| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |
A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 1788.
Congress assembled present as yesterday.
[Report of Secretary for Foreign Affairs on Col. Smith's letter2]
[Note 2: 2 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 81, III, pp. 43--44, read March 13, 1788. See February 5 and 12, and July 28, 1788.]
Office for Foreign Affairs
12th . March 1788
The Secretary of the United States for the Department of foreign Affairs, to whom was referred a Letter from Coll . Smith of the 12th . Septemr . last with the Papers that accompanied it,
Reports,
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.
Page 92 | Page image
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 negociating 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 Affaires should be appointed.
That the Queen would rather negociate 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.
Your Secretary thinks it adviseable for the United States to conclude a Treaty of Commerce of limited Duration with Portugal, and that a Minister plenipotentiary should be sent to that Court in case adequate Provision can be made for the Expence.
He further reports, that the Conduct of Coll . 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 . September 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."
All which is submitted to the Wisdom of Congress.
John Jay.1
[Note 1: 1 March 13, 1788. According to the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 187, was referred to the Board of Treasury to report:
The report of the Commissioner of Army Accounts on the claim of E. Waters. This report was delivered March 13, 1788.]
PREVIOUS SECTION .. NEXT SECTION .. NAVIGATOR
| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |