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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, JULY 28, 1788.
Congress assembled present New hampshire Massachusetts Connecticut New York New Jersey Pensylvania Delaware Maryland Virginia North Carolina So Carolina and Georgia.
The Comee . consisting of Mr [Edward] Carrington Mr [Pierpont] Edwards Mr [Abraham] Baldwin Mr [Samuel
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Allyne] Otis and Mr [Thomas Tudor] Tucker to whom were referred1 the acts of the several States which have been transmitted to Congress ratifying the constitution for the United States of America having reported2 an act for putting the said constitution into operation and the following paragraph having been debated and amended to read as follows
[Note 1: 1 See July 2, 1788.]
[Note 2: 2 See July 8, 1788. See also July 14, 30, and September 13, 1788.]
That the first Wednesday in January next be the day for appointing electors in the several States which have or shall before the said day have ratified the said constitution; that the first Wednesday in feby next be the day for the electors to assemble in their respective states and vote for a president and that the first Wednesday in March next be the time andthe place for commencing proceedings under the said constitution.
A motion was made by Mr [Pierpont] Edwards seconded by Mr [Hugh] Williamson to fill the blanck with "Philadelphia" and on the question to agree to this amendment the yeas and nays being required by Mr [Joshua] Seney
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So the question was lost.
On the report1 of a comee . consisting of Mr [Nathan] Dane Mr [Hugh] Williamson and Mr [Abraham] Clarke to whom was referred a report2 of the board of treasury on a memorial of Jonathan Trumbull
[Note 1: 1 See July 25, 1788. See also July 22, 1788.]
[Note 2: 2 Journals, vol. XXIX, pp. 892--893.]
Resolved That the board of treasury cause the certificate given to Mr Jonathan Trumbull commissioner for settling the accounts of the late commissary general Trumbull amounting to seventeen hundred and fifty two dollars and fifty three ninetieths of a dollar to be cancelled and that the said board take order for paying him the amount of the said certificate.
On the report3 of a comee . consisting of Mr [William] Few Mr [Abraham] Clarke and Mr [Jeremiah] Wadsworth to whom was referred a report of the board of treasury on a petition of Robert Walton
[Note 3: 3 See July 25, 1788. See also May 30, July 16 and 18, 1788.]
Resolved That the board of treasury liquidate the claims of Robert Walton for sixteen horses furnished the southern army agreeably to the valuation of the said horses on Oath of any two Officers of col Lee's legion at the time of delivery, and issue a certificate in his favour for that sum including interest from the first day of feby . 1781.
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1Office for foreign affairs.
12th March 1788.
[Note 1: 1 From this point to the end of the day the proceedings were entered by Roger Alden in the Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 5, III, pp. 1695--1697. The last paragraph, which was referred, and the order were also entered by John Fisher, and attested by John Thomson in Secret Journal Foreign, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 6, III, p. 426.]
The Secretary of the United States for the department of foreign Affairs to whom was referred a letter2 from Col. Smith of the 12th Sept . last, with the papers that accompanied, Reports
[Note 2: 2 See February 5 and 12, and March 13, 1788.]
That they contain a detail of occurrences and observations in the journey he made to Lisbon to deliver the letter of Congress to the Queen of Portugal. It appears from them that he was well received by the court of Madrid, and favored by the Minister with a polite and friendly letter of introduction to the spanish resident at Lisbon.
That he received particular marks of Attention from the Queen and her Minister for foreign Affairs, with whom he had much conversation respecting the treaty negotiating between that country and this.
That the Queen was not much pleased that she had not been noticed by Congress in the way that her friends and neighbouring Nations had.
That she was desirous of receiving a Minister from the United States, and of sending one to them of any rank or degree most agreeable to them; but she did not wish that only a Chargé des Affairs should be appointed.
That the Queen would rather negotiate for a Treaty at Lisbon than at London; and that this disposition rendered it probable that in such an event the obstacles which now retard it might be more easily removed.
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Your Secretary thinks it adviseable for the United States to conclude a Treaty of commerce of limited duration with Portugal, and that a Minister Plenepotentiary should be sent to that Court in case adequate provision can be made for the expence.
He further reports, that the conduct of Col: Smith appears to him to have been proper; and therefore in his opinion that it would be well to permit Your Secretary to insert the following paragraph in the next letter which he may write to the Colonel,
"Your letter of the 12th . Sept . last together with the papers which accompanied it, have been communicated to Congress, and in obedience to their orders I have the pleasure of informing you that they are pleased with the manner in which you appear to have treated the affairs to which those dispatches relate."
Ordered,1 that the last paragraph of the above report be referred to the Secretary for foreign Affairs to take order.
[Note 1: 1 This order is noted in the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 200.]
[Report of Secretary at War on protection of Georgia frontier2]
[Note 2: 2 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 151, pp. 359--366, read July 28, 1788. See July 15, 1788.]
The Secretary of the United States for the department of War in obedience to the order of Congress of the 15th instant to report a plan for the protection of the frontier of Georgia agreeably to the principle of the resolve3 of Congress of the 21st of July 1787.
[Note 3: 3 Journals, vol. XXXIII, p. 386.]
Reports
That he conceives it is intended the protection to be afforded the State of Georgia should be complete, in case the Creek Indians should persist in refusing to enter into a treaty on reasonable terms and to comprehend all operations offensive as well as defensive that may be deemed necessary for the full accomplishment of the object.
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That unless vigorous exertions be made in the first instance calculated to terminate effectually the contest in one campaign, the United States will hazard the event of being drawn into a tedious expensive and inglorious war.
That the strength of the Wabash Indians who were principally the object of the resolve of the 21st of July 1787, and the strength of the Creek Indians is very different. That the said Creeks are not only greatly superior in numbers but are more united, better regulated, and headed by a man whose talents appear to have fixed him in their confidence.
That your Secretary humbly apprehends the regular troops of the Union on the Ohio were considered as the basis of the before recited resolve of the 21st of July 1787. That the Militia intended to have been drawn forth were to have acted as auxiliaries to the said regular troops and that all the arrangements were to have been made under the direction of the commanding Officer of the said troops. That the case is widely different on the frontiers of Georgia no troops of the United States being there, nor is it easily practicable to remove any considerable body from the Ohio, were the measure expedient in other respects.
That this difference of circumstances will require a different and more extensive arrangement for the protection of the frontier of Georgia than any that were contemplated by the aforesaid resolve of the 21st of July 1787.
That the frontiers of Georgia may be protected either by a large body of militia detached from time to time, or by a Corps of troops regularly organized and enlisted for a certain period. That a consideration of the expence and irregularity of detachments of mere militia, compared with the oeconomy and vigor of a corps of troops properly organized would evince the great superiority and advantage to be derived to the public by the adoption of the organized troops.
That from the view of the object your Secretary has been able to take he conceives that the only effectual mode of acting against the said Creeks in case they should persist in their hostilities would be by making an invasion of their country with a powerful body of well regulated troops always ready to combat and able to defeat any combination of force the said Creeks could oppose and to destroy their towns and provisions.
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Your Secretary humbly conceives that any interference on the part of the United States with less force and energy would cherish the hostilities of the Creeks instead of extinquishing them.
That he conceives the operation herein stated would require an Army of two thousand eight hundred non commissioned officers and privates of the different species of troops to be raised for the term of nine months.
That the said troops should be commanded by one Major General and one Brigadier General to be appointed by Congress who should also appoint an Inspector and Quarter Master to said troops.
That the pay and emoluments of said Officers be fixed by Congress.
That the organization of the troops should be as follows
That if Congress should approve of these numbers they might be apportioned as follows.
That all the regimental officers be appointed by the said States respectively according to the proportions to be specified by the Secretary at War.
That the said troops should be mustered and inspected in the manner to be directed by the Secretary at War, which musters should be considered as essential vouchers in the settlement of the accounts of the said troops.
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That the said troops should be paid by the States in which they are respectively raised according to the rates of pay established for the troops of the United States.
That suitable clothing to the value of ten dollars be allowed each non commissioned officer and private who should enlist for the said term of nine months which with tents, the necessary camp equipage, and waggons or other means of transportation agreeably to the proportions to be specified by the Secretary at War should be furnished to the troops by the States in which they shall be raised.
That the States of North and South Carolina should also subsist their quotas respectively until their arrival at the place of rendezvous to be appointed by the commanding Officer.
That the rations and forage of said Army should be provided by contract by the said state of Georgia while acting within said state, and also for the quota's of North and South Carolina until they should return to the places of dismission within the said States respectively.
That the issues of the rations of provision and forage should be checked in the manner to be directed by the Secretary at War and for every ration of provision allowed accordingly the United States should be charged a sum not exceedingparts of a dollar, and for every ration of forage not exceedingparts of a dollar.
That the amount of the pay, transportation, and subsistence of said troops should be settled in the manner and forms to be previously established by the Board of Treasury and the same when completed should be passed to the credit of said states on the existing requisitions according to the amount they may have respectively furnished.
That as it is highly probable that the said States may be deficient in arms accoutrements and ammunition the same be furnish'd out of the arsenals of the United States and be transported by the Secretary at War by water to such ports within the said States as may be most convenient, and addressed to the executives of the same.
That ten pieces of light field Artillery with their necessary apparatus and a suitable quantity of ammunition be also transported by the Secretary at War to Savannah in Georgia for the purposes of the said expedition addressed to the Major General who may be appointed for the expedition.
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That the expences of every species which would be incurred for the various objects of the said army for nine Months may be estimated at about four hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
All which is humbly submitted to Congress.
H Knox
War Office
July 26th 1788.
His Excellency the President of Congress
[Report of Secretary at War on burned stores1]
[Note 1: 1 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 151, pp. 369--370, read July 28, 1788. See March 20 and 24, 1788.]
The Secretary of the United States for the Department of War to whom was referred his letter to Congress of the 19th of March last, respecting the Ordnance and Stores at Charlestown South Carolina.
Reports
That the Cannon and Stores the property of the United States, at Charlestown, do not require that a Store-keeper should be retained for the sole purpose of taking charge of the same.
That in the opinion of your Secretary the Governor of said State might be requested to direct the said property to be safely deposited, in the least expensive manner for the purposes of the United States and that the same should be delivered to the orders of Congress or the Secretary at War when demanded.
That a list of said Stores be made out and transmitted to the Governor, and on the receipt by the person empowered by him to receive the same, the person having charge at present of the said Stores on the part of the United States be discharged.
Agreably to these Ideas your Secretary will take the liberty of writing a letter to his Excellency the Governor requesting his assistance in the business herein specified.
All which is humbly submitted to Congress.
H Knox2
[Note 2: 2 July 28, 1788. According to the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 200, the following committee was appointed:
Mr. Paine Wingate, Mr. Daniel Huger, and Mr. John Armstrong on the memorial of J. Story. This was a renewal of the committee of March 12, 1788. The committee reported September 5, 1788.]
War Office
26th July 1788.
His Excellency
The President of Congress.
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