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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 --WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1788.
Congress assembled present as yesterday.
[Report of committee on arrangements for public audience2]
[Note 2: 2 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 23, pp. 319--321, in the writing of Mr. Dyre Kearny. Read February 20, 1788. On February 21 this report was postponed and a motion substituted. See February 19, 1788.]
The Committee consisting of [Mr. Dyre Kearny, Mr. Jeremiah Wadsworth and Mr. James White] to whom it was referred to consider of, and report such Arrangements as it may be expedient to adopt, relative to the Public reception of the Minister Plenipotentiary of his most Christian Majesty on Tuesday the 26th . Inst. beg leave to suggest.
That it is the Opinion of the Committee inferred as well from precedent in Similar instances, as the Nature of the Occasion, that the Audience should be conducted in as public a Manner as the Convenience of Congress will warrant, or accommodation admit. That regulations tending to this purpose will not only have the Effect of gratifying the Wishes of many respectable Persons who may be desirous of being present, (who neither are nor can with propriety be officially noticed) but will be at least Complimentary and probably more Satisfactory to the Compte De Moustier.
That Your Committee are well aware that want of Accommodation as to room will necessarily prevent the Adoption of this Principle on so large a Scale as might otherwise be wished; They are nevertheless of Opinion from some Examination that the Congress Chamber will Still be capable of containing Sixty Persons without much inconvenience exclusive of the Members of Congress, and the foreign Ministers resident with their respective Suites.
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They beg leave further to observe, That as the Admission of no Persons is authorised by the immediate Act of Congress other than of the Honble Mr . Van Berkel and Don Diego de Gardoqui with their Suites, no other proper Mode for admission in General occurs to them than what has been practiced on Similar previous Occasions, viz. the Distribution of Tickets for the Purpose by the individual Members of the House; who it is presumed will doubtless make disposition of them to such Characters as from their rank and station may have more than ordinary pretensions to admission.
In accordance therefor with these Ideas, Your Committee submit the following Resolutions,
Resolved,
1st . That each Member of Congress be provided with two tickets to distribute, [at his discretion] one of which it is understood he will present to some Character more than ordinarily distinguished, the other at his Discretion.
That His Excellency the President of Congress be provided with Six Tickets to distribute at his Pleasure in addition to the two he will share as a Member.
2d . That in order to distinguish them from Persons less respectable in point of Rank, Seats be provided for the Honble Mr , Van Berkel and Don Diego de Gardoqui.
3d . That no Person whatever be admitted before half past Eleven o Clock of the Morning of the Audience.
4th . That the Secretary of Congress take order for the providing without delay a sufficient number of Tickets printed with the Words "Admit the Bearer" to be signed by him and distributed to the President and Members respectively as above directed.
5th . That the Heads of the Several Departments of the United States be admitted thro' the Office of the Secy of Congress into the Congress Chamber and take their position at the left hand of the President; and that the Secretary notify them accordingly.1
[Note 1: 1 February 20, 1788. According to the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 182, the following committee was appointed:
Mr. Jonathan Dayton, Mr. James Madison and Mr. Jeremiah Wadsworth on a motion of Mr. Dayton for preventing irregularities in the transportation of the mail. This committee was renewed March 27, 1788.]
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