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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 --TUESDAY, JULY 24, 1787.
Congress assembled present Massachusetts, New York, Pensylvania, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia and from S[outh] Carolina Mr [John] Kean.
On motion of Mr [William] Pierce seconded by Mr [Melancton] Smith.
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Ordered that thursday next be assigned for appointing an Officer to superintend the coinage of Copper pursuant to the Act of the 21st. of April last.
1The Secretary of the United States for the department of foreign Affairs to whom were referred the letters of Mr. Dumas respecting the House of the United States at the Hague having reported
[Note 1: 1 From this point to the end of the day the proceedings are entered by John Fisher and attested by Charles Thomson in the Secret Journal Foreign, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 6, III, pp. 390--392. They are also entered by Thomson in Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 5, III, pp. 1627--1629.]
"That by Mr. Duma's letter2 of 17th November 1786, Congress are informed that the house is in a suffering condition, that it is charged with a Tax of 167 florins per Annum, that the care of it causes some expences, that it should in his Opinion be either repaired and inhabited, or sold and that he (Mr. Dumas) cannot occupy it without a formal order. That as any change of measures, not dictated by a change of circumstances seems to argue either want of consideration in adopting them or want of constancy to adhere to them, and as the United States have thought proper to purchase the house in question for the residence of their minister, in his Opinion it would not be expedient to order it to be sold, as well for the reasons above mentioned, as because such order, if in other respects proper would be unseasonable at present, for it would look as if the United States intended either to have no resident minister there in future, or as if the present troubles of the Republic, or the present state of their own finances had in some degree influenced the measure. That it would be adviseable to put Mr. Dumas into the House as thereby the expence of taking care of it will be avoided and that gentleman obliged"
[Note 2: 2 See July 6, 1787. See also July 11, 1787.]
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Whereupon
Resolved That Mr. Dumas be permitted to occupy and reside in the house of the United States at the Hague, until a minister of the United States shall arrive there, or until the further order of Congress, and that Mr Adams do direct such repairs to be made at the expence of the United States to the said House as may be really Necessary to render it tenantable.
The Secretary having further reported
That the repeated mention which Mr. Dumas makes of his Accounts and of the arrearage due to him, induces him to take the liberty of hinting whether it would not be best to direct that his Accounts be settled, and that his little stipend be regularly paid to him.
Ordered1 That this part of the report be referred to the board of Treasury to take Order.
[Note 1: 1 This order is entered in the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 158.]
Chas Thomson Secy
[Motion of Mr. Grayson respecting copper money 2]
[Note 2: 2 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 26, p. 655, in the writing of Mr. William Grayson. According to indorsement and the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 158, this motion was referred to a committee consisting of Mr. William Few, Mr. William Grayson and Mr. Benjamin Hawkins. Report rendered July 26, 1787.]
Resolved that it be recommended to the different States to pass laws inflicting severe punishmts. on all coiners of money, against lawful authority, and against all persons who shall import copper money from a foreign country not struck [directed] by the [proper] authority of Congress.3
[Note 3: 3 July 24, 1787. According to the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 158, the following was referred:
Letter of Charles Thomson to B. Franklin, February 8, 1787, together with a copy of a letter from Dr. Franklin and some other papers. Referred to the Board of Treasury to report. A copy of Thomson's letter is in Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 18 B, p. 109. The original of Franklin's letter is in Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 82, III, pp. 273--274. See February 3, 1787.]
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