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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 --PREFATORY NOTE
The Continental Congress, during 1787, continued its labors under difficulties due to the lack of attendance of sufficient States for the conduct of business. It was not until January 17, 1787, that a quorum of seven States was present and the Congress was organized for the Federal year 1786--87. From that date until October 27, the last day on which a quorum was present, there were 112 days on which the Congress assembled and transacted business. The following table shows the attendance of the various States upon these days.
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Upon these days 11 States were fully represented on 4 days; 10 States on 6 days; 9 States on 39 days; 8 States on 35 days; and 7 States on 28 days. On most of the days one or more of the remaining States were represented by one delegate.
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However, there were only 2 days on which there was a delegate present from each of the 13 States. The Journal also records the attendance of 6 or less States on 102 days, but there was no State that had a full representation for every day for which an entry was made. The entries of November and December indicate the arrival of the complete representation of 6 States and single delegates of 2 others for the sessions of the Federal year 1787--88.
Despite the handicap of poor attendance a great amount of business was done by the Congress during this year as is attested by the record presented in this volume. Early in the year the Congress provided for a Convention of the States to meet and consider amendments to the Articles of Confederation and pending the outcome of the deliberations of this body, which prepared the draft of a new constitution, the Congress was particularly inactive. To receive the report of the Convention and refer it to the States, delegates from 11 States assembled for several days late in September, which was the only time during the year when that number of States was present.
Many other problems were before the Congress. The question of the western lands and the government of the Western Territory received much attention. A resolution fixing the powers of the Board of Treasury to contract for the sale of lands, and the enactment of the Ordinance Of 1787 for the government of the Western Territory were solutions for these matters. As in preceding years the claims of individuals gave much work to the Congress as well as to the Board of Treasury and the Secretary at War. Consideration was also given to the settlement of the accounts between the individual States and the Federal Government, and the Ordinance of May 7, 1787, on this subject was adopted. The question of providing a sufficient revenue for the Federal establishment demanded extended discussion and consideration
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of a requisition on the States for the year. Important problems in the relations with France, Great Britain, Spain, and Portugal, as well as changes in diplomatic representation and the redemption of captives in Algiers, occupied much of the attention of the delegates. A treaty of peace and friendship with Morocco was ratified and published. Indian affairs, matters in connection with the Post Office Department, and interstate questions likewise came in for a share of the time of Congress.
In 1787 the Secretary's office kept, besides the Public Journal and the Secret Foreign and Domestic Journals, various other auxiliary records which have been utilized in editing this volume. These include the Record of Credentials (Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 180, I), the Despatch Book (No. 185, IV), Committee Reports (No. 189), the Committee Book (No. 190), Ordinances (No. 175), Western Territory (No. 176), the President's Letter Book (No. 16), the Secretary's Letter Book (No. 18B), and Ratifications of the Constitution. The endorsements on the original documents from the files of the Secretary's office also furnished much pertinent information as to the proceedings.
As in the preceding volumes, in addition to the Journal entries, the credentials of the delegates, motions, committee reports, reports of the Secretary of Congress, and reports of the heads of the departments, all of which were laid before Congress, are included in this volume in order to give as complete a presentation as possible of the workings of that august body. The names of committee members and a notation of letters and petitions received and read in Congress are given in the footnotes.
A report of the Board of Treasury of March 19, 1787, is taken from a photostat copy of the volume entitled Reports of the Board of Treasury A, the original of which is in the New York Public Library. The notes of James Madison on
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the debates of the Congress for a part of the year are taken from the manuscript copy in the Library of Congress. The lists of reports formed by Charles Thomson, in November 1786, at the close of the sessions of the Congress of 1785--86, showing the unfinished business and the subjects which had been negatived or were obsolete, are given in an appendix. Bibliographical notes on the imprints of the Congress for 1787 are also included.
Roscoe R. Hill, Editor.
Herbert Putnam, Librarian.
April 1935.
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