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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 --4FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 1788.
[Note 4: 4 Charles Thomson resumes the entry.]
Congress assembled present Massachusetts New York New Jersey Pensylvania Delaware Maryland Virginia North Carolina South Carolina and Georgia and from New hampshire Mr [Paine] Wingate from Connecticut Mr [Benjamin] Huntington.
On a report5 of the comee . consisting of Mr [Paine] Wingate Mr [John] Swann Mr [Nathan] Dane Mr [James R.] Reid and Mr [Dyre] Kearny to whom was referred a motion6 of Mr Kearny,
[Note 5: 5 See August 28, 1788. See also May 22, 1788.]
[Note 6: 6 See August 25, 1788.]
Resolved That the post master genl be and tie is hereby authorised and directed to establish a post from Wilmington in the state of Delaware to the town of Dover in the said state as soon as may be and that he contract for the regular
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transportation of the mail to and from the said places respectively once in every week by post riders or otherwise and that he further take order for the continuance of the said establishment for one year from the first of january next.
On a report1 of the board of treasury to whom was referred a memorial2 of John Vinton administrator of the estate of Edmund Soper late a purchasing commissary in the army of the United States
[Note 1: 1 See August 28, 1788.]
[Note 2: 2 Journals, vol. XXXII, p. 241n (April 25, 1787).]
Resolved That the sum of four thousand and twenty three dollars and thirty four ninetieths of a dollar arising from the sale of sundry public stores in the possession of Edmund Soper late a purchasing commissary at the time of his decease be received in discharge of a balance to the said amount due from the estate of the deceased to the United States.
On the report3 of a comee . consisting of Mr [Hugh] Williamson Mr [Nathan] Dane Mr [Abraham] Clark Mr [Thomas] Tudor] Tucker and [Mr. Abraham] Baldwin to whom was referred the report4 of a former comee respecting the inhabitants of post St Vincents
[Note 3: 3 See July 7, 1788. See also June 24, 26 and July 8, 1788.]
[Note 4: 4 See May 5, 1788.]
Resolved5 That measures be taken for confirming in their possessions and titles the french and Canadian inhabitants and other settlers at post St Vincents who on or before the year 1783 had settled there and6 had professed themselves citizens of the United States, or any of them, and for laying off for them at their own expence the several tracts which they rightfully claim and which may have been allotted to
[Note 5: 5 This resolve and the instructions to the Governor of the Western territory were entered by John Fisher in Western Territory, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 176, pp. 64--67.]
[Note 6: 6 Roger Alden takes up the entry.]
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them according to the laws and Usages of the Governments under which they have respectively settled.
That four hundred acres of land be reserved and given to every head of a family of the above description settled at Post St Vincents.
That the Governor of the western territory cause to be laid out at the public expence in the form of a square adjoining to the present improvements at Post St Vincents and in whatever direction the settlers shall prefer, a tract of land sufficient for compleating the above donations; which tract shall afterwards be divided by lot among the settlers who are entitled to any part of the same, in such manner as they shall agree.
On a report1 of the same committee above mentioned the following Instructions to the Governor of the western territory were agreed to:
[Note 1: 1 See June 24 and July 7, 1788. The parts underlined by the editor indicate the amendments made to the original committee report.]
Sir: You are to proceed without delay, except while You are necessarily detained by the Treaty now on hands, to the french settlements on the River Mississippi, in order to give dispatch to the several measures which are to be taken according to the Acts of 20th . June last and the 28th . Instant, of which a copy is enclosed for Your Information. You are to enquire whether there be any Indians who claim the lands on the eastside of the river Mississippi, above the mouth of the Ohio, and if there be any such Indians, You are immediately to take measures for holding a treaty with them, and extinguishing their claim at least to so much of the territory as You find described in the aforesaid Acts, and in the several Acts2 of Oct. 22d . 1787 relative to lands on the Mississippi. If You find it cheapest and best to extinguish the claim of those Indians by agreeing to furnish them annually with a
[Note 2: 2 Journals, vol. XXXIII, pp. 695--696.]
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certain allowance in corn, or other provisions for a term not exceeding ten Years, You will contract accordingly.
When You have examined the titles and possessions of the settlers on the Mississippi in which they are to be confirmed, and given directions for laying out the several squares, which the settlers may divide as they shall think best among themselves by lot, You are to report the whole of your proceedings to Congress.
After You shall have dispatched the several matters committed to your care on the Mississippi, You will take Post St Vincents on your return, where you are to pursue the measures directed to be taken by the Act of this day, and report your proceedings accordingly.
[Motion of Mr. Clark and Mr. Dane respecting land warrants1]
[Note 1: 1 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, III, p. 415, in the writing of Mr. Abraham Clark. It is indorsed as postponed.]
Whereas many of the Officers in the late Army of the United States have received public monies in advance for recruiting Service, paying of bounties to Soldiers, And as paymasters of Regiments, or for other purposes for which they have hitherto neglected to Account; and it being improper to suffer such defaulting Officers to Obtain Warrants for their bounties of Land untill they shall Account for the monies so by them received, Whereupon,
Resolved, That the Secretary at War be instructed to forbear issuing Warrants for bounties of Land to all such Officers, who, by a return to be made by the Commissrs . of Army Accounts shall appear to have Neglected or Refused to Account for all public monies by them respectively received, untill they shall Severally Settle such Accounts with the said Commissrs . and pay into the Treasury of the United States the ballances which shall be found due on such Settlements, and produce to the Secretary at War Authentick documents proving the same; Any thing in the Supplement to the land Ordinance passed theday oflast, contained to the Contrary notwithstanding.
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