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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, FEBRUARY 19, 1787.
Congress assembled present as before.
Congress being assembled Present Massachusetts Connecticut New York New Jersey Penylvania Virginia North Carolina South Carolina and Georgia and from R[hode] Island Mr [James Mitchel] Varnum and from Maryland Mr [Uriah] Forrest.2
[Note 2: 2 The attendance is entered in this form in the Secret Domestic Journal, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 3, p. 230.]
The President being absent Congress proceeded to the election of a chairman and the ballots being taken
The honble. Lambert Cadwallader was elected.
The Comee.3 consisting of Mr [Rufus] King Mr [William Samuel] Johnson and Mr [Samuel] Meredith to whom was referred a petition4 of Thomas Russel of Boston in the state
[Note 3: 3 According to Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 137, the committee was appointed February 19 and reported the same day.]
[Note 4: 4 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, VI, p. 526, read February 19. The committee report is indorsed on the petition.]
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of Massachusetts praying that sea letters may be granted for two vessels belonging to him now at Boston and bound for the east Indies, namely the Brig Nathaniel whereof Moses Brown is Master and the Schooner "The generous Friends", Eli Vickery master having reported "That they are assured that the vessels above mentioned with their cargoes belong to a citizen of the United States and are navigated by seamen who are citizens of the United States."
Resolved That sea letters in the usual form be granted for the said vessels,
1The comee. consisting of Mr [Charles] Pinckney Mr [James] Madison Mr [Rufus] King Mr [William Samuel] Johnson and Mr [William] Bingham to whom was referred a motion for directing the Secretary at war to issue instructions immediately to the officers in the recruiting service to suspend any future inlistments of troops under the resolutions2 of Congress of the 20 Oct 1786 until the farther directions of Congress having reported3 "That in their opinion the present circumstances of the United States make it prudent to postpone for a short time a decision on the subject which has been referred to them". And this report being called for as au Order of the day by the State of South Carolina and being under debate, a motion4 was made by Mr [Charles] Pinckney seconded by Mr [William] Few That the further consideration of the said report be postponed in order to take up the following
[Note 1: 1 From this point to the end of the day the entry is also made in Secret Domestic Journal, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 3, pp. 230--232, under the date f, Monday February 16, 1787". The margin of the Public Journal is marked with dots to indicate transfer to the Secret Journal.]
[Note 2: 2 Journals, vol XXXI, pp. 892--893.]
[Note 3: 3 See February 14 and 16, 1787.]
[Note 4: 4 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 27, pp. 321--322, in the writing of Mr. Charles Pinckney.]
"Whereas neither the requisition5 of the 21 of Oct 1786, nor the loans which the board of treasury were directed to
[Note 5: 5 Journals, vol. XXXI, p. 893 ff.]
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make in consequence thereof for paying and subsisting the troops directed to be raised by the resolutions of the 20 of October last have yielded the sums expected from the same, and on the prospect of obtaining which the additional number of 1340 men was alone determined to be raised; And as the present critical and embarrassed situation of the funds of the United States is such as not to permit the raising and equipping the whole number of troops mentioned in the said resolutions without interfering with the more necessary and important purposes of collecting supplies for the maintenance of the civil list and the contingencies of the federal government, the payment of the interest and such parts of the Capital as are and will become due on the foreign loans; And as it would be highly dangerous and impolitic either to apply the sums appropriated to these purposes to the maintenance of an additional military establishment, in itself not necessary to the full extent, or to place arms in the hands of a body of disciplined troops, for whose pay and subsistence the United States are not at present nor will soon probably be in a situation to provide; Therefore resolved that the Secreatry at war be and he is hereby ordered to issue immediate instructions to the Officers in the recruiting service to suspend any future inlistments under the resolutions of the 20th of October until the farther direction of Congress, except so far as to compleat the corps now in service on the Ohio or its neighbourhood to the number of6 non commissioned Officers and privates; that he direct the troops already raised with a suitable proportion of commissioned Officers to rendezvous atAnd that he report to Congress the arrangements necessary for compleating the said corps and for discharging the Officers who may have been commissioned but whose services are by this reduction rendered unnecessary."
[Note 6: 6 In the original motion this blank read "one thousand". which was crossed out.]
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On the question to postpone for the purpose above mentioned the yeas and nays being required by Mr [Charles] Pinckney
{table}
So the question was lost.
On motion of Mr [James] Madison seconded by Mr [Rufus] King
Ordered That this be under the injunction of secrecy for two months.
Ordered That the consideration of the report be postponed.
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[Letter of Board of Treasury on French debt1]
[Note 1: 1 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 140, II, p. 385. The report, read February 19, 1787, is on pp. 463--467. The extract of Jefferson's letter, regarding the purchase of the United States debt to France by Holland merchants, is on pp. 389--391. The report was acted on October 2, 1787, under which date it is entered verbatim in the Secret Journals, Papers of the Continental Congress, Nos. 5 and 6. See February 2, 1787.]
Board of Treasury February 19th. 1787.
Sir: We have the honor to enclose to Your Excellency for the consideration of Congress, the Report of this Board on an Extract of a Letter from the Honble. Mr Jefferson Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of France of the 26th. of September 1786.
We are with great respect, etc.,
Samuel Osgood
Walter Livingston
Arthur Lee
His Excelly.
The President of Congress.
[Letters of Secretary of Foreign Affairs transmitting correspondence]
Office for foreign Affairs 15th. February 17872
[Note 2: 2 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 80, III, p. 185, read February 19, 1787. Lafayette's letter, relating to Diego Gardoqui, the navigation of the Mississippi and commerce, is in Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 156, p. 450--452 read February 19, 1787. See Journals, vol. XXXI, pp. 540--543.]
Sir: I have the Honor of transmitting to your Excellency herewith enclosed a Letter of the 28th. October last from the Marquis De la Fayette. The Paper mentioned to be enclosed has on a former Occasion been laid before Congress.
With great Respect, etc.,
His Excellency
The President of Congress
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New York 19th., October 17861
[Note 1: 1 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 80, III, p. 193, read February 19, 1787. Lamb's letter, respecting the cost of the Spanish peace with Algiers, is in Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 91, II, pp. 525--527.]
Sir: I have the Honor to transmit to your Excellency herewith enclosed a Letter from Mr Lamb of 10th October last, and the Paper accompanying it, and am with great Respect etc.,
John Jay.2
[Note 2: 2 According to the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 136, the grand committee of February 12, 1787, on the letter of J. Dickinson reported. See February 21, 1787.]
His Excellency
The President of Congress
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