But few of the late Loan-Office Accounts have yet been adjusted, and Reported on to this Board; from those States where the Transactions of that Department have been regularly kept; the Accounts adjusted by the State Commissioners may in a short time be expected, Congress will then have it in their power, to judge whether any general or particular allowance ought to be made to the former Loan Officers, beyond their established Commission. Under these circumstances the Board are of Opinion That Mr Appleton should be informed that his Memorial cannot be taken into Consideration till his Accounts are adjusted and Reported on to the Treasury, agreeably to the Rules established for settling the Old Loan Office Accounts. All which is humbly submitted. March 15th 1787. SAMUEL OSGOOD WALTER LIVINGSTON [Report of Board of Treasury on petition of Abraham Yates, jr.'] [Report of Board of Treasury on memorial of A. H. Dohrman.2] BOARD OF TREASURY, March 19 1787. Present Samuel Osgood Walter Livingston The Board of Treasury to whom it was referred to examine the Claims 3 of M3 Arnold Henry Dohrman, Agent for the United States 3 at the Court of Lisbon, Beg leave to Report 1 This report dated March 14, 1787 and signed by Samuel Osgood, Walter Livingston and Arthur Lee, is in Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 138, II, pp. 601-608, with accompanying documents on pp. 609-622. Read March 19, 1787. The report was acted on October 9, 1787 where it is entered verbatim in the Journal. See February 20, 1787. 2 Reports of the Board of Treasury A, pp. 335–338; Library of Congress photostat copy. The covering letter of the Board, read March 19, 1787, is in Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 140, I, p. 331. According to the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 140, the report was referred to a committee consisting of Mr. James Mitchel Varnum, Mr. Rufus King and Mr. William Few. It was discharged on April 19, 1787. • A copy of Dohrman's memorial to Congress in June 1786 is in Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, VIII, pp. 221–223. See Journals, vol. XXX, p. 415. That in consequence of the above referrence they have caused Mr Dohrmans accounts for supplies to American Prisoners during the late War, to be examined by the proper Officers of the Treasury: the amount of which is found to be 25,084 40/90ths Dollars. That out of this Sum only 5,806 72/90ths Dollars are supported by such regular Vouchers as will authorise an admission by the proper Officers of the Treasury. Various documents are offered in support of the remainder, but they are deemed too general by Executive Officers, as adequate Vouchers in support of Specific Charges. That this deficiency appears to arise in a principal degree from the nature of the Disbursements made by Mr Dohrman, whose own house was frequently the Asylum of whole Crews of Captive American Seamen, who were fed, clothed, and relieved in sickness through his benevolence; and that at a time when the political connection betwixt the Courts of Great Britain and Portugal rendered a display of his attachment to the American cause, dangerous, both to his Person and property. 1 That such was the conduct of Mr Dohrman appears from the various certificates accompanying his memorial, and from the Resolve 1 of Congress of the 21st of June 1780 (founded on a Report of the Committee of Foreign Affairs) appointing Mr Dohrman Agent for the United States in the Kingdom of Portugal in the preamble to which, his extensive Disbursements to our Prisoners, and Zealous Attachment to the cause of America are acknowledged in terms highly honorable to that Gentleman. From the Report above referred to, it appears to have been the expectations of Mr Dohrman that the United States in Congress, should at a convenient season, reimburse his actual expenditures for the support of the American Prisoners, and though the Resolve for his appointment is silent as to this object, his claim appears grounded on the principles of Reason, and common justice; especially when it is considered, that the Act for his appointment is grounded on the Report of the Committee of Foreign Affairs, to whom his expectation of reimbursement had been stated. The Board however beg leave to observe, that however strong the presumption is, from the character of Mr Dohrman and other circumstances attending his Transactions, that the whole of the sum 1 Journals, vol. XVII, p. 541. by him charged, have been actually expended for the Service of the United States, yet it appears dangerous to admit at the Treasury, such parts of his Disbursements as are not supported by regular Vouchers, since the precedent would be - bable be1 taken advantage of by Persons, whose character and pretentions (if properly ascertained) might be found very dissimilar from those of Mr Dohrman. Under the circumstances above stated the Board submit to the Consideration of Congress the following points Viz. 1 That Mr Dohrman be reimbursed such part of his Expenditures as appear to be supported by proper Vouchers amounting to Dollars with Interest from the time such disbursements were made. 2o That (as in the case of Mr Dumas the present agent at the Hague) he be allowed in consideration of faithful and generous Services the Sum of 1,300 Doll" per annum to be computed from the period when his expenditures commenced to the present day. 3o That such reimbursement, and payment of Salary be made in the manner most convenient to the present state of the Finances. 4th That (as the aggregate of the above sums will fall far short of the amount of the expenditures, as stated by Mr Dohrman) being as above mentioned Doll" exclusive of Interest, a Grant be made to that Gentleman free of all charges of Survey and other expences whatsoever of Acres of Land in the Western Territory of the United States; and that the Act of Congress making the above Grant express the reasons on which the same is founded, in such manner as may manifest the Services of Mr Dohrman to this Country, and the generous sence which the United States in Congress entertain of them. Should the principles of the above Report be approved of by Congress; The Board beg leave to suggest whether it might not be proper to refer the same to a special Committee in order that proper Resolves may be reported to the United States in Congress for carrying the same into execution. All which is humbly submitted." 1 This unintelligible phrase possibly should read "would be liable to be." * March 19, 1787. According to the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 140, the following committees were appointed: Mr. William Samuel Johnson, Mr. William Grayson and Mr. Nathan Dane on the petition of Nathaniel Norris, dated February 22, 1787, read March 19, requesting payment of his lost certificate. Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, V, pp. 455 and 463. The committee was discharged October 9, 1787. TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 1787. Congress assembled, Present Massachusetts Connecticut New York New Jersey Pensylvania Delaware Virginia North Carolina and Georgia and from Rhode island Mr [James Mitchel] Varnum and South Carolina Mr D[aniel] Huger who produced Credentials whereby it appears that he is duly appointed a delegate to represent the State of South Carolina in Congress until the first Monday in Nov next. [Credentials of Daniel Huger, South Carolina 1] State of South Carolina By His Excellency Thomas Pinckney Esquire Governor and Commander in Chief in and over the State aforesaid. To the Honorable Daniel Huger Esquire, Greeting. Know ye that by Virtue of the Power and Authority in me Vested by the Legislature of this State, I have Commissioned and by these Presents do Commission, you the said Daniel Huger, to be a Delegate, to represent this State in the Congress of the United States of America. This Commission to Continue and be in force until the first Monday in November next, and no longer. Given under my hand and the Great Seal of the State, in the City of Charleston, this sixth day of March in the year of Our Lord One Mr. Rufus King, Mr. William Grayson and Mr. William Pierce on a report of the Commissioner of Army Accounts respecting Pierre Charlong. Report rendered March 22, 1787. See March 12, 1787. Also according to the Committee Book, p. 135, Mr. Abraham Clark was appointed to the committee of February 12 on reduction of the Civil list, in place of Mr. Charles Pinckney. According to indorsement the following was read: Letter of Arnold Henry Dohrman to President of Congress, March 17, 1787, which enclosed letters of Washington and P. Henry to R. H. Lee and a copy of Dohrman's petition of June, 1786. Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, VIII, pp. 207-208 and 211-223. 1 Original credentials, on parchment, indorsed as read March 20, 1787, Papers of the Continental Congress, South Carolina Credentials. Copied in Record of Credentials, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 179, I, p. 208. thousand Seven hundred and eighty Seven, and of the Sovereignty and Independence of the United States of America, the Eleventh. THOMAS PINCKNEY 1 By His Excellency's Command. PETER FRENEAU Secretary. [SEAL PENDENT] WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 1787. Congress assembled present as yesterday. On the report of the board of treasury to whom was referred the memorial of colonel Marinus Willet together with a report of the Commissioner of army accounts and a committee of Congress on the said report. 3 1 MARCH 20, 1787. According to the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 141, the following committees were appointed: Mr. Rufus King, Mr. William Grayson and Mr. William Pierce on a petition of Anthony Son, read March 20, 1787, for pay for services in the army. Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, VII, pp. 275-276. The accompanying certificates are on pp. 279-282. Report rendered March 22, 1787. This is the same committee as that of March 19 on petition of Pierre Charlong. Mr. William Grayson, Mr. James Mitchel Varnum and Mr. Stephen Mix Mitchell on the memorial of Matthias Ogden, dated and read March 20, 1787, regarding payment under contract for transportation of mail. Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, VII, pp. 283–284. Report rendered March 21, 1787. See March 23, 1787. According to indorsement and the Committee Book, p. 141, the following memorials were read and referred to the Board of Treasury to report: Memorial, dated November 10, 1786, of Eb Sproat, Isaac Sherman, Robt. Johnson, James Simpson, Israel Ludlow, S. Montgomery, Winthrop Sargent, Charles Smith and Absalom Martin, surveyors for the several states for executing the ordinance of 1785, regarding expenses. Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, IX, pp. 431-432. See October 3, 1787. Benjamin Tupper also signed this petition but his name was erased. Memorial of Banjamin Tupper, surveyor for Massachusetts, November 10, 1786. Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, X, pp. 263-264. See October 3, 1787. Also according to the Committee Book, p. 141, the Board of Treasury was ordered to report a plan for selling the townships surveyed in the Western territory for public securities. Report rendered April 5, 1787. ? See March 8, 1787. Journals, vol. XXXI, p. 564. |