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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 --FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1787.
Congress assembled present as before.
Congress proceeded to the election of a governor for the western territory pursuant to the Ordinance of the 13th. of July last and the ballots being taken
The honble Arthur St Clair was elected.2
[Note 2: 2 The proceedings regarding the election of governor and secretary of the Western territory, were also entered, by John Fisher, in Western Territory, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 176, p. 14--15.]
Congress proceeded to the election of a secretary pursuant to the said Ordinance and the ballots being taken
Mr Winthrop Sargent was elected 2
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On a report1 of the Secretary for foreign Affairs to whom were referred two letters from the honble John Adams of the 24 and 27 of January last
[Note 1: 1 See July 26, 1787 and entry of Secret Journal below on this day.]
Resolved That the honble John Adams the Minister plenipotentiary of the United States at the court of London be permitted, agreeably to his request, to return to America at any time after the 24 day of february in the year of our Lord 1788 and that his Commission of Minister plenipotentiary to their High Mightinesses do also then determine.
Resolved That Congress entertain a high sense of the services which Mr Adams has rendered to the United States in the execution of the various important trusts which they have from time to time committed to him and that the thanks of Congress be presented to him for the patriotism, perseverance, integrity and diligence with which he has ably and faithfully served his country.
On the report 2 of a committee 3 consisting of Mr [Nathan] Dane Mr [Benjamin] Hawkins, Mr [John] Kean, Mr [William] Irvine and Mr [Edward] Carrington to whom were referred a report of the secretary at War and sundry papers relative to Indian Affairs in the Northern department
[Note 2: 2 See August 9, 1787.]
[Note 3: 3 Appointed July 31, 1787.]
Resolved 4 That a general treaty be held with the tribes of Indians within the limits of the United States inhabiting the country North west of the Ohio and about lake Erie as soon after the first of April next as conveniently may be and at such place and at such particular time as the governor of the Western territory shall appoint for the purposes of knowing the causes of uneasiness among the said tribes and hearing their complaints; of regulating trade and amicably settling
[Note 4: 4 This resolve is also entered by John Fisher in Western Territory, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 176, p. 15.]
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all affairs concerning lands and boundaries between them and the United States,
That the said governor of the Western territory hold the said treaty agreeably to such instructions as shall be given him for that purpose.
1The Secretary of the United States for the department of Foreign Affairs to whom was referred two Letters2 from the honble. John Adams of the 24th. and 27th. of January last, having reported 3 as follows,
[Note 1: 1 From this point the Journal entries were made by Benjamin Bankson and attested by Charles Thomson in Secret Journal Foreign, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 6, III, pp. 408--411. These proceedings were also entered by Thomson in the Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 5, III, pp. 1656--1660.]
[Note 2: 2 See April 11, 1787.]
[Note 3: 3 See July 26, 1787.]
"The first of these Letters gives occasion to several questions. 1st. Shall Mr. Adams return after the expiration of his Commission to the Court of London, vizt 24th. February 1788? Your Secretary is persuaded that Mr. Adams really wishes and means to return next spring and therefore thinks it would be proper for Congress to Resolve, that the honble. John Adams the Minister plenipotentiary of the United States at the Court of London be permitted (agreeably to his request) to return to America at any time after the 24th. February in the Year of our Lord 1788, and that his Commission of Minister plenipotentiary to their High Mightinesses do also then determine ". And having also reported a resolution approving his conduct and giving him the thanks of Congress. Both resolutions were agreed to as follows,
Resolved, That the honble. John Adams the Minister plenipotentiary of the United States at the Court of London be permitted agreeably to his request, to return to America at any time after the 24th. day of February in the Year of our Lord 1788, and that his Commission
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of Minister plenipotentiary to their High Mightinesses do also then determine.
Resolved, That Congress entertain a high sense of the services which Mr Adams has rendered to the United States in the execution of the various important trusts which they have from time to time committed to him and that the thanks of Congress be presented to him for the patriotism, perseverence, integrity and diligence with which he has ably and faithfully served his Country.
The Secretary having further reported,
The second question arising from this Letter is, Whether it will be expedient for the United States to appoint another Minister to take the place of Mr. Adams at the Court of London? On this head the Secretary is of the opinion that it will be expedient to appoint another, because there do exist differences between the United States and the Court of London which cannot too soon be adjusted, which must become the subject of occasional explanations and negotiations and which on the part of the United States cannot be so well managed and conducted as by means of an intelligent and discreet Minister on the spot. Your Secretary's feelings strongly prompt him to retaliate the neglect of Britain in not sending a Minister here; but as he conceives that such retaliation would eventually produce more inconveniences than advantages, he thinks it had better be omitted, especially as he is persuaded that this neglect will cease, the moment that the American Government and the administration of it shall be such as to impress other Nations with a degree of respect which various circumstances deny to Congress the means of imposing at present. He thinks it should be the policy of the United States at present to keep all things as smooth and easy and to expose themselves to
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as few embarrassments as possible, until their affairs shall be in such a posture as to justify and support a more nervous stile of conduct and language. Britain disputes the eastern boundary of the United States; she holds important posts and territories on the frontiers and she complains that the treaty of peace has been violated by America. These Affairs are important and the management of them requires prudence and temper especially considering how little the actual state of our National Affairs tends to repress the influence either of unfriendly dispositions and passions or of that kind of policy which the weakness of Neighbours is very apt to suggest and promote. If Congress should concur in the opinion that a Minister to succeed Mr Adams should be appointed, a resolution like the following would perhaps be the most proper. Whereas divers important Affairs still remain to be arranged and adjusted between his Britannic Majesty and the United States which on their part cannot be so well conducted as by means of a Minister plenipotentiary at the Court of London, therefore resolved that a Minister plenipotentiary to reside at that Court be appointed and that his Commission take effect on the 25th. day of February 1788, and continue in force for the space of three Years thereafter unless sooner revoked. Your Secretary conceives it would be best that this Minister should be appointed so early as that he might have time to reach London by the first of February in order that he may have an opportunity of receiving information from Mr. Adams respecting Characters and Affairs and that the progress of the business of the legation may not be stopped by the expiration of Mr. Adams's Commission.
On the Question
Resolved That this part of the report be postponed.
The Secretary having proceeded in his report
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"But if Congress should either not incline to appoint another Minister or should think proper to postpone it so long as that he will not probably be in London in February, then he thinks it would be right to consider another Question arising from the Letter vizt. Whether it would be expedient to constitute Col. Smith Chargé des Affaires? On this head Your Secretary finds himself embarrassed. For on the one hand he esteems Col. Smith as a gentleman of acknowledged merit who has uniformly deserved well of his Country, And on the other the light in which the duties of his Office have hitherto been viewed gives the Colour of propriety only to his reporting on the expediency of appointments and not on the persons most proper to be appointed. And as the Letter referred to him and now under consideration does nevertheless raise the question relative to the person as well as the place he thinks it proper to make these remarks lest if not adverted to, his omitting to report on the former as well as the latter might be ascribed to other than the true reasons. He thinks that if when Mr. Adams quits the Affairs of the legation they are not to pass immediately into the hands of a Successor there can be little doubt of the expediency of appointing a proper person to take charge of them. In that case therefore it would in his opinion be proper to Resolve, That a person be appointed to take charge of the Affairs of the American legation at the Court of London from the expiration of the Commission of the present Minister to the arrival there of another Minister to succeed him or until the further Order of Congress.
On this part of the report a question was taken to agree thereto and was lost.
Chas Thomson Secy
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[Motion of Mr. Kean on the requisition of 17871]
[Note 1: 1 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 26, p. 667, in the writing of Mr. John Kean. According to indorsement and the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 171, this motion together with the report of the Board of Treasury on the requisition (see September 29, 1787) was referred to a committee consisting of Mr. John Kean, Mr. James Madison, Mr. Nathan Dane, Mr. Melancton Smith and Mr. William Grayson, which reported October 8, 1787. See October 11, 1787.]
R That 1,200,000 dollars in Specie, stated by the Board of Treasury to be a surplus appropriation in the years 1784, 85 and 86, be now appropriated to the payment of the specie part of the sums necessary for the services of the year 1787 and payment of the interest and instalments of the foreign debt that become due in the year 1788, and that the States be called on to furnish their quota of one years interest on the Domestic debt in certificates of Indents for interest.
[Letter of Secretary for Foreign Affairs on consular commission 2]
[Note 2: 2 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 80, III, p. 333, read October 5, 1787.]
Office for Foreign Affairs
5th October 1787.
Sir: I have the Honor of transmitting to your Excellency herewith enclosed a Letter 3 from Mr Phineas Bond of 2d. Instant, together with a Commission from his britannic Majesty to George Miller Esqr., constituting him his Consul in the States of North and South Carolina and Georgia, and Deputy Commissary to the United States of America.
[Note 3: 3 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, IV, p. 549, read October 5, 1787. According to the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 171, this letter and the commission of Miller were referred to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs to report. Report rendered October 20, 1787.]
I have the Honor to be, etc.,
John Jay.
His Excellency
The President of Congress.
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