stipulate that compensation be made for all Captures contrary to it.

Resolved That the said minister be and he hereby is further instructed to assure his Majesty that it will always give pleasure to Congress fairly to discuss and accommodate every difference or complaint that may arise relative to the construction or to the performance of the Treaty. That they are determined to execute it with good faith. And that as this is the only instance in which any complaints have come regularly before them they flatter themselves that the readiness with which they have taken measures to remove these complaints will create in him a full confidence in the purity of their intentions, and that he assure his Majesty that they fully repose and confide in his assurances "that whenever America shall manifest a real determination to fulfil her part of the treaty Great Britain will not hesitate to co-operate in whatever points depend upon her for carrying every Article into real and compleat effect."

CHA THOMSON Sec

In debating the foregoing Resolutions a motion was made by Mr [Melancton] Smith seconded by Mr [William] Grayson to amend the second resolution by adding thereto as follows (after the word Commissioners)

"And that the payment for the same together with a surrender of all the posts and places now held by his Majesty within the limits of the United States shall be made within a certain reasonable time after the several States shall have passed an Act or Acts in conformity to the resolutions before mentioned, and formal Notice shall be given his Majesty that all the States have passed an Act or Acts as above mentioned."

A motion was made by Mr [Nathan] Dane seconded by M1 [Edward] Carrington to amend the amendment by striking out the words "together with a surrender of all the posts and places now held by his Majesty within the limits of the United States" and on the question shall those words stand? the yeas and nays1 being required by Mr [Melancton] Smith

So it passed in the Negative, and the words were

struck out, and the question to agree to the amendment as amended was Negatived.

CHA THOMSON Sec

[Report of Secretary of Congress on sundry petitions 2] OFFICE OF SECRETARY OF CONGRESS July 20, 1787

On the petition and memorial of a come of the board of trustees of Dickinson college stating that the board are desirous of renting or purchasing a part of the public buildings near Carlisle and praying

1 The record of this vote is from Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 5, III, pp. 1615-1616.

2 Reports of Secretary of Congress, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 180, pp. 57-59.

that Congress will take some measure in this business and appoint some proper person to contract with them for the rent or sale of a part of the said buildings,

The Secy of Congress reports

That the petition1 of the Come of the board of trustees of Dickinson college be referred to the Come appointed on the 21 [28] March last and to whom was referred a Motion 2 respecting the sale of the said buildings.

On the petition of Andrew M° Farlan of Schenectady, that a balance which remains due to him may be paid

The Secy of Congress reports that a similar petition from the said A Mc Farlan having been presented to Congress was referred to the board of treasury, who have reported their opinion and reasons that the prayer of the petition should not be granted. This report being still before Congress

The Sec' reports

That the present petition of Andrew Mc Farlan be filed.

On the petition of the field Officers of the regiments of Militia and other freeholders of the frontier settlements in the County of Montgomery and State of New York

Stating that they are informed that great dissatisfaction prevails at present among the Indians of the six Nations and some of their Neighbours by reason of the non appointment of a Superintendant of Indian Affairs for the said State of New York as formerly and praying Mr Peter Schuyler may be appointed Superintendant of Indian Affairs

The Secretary of Congress reports that on the 16 The United States in Congress assembled have been pleased to empower the Sec' at War to inform the Indian messengers "That the appointment of a deputy in the northern department being vested in the Superintend whom they have already appointed Congress cannot consistently

1 According to the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 154, the petition, as well as the motion mentioned, was referred to a committee consisting of Mr. Edward Carrington, Mr. William Few, Mr. William Bingham, Mr. Abraham Clark and Mr. William Irvine. This was a renewal of the committee of March 28. Report rendered July 23 and acted on October 17, 1787. See July 19, 1787.

2 See March 28, 1787.

See July 18 and April 19, 1787.

See July 18, 1787.

with their Ordinance for the regulation of the Indian department appoint Mr P Schuyler or any other person to that Office. The Sec therefore farther reports That the petition of the field Officers &c in the County of Montgomery and state of New York be filed.

On the letter1 of 14 July from J. Cochran Com' of the Cont. loan Office for the State of N York to the board of treasury, stating the multiplicity of business in that Office and requesting that he may be allowed sufficient assistance to discharge the duties of his Office with that dispatch and regularity which is necessary to give satisfaction to the public

The Secretary of Congress reports

That the letter of 14 from J. Cochran to the board of treasury be referred to the board of treasury to report.

On the Representation and Memorial of John Macpherson, stating that he flatters himself that he has discovered a concise, plain and easily practicable mode of ascertaining the Longitude from the operations and influences of the Magnet or loadstone in our earth; that he wishes to submit to the attention of Congress the result of his Observations and reflections for more than 30 years and praying and expressing a hope of being indulged with an Opportunity in person of giving any farther satisfaction on this subject as may be requisite as he is anxious to make the first public communication of this American discovery to the Congress of the United States of America before he proceeds to lay it before his Most C M3 and other Maritime powers of Europe

The Sec of Congress reports

That the Representation and memorial of John Macpherson be referred to a com

ee

1 See July 18, 1787.

2 According to the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 154, the petition was referred to the Board of Treasury to report. Report rendered July 31, 1787. See October 2, 1787.

3 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, VI, pp. 490-491, dated July 17, 1787, with parts of a lecture on natural philosophy on pp. 494-495. It is not indorsed as read but was received on July 18, 1787.

[Letter of Board of Treasury respecting prize money.1]

BOARD OF TREASURY

July 19th 1787.

SIR: We do ourselves the honor of submitting to the consideration of Congress, a Report to this Board from the Commissioner of Accounts for the Marine Department, on the subject of the Prize Money due to the Crews of the Bonhomme Richard and Alliance, received by Captain Paul Jones from the Government of France; also copies of the Bond to the late Superintendant of Finance, executed by Cap Jones in pursuance of the Resolve of Congress of the 1st November 1783, authorising that Officer to claim and receive the Prize money abovementioned, and of Mr Jeffersons Letter of the 12" of August 1786.

From this Report Congress will observe, that it is not practicable to make a division of what has been received agreeably to the Act" of Congress of the 7 June 1786, 'till Congress have determined on two points which are suggested by the Commissioner.

The first is, Whether the division made by Captain Jones of the Prize Money (which the Commissioner suggests is contrary to the Ordinances of Congress and encreases Captain Jones' proportion) shall stand.

The second is, Whether the Sum charged by Captain Jones for his expences, which exceeds by Liv" 38325:-:89 the amount of Commissions to which Captain Jones is entitled by the Resolve of Congress of the 1st November 1783, shall be admitted.

Should Congress judge proper to admit both these points, it becomes our duty to suggest, that a question may arise, how far the Claimants will consider themselves bound to abide by such Allowance, in diminution of what they conceive themselves entitled to by the Acts of Congress relative to this object.

The Sum received from the Court of France falls so short of what the Claimants expected, that there is every reason to apprehend, a

1 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 140, II, pp. 435-437. The enclosures, copies of the report of the Commissioner of Marine Accounts to the Board of Treasury, July 5, 1787, and the bond of J. P. Jones, are in Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 138, I, pp. 715-720. The report was referred with Jones' letter. See note 2, p. 384.

2 Journals, vol. XXV, pp. 787-788.

Journals, vol. XXX, p. 333.