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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 --MONDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1786.
Congress assembled. Present, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, South Carolina and Georgia.
Congress resumed the consideration of the Ordinance for the establishment of a Mint, and the same being read a third time, was passed as follows:
1An Ordinance for the establishment of the Mint of the United States of America, and for regulating the value and alloy of Coin.
[Note 1: 1 Benjamin Bankson here takes up the entry.]
It is hereby ordained by the United States in Congress assembled, that a Mint be established for the coinage of gold, silver and copper money, agreeably to the Resolves of Congress of the 8th August last, under the direction of the following officers, viz.
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 troy weight 2of 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.
[Note 2: 2 Charles Thomson here resumes the entry.]
For every pound troy weight 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 persons so employed.
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A Paymaster, who shall be the treasurer of the United States for the time being, 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 or silver issued by the Assay master, and to pay ninety-five hundredths of the amount thereof in gold or silver, and five-hundredths in the copper coin of the United States.
And it is hereby further Ordained, That the certificates to be given by the Assay master, to persons who shall lodge gold or silver in the Mint for coinage, shall be on fine blank paper, and expressed 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 [here insert the species] bullion, for the Amount of which pay toor bearer, the sum ofat ten days sight, agreeably to the custom of the Mint.C. D. Assay Master.
To E. F. Pay Master of the Mint of the United States of America.
And it is hereby further Ordained, That the Officers above mentioned, shall settle their accounts monthly, agreeably to such forms and vouchers as shall be prescribed by the Comptroller of the treasury.
And it is hereby further Ordained, That the Officers shall enter into bonds to the United States in Congress assembled, for the faithful execution of the trust respectively reposed in them, in the manner and amount following, viz.
The Assay Master, in the sum of ten thousand dollars, and two sureties, each in the sum of five thousand dollars.
The Master Coiner, in the sum of ten thousand dollars, and two sureties, each in the sum of five thousand dollars.
And that the Officers mentioned in this Ordinance, as well as every other person employed in the Mint, shall take and subscribe the Oath of Office, established by the resolve of the 14th March, 1786.
And it is hereby 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 or other information it shall appear, that there has been any neglect, mismanagement or abuse of trust, in any of the Officers mentioned in
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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 Congress.
And it is hereby further ordained, That the copper coin struck under the Authority of the United States in Congress assembled, 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 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 interposition of the powers vested by the Confederation in the United States in Congress assembled, of regulating the value of copper, the coin so current as aforesaid;
It is hereby Ordained, That no foreign copper coin whatsoever, shall, after the first day of September, 1787, be current within the United States of America: And that no copper coin struck under the Authority of a particular state, shall pass at a greater value than one federal dollar for two pounds and one quarter of a pound, avoirdupois weight, of such copper coin. Done by the United States in Congress assembled.
On a report of the board of treasury, to whom was referred a letter of the 30 November, 1785, from Messrs. Schweighhouser and Dobre, of Nantes, in behalf of the late Daniel Schweighhouser,
The Board of Treasury to whom was referred a Letter of the 30th November, 1785, from Messrs. Schweighouser & Dobree of Nantes, in behalf of the late Mr Daniel Schweighouser, beg leave to Report:
That the Claim of the late Mr Schweighouser against the United States, is stated to the 31st. December, 1785, to be Livres 40,245:10:5.
That by an Account transmitted on the 14th. May last by Mr. Thomas Barclay, Commissioner for Settling the Public Accounts in Europe; the said Commissioner charges the late House of Daniel
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Schweighouser of Nantes, with a Balance due to the United States of Livres 5,441:8:8.
That the difference in Statement, arises from the whole Amount of Principal and Interest charged for Advances on the Frigate Alliance; and for other objects particularly specified in Mr Barclay's Letter of the 14th. May, last.
That in consequence of the Claim above mentioned, which (for Reasons, of which we are not competent to form a judgment) was objected to by Doctor Franklin, an Attachment has been laid by the said House on the property of the United States, in the hands of the Claimants; the issue of which has not (as this Board has been informed) been determined on; neither has any measure been adopted in pursuance of the Resolve of Congress of the 23d. August, 1781, to Adjust the Accounts of the late Mr. Schweighouser, and to pay the Balance which might be found due.
That in the Opinion of this Board, the Character and Interest of the United States, are concerned in bringing the matter in controversy to as speedy an Issue as possible. For this purpose they submit to the consideration of Congress the following Resolve.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 577. According to Committee Book No. 189, it was rendered and passed October 16. The resolve and order were adopted verbatim and are entered on the Journal above. A copy, in French, of a statement of the case, with a copy, in English of the resolve of this date, is in No. 59, IV, folio 335.]
October 13th., 1786
Resolved, That the minister plenipotentiary of the United States at the court of France be and he is hereby authorised and directed to cause the claim of the representatives of the late Daniel Schweighhouser, of Nantes, against the United States of America, to be adjusted in such manner as he shall judge most for the interest and honor of the said states; and that the property of the United States in the custody of the above mentioned party claimant, be applied towards the discharge of the balance, if any, which shall be found due, so far as the same may be necessary, on such principles as shall be agreed on betwixt the said minister plenipotentiary and the above claimants.
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Ordered, That the board of treasury transmit a copy of the above resolve to the Minister plenipotentiary of the United States at the court of France, together with such documents relative to the said claim as they may judge necessary.
[Motion of Mr. Pettit]
Whereas by the Ordinance passed theDay ofthe Commissioners appointed under the Resolutions of theof Feby, 1782, are to continue in Office till the 1st Day of April, next, and that those appointed for the States of North Carolina and Georgia are to continue in Office for such longer Time, not exceeding six Months, as the Board of Treasury shall direct, for the purpose of settling the Claims of Individuals.
And whereas divers Claims of Individuals in other States are precluded from a Settlement by the said Commrs. by the Resolution of theof March, 1785, prohibiting the Reception of such Claims for examination other than in the general Office of the Treasury and it is just and reasonable that the said Commissioners should be authorized to receive and adjust the said Claims as far as may be practicable within the Time of their Continuance in Office: Therefore
Resolved, That the Commissioners appointed in the several States for adjusting the claims of Individuals against the U. States be authorized and directed to receive such claims for settlement until the 1st Day of March, next, the aforesaid Resolution of theof March, 1785, notwithstanding.1
[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of Charles Pettit, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, III, folio 311. According to indorsement it was offered October 16, referred to the Board of Treasury to report and reported February 12, 1789.]
The Commissioner of Accounts for the Hospital Department, to whom was referred the Memorial of Dr. David Oliphant begs leave to report:
That altho' Dr. Oliphant produces a Commission appointing him Director General of the Hospitals in Carolina your Commissioner does not think himself warranted in considering him in any other light than as Director in a Department, because upon the most careful examination of the several Arrangements of Congress no such appointment appears to have been made nor any such Officer established by them, hence it is presumed, the Commission was transmitted with
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other blank Commissions for the Troops and filled up in Carolina contrary to the then existing arrangements of Congress for the Hospital Department, the Pay however is the same in either capacity untill the arrangement of 1777 and therefore until then, the matter is not worth a question.
That in whatever capacity Dr. Oliphant is considered previous to the 7th April, 1777, the System established by the arrangement of that date appears to your Commissioner clear and explicit that there should be one Director General throughout the United States and a Deputy Director General in each Department where it was necessary an Hospital should be established nor does your Commissioner conceive that the Resolution of 25th february, 1780, can be considered as recognizing Dr. Oliphant in an Office which Congress never had established.
The accounts of Dr. Oliphant as Director under the first, and Deputy Director General under the second Hospital Arrangement, have been stated and settled, and your Commissioner Submits--
That it does not appear by the several Resolutions relative to the Hospital Department that Dr. Oliphant is entitled to any further allowance of Pay than has been made to him in the settlement of his Accounts.
Ben Walker,
Commr.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 31, 153. According to indorsement it was read October 16, 1786, and referred to Mr. [Nathan] Dane, Mr. [Charles] Pettit and Mr. [Charles] Pinckney. Roger Alden has indorsed this report: "See Act of Congress August 25th, 1788."
October 16: The following committees were appointed:
Mr. [Charles] Pinckney, Mr. [Charles] Pettit, Mr. [John] Henry, Mr. [Nathan] Sedgwick, and Mr. [Edward] Carrington "To draft an Ordinance for carrying into effect the Imp. System of 18 Ap. 1783" etc. This was a renewal of the committee of July 27. See ante, July 27 and August 8. This committee was discharged February 12, 1787.
Mr. [Nathan] Dane, Mr. [Charles] Pettit, Mr. [John] Henry, Mr. [Lambert] Cadwallader, and Mr. [Edward] Carrington, on "Report of Secy. for foreign Affairs on Mr. Adams letter touching infraction of treaty." This committee was renewed February 12, 1787.
Also, the "Petition of Hoysted Hacker on construction of resolve of 11 July, 1778" was referred to the Commissioner of Marine Accounts to report, the Secretary of Congress having recommended this action on October 14, on which date he also recommended that Whipple's petition be referred to the Board of Treasury to report.
Also, the "Petition of A. Whipple to be paid 3,770 dollars" was referred to the Board of Treasury to report and report rendered October 21.
Also, a "Motion of Massachusetts for extending the time for paying in Certificates beyond the time limited by the requisition of Sept 1785." was referred to the Board of Treasury to report and report rendered October 21.
Committee Book No. 190.]
Office of Accounts,
Hospital Department.
Oct. 12, 1786.
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