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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, APRIL 23, 1787.
Congress assembled. Present Massachusetts, Rhode island New York, New Jersey, Pensylvania,Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia and from Connecticut Mr [William Samuel] Johnson and from Delaware Mr [Dyre] Kearny.
On Motion of Mr [Edward] Carrington seconded by Mr [William Samuel] Johnson
Resolved That the priviledge of sending and receiving letters and packets free of postage be extended to the members of the Convention to be held in Philadelphia on the second Monday in May next in the same manner as is allowed to the members of Congress.
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[Report of Secretary for Foreign Affairs on instructions to Mr. Adams1]
[Note 1: 1 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 81, III, pp. 97--99, read April 23, 1787. See March 21, July 18, and 20, 1787.]
Office for foreign Affairs
23d April 1787
The Secretary of the United States for the Department of foreign Affairs in obedience to the order of Congress directing him to report Instructions to their Minister Plenipotentiary at the Court of London, on the Subject of his Letter of 4th. March 1786, and of the Papers which accompanied it,
Reports the following
Resolved That the Minister of the United States at the Court of Great Britain, be, and he hereby is, instructed to inform his britannic Majesty, that Congress do candidly admit, that the 4th. and 6th. Articles of the Treaty of Peace have been violated in America, and that they consider the 7th. Article as having been violated on the part of Great Britain. That he do also inform his britannic Majesty, that Congress are taking effectual measures for removing all Cause of Complaint on their part, and that he communicate to his Majesty their Resolutions of the 21st. Day of March last, together with their circular Letter to the States of the 13th. Day of April Instant.
Resolved That the said Minister be, and he hereby is authorized and directed, in the name and Behalf of the United States to propose and conclude a Convention with his Majesty, whereby it shall be agreed that the value of the Slaves or other American Property carried away contrary to the 7th. Article, be estimated by Commissioners and paid for, and that the said Payment, together with a Surrender of all the Posts and Places now held by his Majesty within the Limits of the United States shall be made withinmonths after the several States shall each have passed such a Law for repealing all the Acts or parts of Acts existing in the same and repugnant to the said Treaty, as is specified in the circular Letter above mentioned, which months shall be computed from the Time that formal notice, of all the States having passed such Laws, shall be duly given to his britannic Majesty.
Resolved That the said Minister be, and he hereby is, further instructed to assure his Majesty that it will always give pleasure to Congress fairly and candidly to discuss and accommodate every Difference or Complaint that may arise relative to the Construction or
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to the Performance of the Treaty. That they are determined to execute it with good Faith, and that as this is the only Instance in which any Complaints of that kind have ever come regularly before them, they flatter themselves, that the Frankness and Candor of their conduct on this occasion will create in him the same confidence in the Purity of their Intentions, which they repose in his assurances "that whenever America shall mainfest a real Determination to fulfil her part of the Treaty, Great Britain will not hesitate to co-operate it whatever points depend upon her, for carrying every article into real and compleat Effect.
Resolved That the said Minister be, and he hereby is, further instructed to endeavour to have an Article inserted in the Convention for the Remission of the Interest or a proportion of it, which accrued on private contracts during the war. And that he also endeavour to obtain an Article to fix the true Construction of the Declaration for ceasing Hostilities, and to stipulate, that Compensation be made for all Captures contrary to it.
And to the End that the said Minister may have the more ample Information on these several Subjects.
Ordered that a Copy of the Report of the Secretary for foreign Affairs on his said Letter be transmitted to him by means of some proper and confidential person that may be going from Hence to London.
All which is submitted to the wisdom of Congress
John Jay.1
[Note 1: 1 April 23, 1787. According to the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 146, the following petitions were referred:
Petition of Hannah Stephens, February 22, 1787, read April 23, asking for ransom of her husband. Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, VII, pp. 287--288. Referred, together with letter of Jefferson to Jay, February 1, 1787 (Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 107, I, pp. 424--429) so far as relates to the redemption of prisoners at Algiers, to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs to report. Report rendered May 2, 1787. See April 18 and July 18, 1787.
Memorial of Ephraim Blaine, April 20, 1787, read April 23, praying for settlement of his accounts as Commissary General of Purchases. Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, I, pp. 443--444. Referred to the Board of Treasury to report. Report rendered February 11, 1788.
Memorial of James Mitchel Varnum, received April 23, 1787, for settlement of his accounts, was referred to the Board of Treasury to report.
According to indorsement was read a petition of George Smith, deputy Advocate General of the Northern Army, April 21, 1787, requesting payment of a balance. Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, VII, p. 283. Question on referring taken and lost.]
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