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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 --THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 1788.
Congress assembled present New hampshire Massachusetts Connecticut Pensylvania Delaware Virginia and So Carolina and from New York Mr [Leonard] Gansevoort from
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New Jersey Mr [Abraham] Clarke and from No Carolina Mr [James] White.
[Report of committee on the address of the inhabitants of Post St. Vincents1]
[Note 1: 1 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 30, pp. 497--498, in the writing of Mr. Jeremiah Wadsworth. Read March 6, 1788. This report, together with another petition of March 18, was recommitted to the same committee on March 27, 1788. See February 12, 13, 22 and 25, 1788.]
The Committee [consisting of Mr. Jeremiah Wadsworth, Mr. William Irvine and Mr. James White] to whom was refered the Petitions of the French and American Ihabitants of Post Vincents and the Illonois, by their Agent Mr Tardivo, beg leave to report, that the Petitions are not accompanied by any documents which justify the claims of the Petitoners to Lands under antient grants, and your Committee are of Opinion the prayer of the Petitioners be not granted. they further report that the State of Virginia in their Cession of the Lands North west of the River Ohio Stipulated "That the French and Canadian inhabitants, and other settlers of the Kaskastkias, St Vincents and the neighboring Villages who have professed themselves citizens of Virginia, shall have their Possessions and titles confirmed to them and be protected in the enjoyments of their rights and liberties" And your Committee are of Opinion that the Governor of the Western Territory be directed to Obtain, as soon as may be, from the Petitioners "a Statement of their rights to lands within the sd . Country guaranteed to them by Congress, in their Acceptance of the Virginia Cession, with the origin and extent thereof," and report the same to Congress with a plan for securing to the Petitioners the peacable, and quiet possession of their just claims rights.
[Report of committee on boundary of western cessions2]
[Note 2: 2 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 30, p. 603, in the writing of Mr. Abraham Clark. Read March 6 and passed June 6, 1788. See February 25, 1788.]
The Committee consisting of Mr . [Abraham] Clark, Mr . [William] Irvine, Mr . [John] Armstrong Mr . [Jeremiah] Wadsworth and Mr . [John] Brown to whom was referred a Motion of Mr . [William] Irvine, Submit the following resolution
Resolved, That the Geographer of the United States, be, and he is hereby directed as soon as conveniently may be, to Accurately run
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and Ascertain by himself or Deputy duly appointed for that purpose, the line of Cession from the States of New York and Massachusets, between Lake Erie and the Northerly boundary of the State of Pennsylvania; which line is to be run on a Meridian twenty Miles West of the most Westerly bend of the River or Strait between Lake Erie and Niagaria.1
[Note 1: 1 The form of this paragraph as adopted, in the writing of Mr. John Brown, is attached to the original report.]
That the Geographer inform the Executive of the States of New York and Massachusets of the time of running said Line in order that they or either of them may if they think proper have persons attending at the time.
That the said Geographer or his deputy having run the said Meridian Line between Lake Erie and the State of Pennsylvania, and Marked and Noted down in his field Book proper Land Marks for perpetuating the same, shall proceed to make a Survey of the Land lying West of said Line between Lake Erie and the State of Pennsylvania so as to Ascertain the quantity thereof, and make return of such Survey to the board of Treasury, who are hereby Authorized and impowered at any time before or after such Survey to sell the said Tract, either in whole at private Sale for a price not less than ¾ of a dol. per Acre in Specie or publick Securities drawing Interest, or in parcels at publick Auction after giving three months Notice of the time and place of Sale, Provided the price per Acre in such Sales shall not be less than price above mentioned.2
[Note 2: 2 March 6, 1788. According to indorsement and the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 186, there was referred to the Board of Treasury to report:
A petition of Moore Faunt Le Rey, read March 6, 1788, respecting the settlement of his accounts and the retention of vouchers. Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, III, pp. 161--162. Report rendered May 2, 1788. See May 6, 1788.
Also according to the Committee Book, p. 178, Mr, Jeremiah Wadsworth was named in the place of Mr. James Madison on the committee of February 1 on the letter of Baron von Steuben.]
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