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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 --FRIDAY, JUNE 6, 1788.
Congress assembled present New hampshire Massachussets Rhode island, New York New Jersey Delaware Virginia South Carolina and Georgia and from Pensylvania M[r [James R.] Reid and from North Carolina Mr [Hugh] Williamson.
On the report2 of a comee . consisting of Mr [Abraham] Clark Mr [William] Irvine Mr [John] Armstrong Mr [Jeremiah] Wadsworth and Mr [John] Brown to whom was referred a motion3 of Mr [William] Irvine
[Note 2: 2 See March 6, 1788. A copy of the proceedings on this report is in Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 55, pp. 337--338.]
[Note 3: 3 See February 25, 1788.]
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Resolved That the geographer of the United States be and he is hereby directed to ascertain, by himself or by a deputy duly appointed for the purpose, the boundary line between the United States and the States of New York and Massachusetts agreeably to the deeds of cession of the said States.
That the said geographer or his deputy having inform the executives of the states of New York and Massachusetts of the time of running the 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 meridian between lake Erie and the state of Pensylvania 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 the said line between lake Erie and the state of Pensylvania so as to ascertain the quantity thereof and make return of such survey to the board of treasury, who are hereby authorised and empowered at any time before or after such survey to sell the said tract in whole at private sale for a price not less than three fourths of a dollar per acre in specie or public securities drawing interest.
[Motion of the delegates of Virginia on submission of accounts1]
[Note 1: 1 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 71, II, p. 609, in the writing of Mr. Edward Carrington. A letter of Andrew Dunscomb to the Governor of Virginia, May 23, 1788, regarding this subject, is on pp. 601--607. According to indorsement and the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 194, the motion and letter were referred to the Board of Treasury to report. Report rendered June 23 and acted on June 24, 1788.]
It having been represented to Congress by the Governor of Virginia that peculiar circumstances prevent the exhibition of the Accounts of the said State, to the Commissioner on the part of the United States, within the time limitted by the Ordinance2 of theday of 1787,
[Note 2: 2 Ordinance of May 7, 1787. Journals, vol. XXXII, pp. 262--266.]
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Resolved thatmonths in addition to the time allowed prescribed by the said Ordinance be showed to the State of Virginia for exhibitting the Accounts of the said State against the U.S. in pursuance of said Ordinance of theday of1787
[Report of committee on invalid establishment1]
[Note 1: 1 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 22, pp. 257--259, in the writing of Mr. Nathan Dane. Read June 6, 1788. See June 2 and 11, 1788.]
The Committee consisting of [Mr. Nathan Dane, Mr. Alexander Hamilton and Mr. John Brown] to whom was referred the petition of John Buchanan and other invalids; and to whom also it was referred to take into consideration the invalid establishment and report thereon, report,
That it appears by the Acts of Congress provision has been made, whereby all persons who have been wounded or disabled in the service of the United States, may be entered on the lists of invalids, and become intitled to the pensions directed by those acts, on producing the evidence and documents required by them. That each State is authorised to appoint a person or persons to make out those lists, and to determine what persons shall be born thereon, and be intitled to the benefits of this establishment. That each State is intitled to impowered and required requested to pay to its invalids the sums to which they may be respectively entitled, and to charge them to the United States, and by the resolutions2 of the 7th of June 1785 it is provided that the payments to be made by the States shall be "deducted from the respective quotas of the States for the year on which they shall be made",
[Note 2: 2 Journals, vol. XXVIII, pp. 435--437.]
By the same resolutions of June 1785 also direct that copies of the lists of invalids shall be transmitted to the Office of Secretary st war within one year after the State shall pass a law in pursuance of the same resolutions, and in like manner lists from year to year. On an examination of the Subject referred to them, the Committee find that only six States have returned lists of their invalids in compliance with the resolutions of Congress; and that only two States have exhibited accounts of monies advanced to invalids, and from any information they can collect, they find it impraticable to determine how extensive the invalid establishment is, how it has been carried into effect or what sums of monies have been advanced by the States
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on it. However, from the returns made and accounts exhibited the Committee find the invalid lists are so considerably increased that the annual expences of the establishment, probably, amounts to about 90,000 Dollars; and that these lists are still increasing. And in the Opinion of the Committee they will become unduly extended if particular Care be not taken to prevent persons being placed on them who are not intitled to the benefits of the resolutions.
Doubts also appear to exist, whether on a true construction of the Said resolutions of June 7th . 1785, a State can have credit on the Specie requisitions of Congress for monies advanced by it to invalids before those resolutions passed. to remove these doubts; to prevent an improper extension of this establishment, and to provide that the pensions due or which may become due, in consequence of it may continue to be paid, the Committee submit the following resolutions,
Resolved that for such Sums as become due to invalids in pursuance of the Acts of Congress before the 7th . day of June 1785 and which have been or shall be paid to them by any State; the State postponed shall have credit in its general Account with the United States, and for such sums as have or shall become due to invalids on and after the said 7th . day of June 1785, and which are or shall be paid by any State in conformity to the Acts of Congress, the State shall have credit on the Specie requisitions of Congress and for such sums as become due before the 7th . of Decr . 1787 on the existing requisitions; And on future requisitions for such sums as shall become due after the said 7th . day of Decr . 1787.
Resolved that no pensions be paid to invalids in any State until the annual list of them shall have been transmitted to the Secretary at war, with the certificates and evidence whereon the same shall be founded, and he shall have examined and approved the same list, and transmitted a copy thereof to the board of Treasury, and the said board shall have given their warrant authorising payment.
Resolved that it be and it is hereby recommended to the legislatures of the several States to direct that lists of the invalids in their respective States be transmitted to the Secretary at war as soon as practicable for the present year, and annually hereafter sometime in the month of May, and that they cause the accounts of monies advanced to invalids by the States respectively to be exhibited regularly from time to time to the board of Treasury.
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Resolved that no account for monies advanced as aforesaid shall be allowed unless exhibited to the said board within one year from this time, or hereafter within one year after such ag: account shall be paid by the State, and that no person shall be entitled to a pension as an invalid who has not, or shall not before the expiration of six months from this time, make application therefor, and produce the requisite certificates and evidence to entitle him thereto.
[Letter of Secretary at War on affairs of the frontier1]
[Note 1: 1 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 150, III, p. 233, read June 6, 1788. The extract of Major Doughty's letter of May 16, 1788 is on p. 229 with its enclosure on p. 225.]
War Office,
June 4'th 1788.
Sir: I have the honor to transmit to your Excellency, the extract of a letter from Major Doughty, commanding the garrison at Muskingum, which contains the latest information received at this office, from the frontiers.
I have the honor to be, etc.,
H Knox
His Excellency
The President of Congress.
[Report of Secretary for Foreign Affairs on protest of French minister2]
[Note 2: 2 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 81, III, pp. 75--76, read June 6, 1788. According to indorsement and the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 194, the report was referred to a committee consisting of Mr. Alexander Hamilton, Mr. Nathan Dane, Mr. Jonathan Dayton, Mr. Samuel Allyne Otis and Mr. Edward Carrington. Report rendered June 12 and acted on June 13, 1788. See May 30, 1788.]
Office for Foreign Affairs
6th . June 1788
The Secretary of the United States for the Department of foreign Affairs, to whom was referred a Note from the Minister plenipotenty . of France, dated the 28th . May, with the Papers that accompanied it,
Reports
That this Note, for the Facts and Reasons therein set forth, contains a Requisition that Joseph Marie Anne Ferrier a Frenchman
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now in the Commonwealth of Virginia, be delivered to the Orders of his most Christian Majesty; and this Note also urges Congress to ratify the consular Convention heretofore concluded in behalf of the two Countries by their respective Ministers.
With respect to the Requisition your Secretary is of Opinion, as the Facts and Circumstances alledged in the Note are so stated as at least to imply a Complaint against the Executive of Virginia, that a Copy of the said Note and of the Papers which accompanied it should, previous to any other Steps or Measures, be transmitted to his Excellency the Governor of that Commonwealth, and that he be requested to communicate to Congress such Information on the Subject as may appear to him proper and necessary.
With respect to the consular Convention, it does not seem necessary that any further Communication relative to it be made to the Minister, than that Instructions on that Head have been given to Mr Jefferson.
All which is submitted to the Wisdom of Congress.
John Jay.
[Letter of Secretary for Foreign Affairs respecting attendance at Convention1]
[Note 1: 1 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 80, III, p. 524, According to indorsement and the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 194, the letter was referred to the Secretary of Congress to take order to inform Mr. Jay that he had leave to attend if he chose. A copy of the letter of Thomson to Jay, June 7, 1788, is in Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 18 B, pp. 148--149.]
New York 4th June 1788
Sir: The City and County of New York have elected me one of their Deputies to the State Convention, which is to meet on the 17th instant at Poughkeepsie to consider and decide on the proposed foederal Constitution. If it be agreeable to Congress I will attend, if not I will decline the Appointment. Permit me therefore to request their Directions on the Subject.
I have the Honor to be with great Respect, etc.,
John Jay.2
[Note 2: 2 June 6, 1788. According to the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 194, the following committees were appointed:
Mr. Abraham Baldwin, Mr. Nathan Dane, Mr. Jonathan Dayton, Mr. Dyre Kearny and Mr. Nicholas Gilman on petition of Levi Pease and others, June 5, 1788, regarding mail contracts. Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, VI, pp. 401--402, read June 6, 1788. A motion for the carriage of the mail for 1789 was also referred to this committee. Report rendered July 1 and acted on July 3, 1788.
Mr. Thomas Tudor Tucker, Mr. Abraham Clark and Mr. Nathan Dane on the report of the Board of Treasury on copper coin. See May 21, 1788. Report rendered July 16, 1788.
Also according to the Committee Book, was referred to the Board of Treasury to report:
Report of Board of Treasury on petition of J. Woods. See June 4, 1788. Report rendered June 13. See also May 30 and June 19, 1788.
According to the Despatch Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 185, IV, p. 34, advice of the ratification of the Constitution by South Carolina was received (read).
According to Reports of Committees, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 189, p. 35, the report of the Commissioner of Army Accounts on the petition of Lieut. Col. Pannill was delivered (read). This report was filed. See May 30, 1788.]
His Excellency
The President of Congress.
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