against the State, as it does not appear that any account of these advances has been rendered to the state or that the Officers have credited the same on the settlement of their accounts with the Auditors of that State. Your Commissioner further begs leave to report That it appears by the resolution1 of Congress of the 27th of Sept. 1781 that the depreciation of the General Officers was recommended to be settled by the several States of which the General Officers were Inhabitants, on the same principles with their respective Lines. That the State of Connecticut of which General Putnam was an Inhabitant has settled his accounts to the first day of January 1780 and no further, and That the General has petitioned the Legislature of Connecticut for the further settlement of his accounts to the first day of August 1780 which memorial was negatived. Whereupon your Commissioner humbly submits the following question, whether the General shall still be referred to the State or that one of the Officers of Congress be directed to settle his accounts for this period. All which is humbly submitted. OFFICE OF ARMY ACCOUNTS New York April 30th 1787 His Excellency On behalf of, THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS. JOHN PIERCE Esq. Commis [Letter of Secretary for Foreign Affairs on commission of P. Bond "] OFFICE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS 1st May 1787 SIR: Mr P. Bond has applied to me repeatedly about the Business of his Commissions now before Congress. His anxiety relative to it has brought him to this City; and he earnestly requests that it may be concluded with as little Delay as may consist with the Convenience of Congress. 1 Journals, vol. XXI, p. 1020. The date should be September 28, 1781. 'Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 81, III, pp. 101-102, read May 2, 1787. See May 3, 1787. As it is natural that not only Mr Bond but also his Court should experience some Solicitude on the Subject, I take the Liberty of mentioning these Circumstances to your Excellency; and to observe that it would be a Pity the Influence of your late circular Letter on general Opinion and on british Prejudices and Complaints, should be weakened by any Measure less liberal, especially if in itself not very important to either Country. I have the honor to be, etc., His Excellency THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS. JOHN JAY [Report of Secretary for Foreign Affairs on petition of Hannah Stephens 1] OFFICE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS 1st May 1787 The Secretary of the United States for the Department of foreign Affairs to whom was referred a Petition from Hannah Stephens praying that her Husband be redeemed from Captivity at Algiers, and also a Letter from the Honble T. Jefferson proposing that a certain Order of Priests be employed for such Purposes, Reports That in his Opinion Resolutions of the following Tenor would be expedient, Viz Resolved that the Honorable T. Jefferson Esquire the Minister of the United States at the Court of Versailles be, and he hereby is authorized to take such Measures as he may deem most adviseable for redeeming the American Captives at Algiers, and at any Expence not exceeding that which European Nations usually pay in like Cases. Resolved that the Board of Treasury be and they hereby are directed to provide Ways and Means for enabling Mr. Jefferson to defray the said Expences, either by remitting Money from hence or by a Credit in Europe. All which is submitted to the Wisdom of Congress. JOHN JAY.2 1 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 81, III, p. 105, read May 2, and passed July 18, 1787. See April 23, 1787. MAY 2, 1787. According to the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 147, the following committee was appointed: THURSDAY, MAY 3, 1787. Congress Assembled present, Massachusetts New York, New Jersey, Pensylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia and from Delaware Mr [Dyre] Kearny, and from Rhode Island Mr [Peleg] Arnold. Mr David Ross and Mr Nathaniel Ramsay, Delegates for Maryland attended and produced credentials whereby it appears that they are appointed to represent the said State in Congress for one Year from the second Monday in December 1786. [Credentials of Maryland delegates 1] To the Honourable William Harrison, William Hindman, Uriah Forrest David Ross, and Nathaniel Ramsey Esquires. The State of Maryland reposing special Trust and Confidence in your diligence, wisdom and fidelity, hath appointed you Delegates for this State in the United States in Congress assembled, with full power and authority to you, or any two or more of you, to repreW. Smallwood sent and act for this State in the United States in Congress assembled, for One whole year from the second Monday of this instant December, and also you or either of you, are fully Mr. Nathaniel Gorham, Mr. Charles Pettit and Mr. Wiliam Grayson on the petition of John Dean, jr., April 27, 1787, read May 2, for sea letters. Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, II, p. 358. See May 3, 1787. Also according to indorsement and the Committee Book, p. 148, a letter of the Governor of Virginia to President of Congress, April 16, 1787, with an Act of the Legislature respecting indents, was referred to the Board of Treasury to report. Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 71, II, p. 527. Report rendered July 11, 1787. According to indorsement the following petitions were read: Petition of Duncan Campbell, April 6, 1787, praying for payment for services. Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, II, pp. 265-266. See July 7, 1787. Petition of Richard Lawrence, April 26, 1787, for relief from imprisonment for debts. Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, IV, pp. 426-428. See July 7 1787. According to the Despatch Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 185, IV, p. 11, was received: Petition of Joseph Pellon for land promised to the Canadians. 1 Original credentials read May 3, 1787, in Papers of the Continental Congress, Maryland Credentials. Copied in Record of Credentials, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 179, I, p. 214. See February 15, 1787. empowered and authorised to represent and Act for this State in a Committee of the States, which may within the time aforesaid be appointed by the United States in Congress assembled. Given under my Hand and the Seal of the State, at the City of Annapolis this second Day of December Anno Domini 1786 [SEAL PENDENT] The committee consisting of Mr [Nathaniel] Gorham Mr [Charles] Pettit and M [William] Grayson, to whom was referred the Memorial of John Dean Jun' in behalf of John Dean and Henry Bowers of Boston in the State of Massachusetts, praying that a Sea Letter may be granted for the Ship Friendship, Josiah Roberts Commander, having reported,1 That they are assured that the vessel abovementioned with her cargo belongs to citizens of the United States, and is navigated by citizens of the United States, Resolved, That a Sea letter in the usual form be granted. On a report 2 of the Board of Treasury to whom was referred a motion for repealing the special Requisition of the 21st of October last; together with the resolve directing the Board of Treasury to open a loan on the credit of the said Requisition, Resolved, That all monies accruing from the Requisition of the 21st of October last, or advanced by any of the States for the recruiting, subsisting or cloathing of the Troops, directed to be raised by the Resolves of Congress of the 20th of October last, be credited to such States, on the Specie requisition of 1784, 1785 or 1786, at the option of the States respectively; Provided, that no State having made 1 This report, in the writing of Mr. Nathaniel Gorham, is indorsed on the back of the petition which was read May 2, 1787. 2 See April 18, 1787. & Journals, vol. XXXI, pp. 894-895. 4 Journals, vol. XXXI, pp. 892-893. such Advances shall obtain credit therefor, till the Accounts relative to the same are adjusted at the Treasury of the United States. Resolved, That the Act of Congress of the 21st of October last directing the Board of Treasury to open a Loan on the credit of the said requisition, be and it is hereby repealed. 1 1 Congress proceeded to the consideration of the report 2 of the Secretary of the United States for the Department of foreign Affairs, to whom was referred his letter of 8th December last to His Excellency The President with two commissions from his britannic Majesty dated the 5th day of April 1786, the one constituting Phineas Bond Esq his Consul for New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland, the other constituting him his Majesty's Commissary for commercial Affairs throughout the United States, and Congress approved of the said report and agreed to the following Resolutions to wit, Whereas Phineas Bond Esq has presented to the United States in Congress Assembled a commission in due form bearing date the 5th April 1786 from his britannic Majesty constituting and appointing him the Consul General of his said Majesty in the States of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland, and although no commercial treaty or convention subsists between his Majesty and the United States whereby either have a perfect right to establish Consuls or Commissaries in the dominions of the other, yet as the United States are disposed by every proper mark of liberality and attention to promote a good 1 The proceedings from this point to the end of the entry of the Public Journal are also entered by John Fisher and signed by Charles Thomson in the Secret Journal Foreign, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 6, III, pp. 372-373 and by Benjamin Bankson in Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 5, III, pp. 1607–1609. 2 See March 29, 1787. There is a Mss. copy of this Act recognizing Bond, signed by Thomson, in Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 55, pp. 309–310. |