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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 --TUESDAY, MAY 6, 1788.
Congress assembled present as yesterday and from Rhode island Mr P[eleg] Arnold who produced credentials of his appointment.
[Credentials of Peleg Arnold, Rhode Island1]
[Note 1: 1 Original credentials, indorsed as read May 6, 1788, in Papers of the Continental Congress, Credentials Rhode Island. Copied in Record of Credentials, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 179, I, p. 252.]
By His Excellency John Collins Esquire, Governor, Captain-General and Commander in Chief of the State of Rhode-Island, and Providence-Plantations,
To Peleg Arnold Esquire Greeting.
You the said Peleg Arnold being at the General Election held at Newport on the First Wednesday in May instant chosen one of the Delegates to represent this State in the Congress of the United States of America for one Year from the First Day of November next, and until another shall be appointed to take your Place, are hereby authorised and empowered to represent this State in the said Congress, during the Time aforesaid, agreeably to your said Appointment.
Given under my Hand at Newport and the Seal of the said State this Seventh Day of May A. D. 1787 and in the Eleventh Year of Independence.
(Seal)John Collins
By His Excellency's Command.
Henry Ward Secry
[Motion of Mr. Carrington2]
[Note 2: 2 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 140, II, p. 525, in the writing of Charles Thomson. According to indorsement and the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 190, the motion was referred to the Board of Treasury to report. Report rendered May 8, 1788.]
That to morrow be assigned for electing two Commissioners for settling the accounts of the five great departments.
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[Report of Secretary of Congress on memorial of R. Stiles1]
[Note 1: 1 Reports of Secretary of Congress, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 180, p. 74.]
Office of Secry of Congress
May 6 1788
On the Memorial2 of Reuben Stiles, late a deputy issuing Commissary stating that he has come to this city to settle his accounts but that on applying to Mr Burral he finds his authority ceased on the 23 March last and praying that Mr Burral or some other person may be authorized to liquidate and settle his Accots
[Note 2: 2 See May 5, 1788.]
The Seey of Congress reports that by the Act3 of 23 July 1787 it was resolved that all persons havg unliquidated claims agt . the U S in the commissary's &c department were to exhibit abstracts of such claims to the cormr . appointed to settle the accots . of the department within 8 months from the of the resolution and by the sd . resolution it is declared that all accots . not exhibited as aforesaid shall be precluded from settlement or allowance, whether Mr Stiles application comes within this resolve depends on the nature of his claim his having claims agt the U. S.
[Note 3: 3 Journals, vol. XXXIII p. 392.]
The Secy therefore reports
agd That the Meml . of R. Stiles be referred to the board of treasy .4
[Note 4: 4 According to indorsement and the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 189, the petition was referred to the Board of Treasury as indicated in the report. Report rendered July 30, 1788.]
[Report of Postmaster General on memorials of B. Contee and I. Trowbridge5]
[Note 5: 5 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 61, pp. 423--424, read May 6, 1788. The covering letter of May 5, 1788, also read, is on p. 337. See May 2, 13 and June 17, 1788.]
General Post Office
New York May 5th . 1788.
The Postmaster General begs Leave to Report; Upon the Memorial of the Honorable Benjamin Contee;
That all Letters sent from one Post Office to another at the same time, are put up (with an Invoice of them) in a Bundle, covered with a Paper Wrapper, which is tied, and sealed with the Seal of the
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Office from which the letters are sent; and the Bundle is then directed for the Office to which the Letters are to be carried:
That Mr Contee's Letter appears to have been the outside Letter of the Bundle, and that the Seal (probably to secure the Direction in Case of Accidents) was placed next to the Wrapper:
That the Wax used in sealing the Bundle, being hot, has melted that with which Mr . Contee's Letter was sealed, and occasioned the Wrapper to adhere to it; and, that in Consequence of this Adhesion, Mr . Contee's Letter was torn in taking the Wrapper off the Bundle, which is commonly done in an hurry, as there are generally People waiting at the Post Office Window for their Letters upon the Arrival of the Mail;
That, as Part of the Post Office Seal, Part of the String with which the Bundle was tied, and Part of the Wrapper, still adhere to the Seal of Mr . Contee's Letter, the Postmaster General thinks it evident that the Letter was torn in the manner abovementioned.
Upon the Memorial of Isaac Trowbridge he reports;
That so far as the Postmaster General is acquainted with the Circumstances of the Case, the Memorialist has truly stated Facts;
That after the Memorialist had entered into the Contract, and before he gave Bond, he alledged a mistake in his Calculation; but the Postmaster General did not conceive himself at Liberty to make any further Allowance, as the Contract was compleated, and he had Proposals from another Person who asked but ten Dollars more than Mr . Trowbridge for performing the same Service;
That the Purposes of Commerce did not require so frequent a Transportation of the mail, as thrice in each week, to the Eastward: nevertheless, as the Establishment is made, and is general, extending from New Hampshire to Georgia, and Alterations in a Part of the Route (particularly in the middle) will create Confusion in the whole, and may occasion great Damage in mercantile Cases respecting Insurance,
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Bills of Exchange, &c. the Postmaster General cannot advise an Alteration in this Respect now.
Which is with due Deference submitted.
Eben Hazard1
[Note 1: 1 May 6, 1788. According to indorsement and the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 189, the following committees were appointed:
Mr. Nathan Dane, Mr. Abraham Clark and Mr. Samuel Allyne Otis on the memorial of John Mason, read May 6, 1788, for sea letters for the Ship Warren. Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 46, p. 305. Report rendered May 8, 1788.
Mr. Edward Carrington, Mr. William Irvine and Mr. Jonathan Dayton on the memorial of Israel Shreve, read May 6, 1788, regarding the settlement of his accounts. Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, IX, p. 471. Copies of supporting documents are on pp. 477--490. Report rendered June 11, 1788.
According to indorsement and the Committee Book, p. 190, the following was referred:
Petition of Moore Faunt Le Rey (see March 6, 1788), together with the report of the Board of Treasury of May 2, 1788 on the petition. Referred to the Commissioner of Army Accounts to take order. See July 16, 1788.]
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