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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 20, 1788.
Congress assembled, present New hampshire Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pensylvania, Delaware Maryland Virginia and South Carolina and from Rhode Island Mr [Peleg] Arnold, from North Carolina Mr [Hugh] Williamson and from Georgia Mr [Abraham] Baldwin.
r William Bingham a delegate for Pensylvania attended and produced the credentials of his appointmt .
[Credentials of William Bingham, Pennsylvania1]
[Note 1: 1 Original credentials, printed form on parchment, indorsed as read May 20, 1788, in Papers of the Continental Congress, Pennsylvania Credentials. Copied in Record of Credentials, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 179, I, p. 255.]
Seal) In the Name and by the Authority of the Freemen of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The Supreme Executive Council, of the said Commonwealth,
To the Honorable William Bingham Esquire
Whereas, the General Assembly of this Commonwealth have, by their Act of the thirteenth Day of November in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty seven B. Franklin elected you a Delegate to represent this State in the Congress of the United States, You are therefore hereby comrnissionated as such.
Given in Council, under the Hand of His Excellency Benjamin Franklin esquire, President, and the Seal of the State, at Philadelphia, this first Day of December in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty seven.
Attest.
Chas . Biddle Sec'y .
A motion2 of Mr [William] Irvine seconded by Mr [John] Brown being made and under debate "That the post master gen(1). be directed to employ posts for the regular transportation of the mail between the city of Philadelphia and the town of Pitsburg in the state of Pensylvania by the rout of Lancaster, York town, Carlisle, Chamberstown and Bedford
[Note 2: 2 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, IIl, p. 395, in the writing of Mr. John Brown. It is in the form as passed.]
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and that the mail be dispatched once in each fortnight from the postoffices respectively."
A motion1 was made by Mr [Nathan] Dane seconded by M(r). [Samuel Allyne] Otis that the consideration thereof be postponed to take into consideration the following motion
[Note 1: 1 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, III, p. 397, in the writing of Mr. Nathan Dane.]
"That the postmaster general be authorised and directed to contract for the remainder of the present year for the conveyance of the mail by post riders and by the usual rout once a week from Portland to Pownalborough in Massachussets."2 And on the question to postpone for the purpose above mentioned the yeas and nays being required by Mr [Samuel Allyne] Otis
[Note 2: 2 The original motion has the following clause, "and once a week from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh in Pensylvania ", which is crossed out.]
{table}
So it passed in the negative.
On the question
Resolved3 That the postmaster genl be and he is hereby directed to employ posts for the regular transportation of
[Note 3: 3 See February 27, 1788.]
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the mail between the city of Philadelphia and the town of Pittsburg in the state of Pensylvania by the rout of Lancaster, York town, Carlisle, Chamberstown and Bedford and that the mail be dispatched once in each fortnight from the post Offices respectively.
[Motion of delegates of Delaware on posts1]
[Note 1: 1 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 61, p. 439, in the writing of Mr. Dyre Kearny. According to indorsement and the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 191, this motion was referred to the Postmaster General to report. Report rendered May 22, 1788.]
Resolved that the Post Master General be authorised and directed to contract with suitable persons for the regular Establishment transportation of the mail twice in every Week from Wilmington in the State of Delaware to Dover in the Said State, upon the Principles of the resolution2 of Congress of the 15th . of February 1787, and if it cannot be carried into effect upon the Principles of the resolutn aforesaid by the first of June next, that the Establishment be made at the Expenee of the Genl Post Office.
[Note 2: 2 Journals, vol. XXXII, pp. 59--60.]
[Report of Board of Treasury on protested bill3]
[Note 3: 3 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 139, pp. 663--665, read May 20, 1788. The covering letter of the Board, also read, is on p. 669. Acted on May 21, 1788. See May 16 and 22, 1788.]
The Board of Treasury to whom was referred a Motion of the Honorable the Delegates of the State of Maryland relative to the payment of a Bill drawn by the Honorable William Carmichael on his correspondent in Maryland,
Beg leave to Report
That from a Statement of Mr . Carmichaels Account for Salary as adjusted by Mr . Thomas Barclay to the 1st . April 1784; there appeared to be due to him the sum of Nineteen thousand and forty four Livres, two sols, and one denier.
That subsequent to this period Mr Carmichael appears to have received from Mr . Grand, to the 6th . of August 1787, the sum of Forty one thousand, five hundred and thirty five Livres and two Sols, which computing the balance due on the former Account, was not sufficient to the payment of his Salary to that period.
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That the Board have authorised Mr . Carmichael on the 5th . of December last to draw on the Commissioners of Loans in Holland on Account of his Salary, for the sum of Three thousand Dollars; but that the payments above recited still fall short of the sum due to Mr Carmichael.
The Board therefore submit to the consideration of Congress the following Resolve,
That the Board of Treasury take order for paying to Mr . John Brown of Maryland, on account of the arrears of Salary due to William Carmichael Esqr . the sum of Two thousand Dollars and that the above payment be made in such mode as the state of the Treasury will best admit of.
All which is humbly submitted
Samuel Osgood
Walter Livingston
Arthur Lee
May 19th . 1788.
[Report of committee on Western territory1]
[Note 1: 1 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 30, pp. 143--144, in the writing of Mr. Nathan Dane. Delivered (read) May 20, 1788. The committee consisted of Mr. Nathan Dane, Mr. William Irvine, Mr. Samuel Mix Mitchell, Mr Edward Carrington and Mr. John Brown. Report was acted on July 2, 1788. See March 18 and 24, and May 2 and 15, 1788.]
Additional instructions to the Governor of the Territory of the United States North west of the river Ohio relative to the Treaty to be held with the Western Indians in pursuance of the resolutions of Congress passed in October last.
Sir: An additional sum of twenty thousand dollars has been appropriated for the purposes of procuring a permanent peace with the Indian tribes with which you are authorised to Agreed hold a treaty; This sum and 6000 dollars out of the 14000 heretofore appropriated for holding the sd . treaty are particularly directed to be applied solely to the purpose of obtaining a boundary advantageous to the United States between them and the said Indian tribes and for further extinguishing, by purchase, Indian titles in case it can be done on Terms beneficial to the Union.
But it is not expected that any further purchase of lands will be made, unless on terms evidently advantageous to the Agreed United States or that any part of the said additional sum will be expended but in Cases apparently necessary.
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In fixing a boundary between the United States and the Indian tribes, instead of the East and West line mentioned in your instructions, you will endeavour to establish an East and Agreed West line as far North as the completion of the forty first degree of North latitude.
In your negociations with the Indians you will make immediate payments so far as you shall have monies in hand, but in Case you shall find it necessary to engage any considerable part of the said additional sum, you are to Stipulate that the payments thereof be made in two or three equal annual instalments the first to be as late in the year 1789 as can be obtained.1
[Note 1: 1 May 20, 1788. According to the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 191, the following committee was appointed:
Mr. Edward Carrington, Mr. Abraham Clark and Mr. James R. Reid, on the memorial of T. Hutchins, received May 20, 1788, respecting pay and reappointment. Partial report rendered May 22, and acted on May 23, 1788.
Also according to indorsement and the Committee Book was read and referred to the Secretary at War to report:
Letter of Edmund Randolph to Virginia delegates, May 9, 1788, respecting Indian affairs. Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 71, II, p. 593. The enclosed letter of Joseph Martin to Randolph, March 13, 1788, is on pp. 597--600. Report rendered May 26 and acted on June 19, 1788.]
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