 1778, and that the board of treasury take Order for the payment of the said sum.
An Ordinance for the Establishment of the Mint of the United States of America; and for regulating the Value and Alloy of Coin:
That a Mint be established for the coinage of gold, Silver, and Copper Money, agreeably to the Resolves of Congress of the 8th. of August last, under the direction of the following Officers, vizt.:
An Assay Master--whose duty it shall be to receive Gold and Silver in Bullion, or Foreign Coin, to Assay the same; and to give his Certificates for the Value thereof at the following Rates:
For every Pound Weight Troy of Uncoined Gold or Foreign Gold Coin, Eleven parts fine and One part Alloy--Two hundred and Nine Dollars, seven Dimes and seven Cents, Money of the United States as Established by the Resolves of Congress of the 8th. of August last, and so in proportion to the fine gold contained in any coined or uncoined gold whatsoever.
For every Pound Weight Troy of Uncoined Silver, or Foreign Silver Coin, eleven parts fine and one part Alloy Thirteen Dollars, seven Dimes, seven Cents and seven Mills, Money of the United States, Established as aforesaid: And so in proportion to the fine Silver contained in any coined or uncoined Silver whatsoever.
A Master Coiner, whose Duty it shall be to receive from Time to Time of the Assay Master, the Bullion necessary for Coinage--to Report to Congress Devices and proofs of the proposed pieces of Coin, and to procure proper Workmen to execute the Business of Coinage, reporting from Time to Time to the Commissioners of the Board of Treasury of the United States, for approbation, and allowance, the Occupation, Number, and Pay of the person so employed.
A Paymaster, whose Duty it shall be to receive, and take charge of the Coin made under the direction of the Master Coiner and to Receipt for the same, To receive and duly enter the Certificates for Uncoined Gold and Silver issued by the Assay Master; and to pay Ninety-five hundredths of the Amount thereof in Gold or Silver Coin, and Five hundredths in the Copper Coin of the United States.
And Be it further Ordained, That the Certificates to be given by the Assay Master, to Persons who shall lodge Gold, or Silver in the
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Mint for Coinage, shall be on fine Bank Paper, and exprest in the manner and form following, to Wit:
Mint of the United States, --, --, --.
I acknowledge to have received of A. B. for Coinage (here insert the Weight) of (insert the Species) Bullion, for the Amount of which Pay to -- or Bearer, the Sum of -- at ten Days sight, agreeably to the Custom of the Mint.
C. D.,
Assay Master.
To F. E., Pay Master of the
Mint of the United States of America
And be it further Ordained, That the Salaries of the Officers above mentioned Shall beper year, payable in quarterly payments; and that they settle their Accounts Monthly, agreeable to such forms and Vouchers as shall be prescribed by the Comptroller of the Treasury.
And be it further Ordained, That the Officers mentioned in the within Ordinance, shall enter into Bonds to the United States, for the faithful Execution of the Trust respectively, reposed in them, in the manner and Amount following, to Wit; The Assay Master in the sum ofDrs. and two Sureties, each in the sum ofDrs.; The Master Coiner, in the sum ofDrs.; and two Sureties, each in the sum ofDrs.; The Pay Master, in the sum ofDrs. and two Sureties, each in the sum ofDrs. And that they shall likewise (as well as every other person employed in the Mint) take and subscribe the Oath of Office, established by the Resolve of the 14th. March, 1786.
And be it further Ordained., That it shall be the Duty of the Comptroller of the Treasury to Report Monthly to the Commissioners of the Treasury of the United States a Statement of the Mint Accounts, adjusted agreeably to the Usual Forms; and if on such Statement it shah appear that there has been any Neglect, Mismanagement, or abuse of Trust, in any of the Officers mentioned in the within Ordinance, it shall be the Duty of the Commissioners of the Board of Treasury to suspend such Officer or Officers, and to Report thereon specially to the United States in Congress.
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And be it further Ordained, That the Copper Coin struck under the Authority of the United States, shall be receivable in all Taxes, or Payments due to the United States, in the proportion of Five Dollars for every hundred Dollars so paid; but that no other Copper Coin whatsoever, shall be receivable in any Taxes or payments whatsoever to the United States.
And whereas, the great Quantities of Base Copper Coin daily imported into, or Manufactured within the Several States, is become so highly injurious to the Interest and Commerce of the same, as to require the immediate Interposion of the Powers vested by the Confederation in the United States in Congress, of Regulating the Value of the Copper Coin so current as aforesaid.
Be it Ordained, That no Foreign Copper Coin whatsoever, shall after theday ofbe current within the United States; and that no Copper Coin struck under the Authority of a particular State, shall pass as a greater Value than One Federal Dollar for two pounds and one quarter of a pound Avoirdupois Weight of such Copper Coin.
And whereas, an Uniformity in the Punishment of persons found Guilty of debasing and Counterfeiting the Coin of the United States, or knowingly uttering the same, is Essential for the prevention of such dangerous Offences.
Be it ordained, That if any Person or Persons shall debase or Counterfeit in any part of the United States, any Gold or Silver Coin struck under the Authority of the said States, or shall knowingly Utter or cause to be Uttered such debased or Counterfeited Gold or Silver Coin the party or parties so offending shall, if Convicted of the same in any Court of Record Established under the Authority of the State in which such Offence is Committed, Suffer the Pains and penalties of Death, without Benefit of Clergy. And be it further Ordained, That if any Person or Persons in any part of the United States shall in the manner above mentioned be convicted of melting, or filing, Clipping or otherwise impairing the Gold or Silver Coin of the United States, The party or parties so Convicted, shall for every such Offence be mulcted in a Fine ofDollars, Money of the United States, and suffer imprisonment for the space ofMonths.
And be it further Ordained, That if any Person or Persons shall in any part of the United States, make, Coin, or Counterfeit any of the Copper Coin of the United States, and be duly Convicted thereof in the manner above Recited, the Party or Parties so convicted shah foe
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every such offence forfeit the Sum of Dollars, Money of thr United States, and suffer imprisonment for the space of Months.
And be it further Ordained, That if any Person or Persons not authorised for such purpose by the Master Coiner of the Mint of the United States, shall make any Stamp, Die, or Mould, in Imitation of such as are used in the Mint of the United States, or shall convey out of the Mint any Stamp, Die or Mould, made or used in the Mint of the United States, and shall be thereof, duly convicted in the manner above recited, the Party or Parties so convicted shall for every such Offence forfeit the sum of, Money of the United States, and sufferYears Imprisonment.
And be it further Ordained, That the Residue of Fines imposed by Virtue of this Ordinance, after defraying the Expences incurred on the Prosecution for the same, to the United States, shall accrue to the benefit of the State in which the Conviction took place.
All which is most humbly Submitted.1
[Note 1: 1 This ordinance, signed by Samuel Osgood and Arthur Lee, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 59, III, folio 433. According to indorsement it was read September 21 and made the "Order of day for tuesday." See post, October 10. The enclosing letter from the Board is in No. 140, II, folio 323.]
Board of Treasury,
September 20th, 1786.
The Committee consisting of [Mr. Edward Carrington, Mr. John Cleves Symmes and Mr. Nathan Dane] to whom was referred a letter of the 16th. March from Capt. Thomas Hutchins, Geographer of United States report as follows:
The Committee are of opinion from the best information they can get, that a Surveyor who shall fully and faithfully perform all the duties required of him by the "ordinance for Ascertaining the mode of disposing of the Lands in the Western Territory" cannot, upon an average, proceed more than two Miles per day which, upon the present allowance will entitle him to four dollars, and that in performing this Service he must incur the following daily expence, viz.:
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This, making no allowance for the Surveyors own time and contingencies, leaves him a loser, and when it is considered that some time must be spent in preparation and travelling previous to the Commencement of the Work, and that interruptions will happen by means of bad weather and other casualties, this loss must still be greater. The Committee are of opinion that the allowance of milage to a Surveyor under the said Ordinance, to comprehend a satisfaction for his labour, his expences, and the casual losses of time, ought to be such as to entitle him for every day he shall proceed upon the work, upon an average to six dollars, and therefore submit to the consideration of Congress, the following resolution, viz.:
Resolved, That each Surveyor who shall be employed under the "Ordinance of the 20th. May, 1785, for Ascertaining the mode of disposing of Lands in the Western Territory" be allowed and paid at the rate of three dollars for every mile in length he shall run, including the Wages of Chain Carriers, Markers, and every other expence attending the same.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Edward Carrington, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, III, folio 237. It was read on this or an approximate date. See committee appointed this day on memorial of the Surveyors.
September 21: The following committee was appointed:
Mr. [Nathan] Dane, Mr. [Henry] Lee, and Mr. [Alexander] White, on a "Memi of Surveyors" of Western Lands for pay. It is dated August 14, Banks of the Ohio, and signed by Benjamin Tupper in behalf of all. It is in No. 41, IX, folio 415. Report was rendered September 25.
Committee Book No. 190.
Also, according to indorsement, the committee report on a temporary government for the Western Territory was, this day, postponed. Committee Book No. 189 says it was transferred.]
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