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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, MARCH 19, 1787.
Congress assembled. Present Massachusetts New York New Jersey, Pensylvania, Delaware Virginia North Carolina and Georgia and from Rhode island Mr [James Mitchel] Varnum and from Connecticut M(r) [William Samuel] Johnson.
On a letter1 from Mr T. Hutchins requesting leave of Absence for a week or ten days,
[Note 1: 1 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 60, p. 297.]
Ordered That leave be granted.
[Report of Board of Treasury on memorial of N. Appleton 2]
[Note 2: 2 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 138, I, pp. 79--81, read March 19, 1787. The covering letter of the Board, also read, is in Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 140, I, p. 327. See March 12, 1787.]
The Board of Treasury to whom it was referred to Report Generally on the Memorial of Nathaniel Appleton Continental Loan Officer for the State of Massachusets, praying that a Compensation may be allowed for certain Extra Services in that Department not provided for by Acts of Congress,
Beg leave to Report
That the Statement of the Accounts of the said Nathaniel Appleton have not as yet been reported on to this Board by the Commissioner for the State of Massachusets.
That to determine how far the Established Commissions to the former Loan-Officers are adequate to their respective services, it is necessary that their several Accounts should be previously adjusted and reported on to this Board, for till this is effected; it cannot be ascertained, whether the several Officers have properly accounted for the Certificates, Money &ca. with which they are chargeable; or whether the aggregate Value of their Commission is, or is not adequate to their respective Services.
That the operation of a Commission in the late Loan-Office transactions is such, that it must depend on the amount of the Business done by the respective Officers, whether or not their Services have been properly compensated. it appears therefore in the opinion of the Board, not practicable to establish any general Rule of Compensation on account of Extra Duties not provided for by Acts of Congress.
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But few of the late Loan-Office Accounts have yet been adjusted, and Reported on to this Board; from those States where the Transactions of that Department have been regularly kept; the Accounts adjusted by the State Commissioners may in a short time be expected, Congress will then have it in their power, to judge whether any general or particular allowance ought to be made to the former Loan Officers, beyond their established Commission.
Under these circumstances the Board are of Opinion
That Mr Appleton should be informed that his Memorial cannot be taken into Consideration till his Accounts are adjusted and Reported on to the Treasury, agreeably to the Rules established for settling the Old Loan Office Accounts.
All which is humbly submitted.
March 15th. 1787.
Samuel Osgood
Walter Livingston
Arthur Lee
[Report of Board of Treasury on petition of Abraham Yates, jr.1]
[Note 1: 1 This report dated March 14, 1787 and signed by Samuel Osgood, Walter Livingston and Arthur Lee, is in Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 138, II, pp. 601--608, with accompanying documents on pp. 609--622. Read March 19, 1787. The report was acted on October 9, 1787 where it is entered verbatim in the Journal. See February 20, 1787.]
[Report of Board of Treasury on memorial of A. H. Dohrman.2]
[Note 2: 2 Reports of the Board of Treasury A, pp. 335--338; Library of Congress photostat copy. The covering letter of the Board, read March 19, 1787, is in Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 140, I, p. 331. According to the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 140, the report was referred to a committee consisting of Mr. James Mitchel Varnum, Mr. Rufus King and Mr. William Few. It was discharged on April 19, 1787.]
Board of Treasury,
March 19th. 1787.
Present Samuel Osgood
Walter Livingston
The Board of Treasury to whom it was referred to examine the Claims3 a of Mr Arnold Henry Dohrman, Agent for the United States at the Court of Lisbon,
[Note 3: 3 A copy of Dohrman's memorial to Congress in June 1786 is in Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, VIII, pp. 221--223. See Journals, vol. XXX, p. 415.]
Beg leave to Report
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That in consequence of the above referrence they have caused Mr. Dohrmans accounts for supplies to American Prisoners during the late War, to be examined by the proper Officers of the Treasury: the amount of which is found to be 25,084 40/90ths Dollars.
That out of this Sum only 5,806 72/90ths Dollars are supported by such regular Vouchers as will authorise an admission by the proper Officers of the Treasury.
Various documents are offered in support of the remainder, but they are deemed too general by Executive Officers, as adequate Vouchers in support of Specific Charges.
That this deficiency appears to arise in a principal degree from the nature of the Disbursements made by Mr Dohrman, whose own house was frequently the Asylum of whole Crews of Captive American Seamen, who were fed, clothed, and relieved in sickness through his benevolence; and that at a time when the political connection betwixt the Courts of Great Britain and Portugal rendered a display of his attachment to the American cause, dangerous, both to his Person and property.
That such was the conduct of Mr Dohrman appears from the various certificates accompanying his memorial, and from the Resolve1 of Congress of the 21st. of June 1780 (founded on a Report of the Committee of Foreign Affairs) appointing Mr. Dohrman Agent for the United States in the Kingdom of Portugal in the preamble to which, his extensive Disbursements to our Prisoners, and Zealous Attachment to the cause of America are acknowledged in terms highly honorable to that Gentleman.
[Note 1: 1 Journals, vol. XVII, p. 541.]
From the Report above referred to, it appears to have been the expectations of Mr Dohrman that the United States in Congress, should at a convenient season, reimburse his actual expenditures for the support of the American Prisoners, and though the Resolve for his appointment is silent as to this object, his claim appears grounded on the principles of Reason, and common justice; especially when it is considered, that the Act for his appointment is grounded on the Report of the Committee of Foreign Affairs, to whom his expectation of reimbursement had been stated.
The Board however beg leave to observe, that however strong the presumption is, from the character of Mr. Dohrman and other circumstances attending his Transactions, that the whole of the sum
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by him charged, have been actually expended for the Service of the United States, yet it appears dangerous to admit at the Treasury, such parts of his Disbursements as are not supported by regular Vouchers, since the precedent would be - bable be1 taken advantage of by Persons, whose character and pretentions (if properly ascertained) might be found very dissimilar from those of Mr. Dohrman.
[Note 1: 1 This unintelligible phrase possibly should read "would be liable to be."]
Under the circumstances above stated the Board submit to the Consideration of Congress the following points Viz.
Should the principles of the above Report be approved of by Congress; The Board beg leave to suggest whether it might not be proper to refer the same to a special Committee in order that proper Resolves may be reported to the United States in Congress for carrying the same into execution.
All which is humbly submitted.2
[Note 2: 2 March 19, 1787. According to the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 140, the following committees were appointed:
Mr. William Samuel Johnson, Mr. William Grayson and Mr. Nathan Dane on the petition of Nathaniel Norris, dated February 22, 1787, read March 19, requesting payment of his lost certificate. Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, V, pp. 455 and 463. The committee was discharged October 9, 1787.
Mr. Rufus King, Mr. William Grayson and Mr. William Pierce on a report of the Commissioner of Army Accounts respecting Pierre Charlong. Report rendered March 22, 1787. See March 12, 1787.
Also according to the Committee Book, p. 135, Mr. Abraham Clark was appointed to the committee of February 12 on reduction of the Civil list, in place of Mr. Charles Pinckney.
According to indorsement the following was read:
Letter of Arnold Henry Dohrman to President of Congress, March 17, 1787, which enclosed letters of Washington and P. Henry to R. H. Lee and a copy of Dohrman's petition of June, 1786. Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, VIII, pp. 207--208 and 211--223.]
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