5th. The General, having resumed his place, the President is to deliver the answer of Congress, which the General is to receive standing.

6th. The President having finished, the Secretary is to deliver the General a copy of the answer. The General is then to take his leave.

When the General rises to make his address, and also when he retires, he is to bow to Congress, which they are to return by uncovering without bowing.

MARCH 19, 1784.

On the report of a committee, consisting of Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Howell, and Mr. Williamson, to whom were referred the fourth and fifth of the instructions of the 15th of October, 1783, to the commissioners for negotiating with the Indians

Resolved, That the said fourth and fifth articles of the instructions of the 15th of October, 1783, to the commissioners for negotiating with the Indians, be and they are repealed; and in lieu thereof the following be substituted:

Fourthly, That a meridian line passing through the lowest point of the rapids of Ohio to the northern boundary of these United States shall be proposed as the line of division between the several Indian tribes and these states; so that all the lands comprehended between the said boundary on the north, the Ohio on the south, the said meridian on the west, and Pennsylvania on the east, or so much thereof as the tribes having title thereto may be induced to part with, shall be ceded to the United States; and possession thereof,

or of any parts thereof, be given to the United States at such times as may be agreed upon in the treaty.

Fifthly, The said commissioners are instructed, as far as they shall find it convenient, to treat with the several nations at different times and places; and where necessity shall oblige them to bring two or more nations together, that they still keep their treaties and conferences as distinct as may be. That they countenance every disposition in any one of the Six Nations to treat and act separately and independently; and that in general they discourage every coalition and consultation which might tend to involve any one nation in the wars of the others.

MARCH 30, 1784.

The grand committee, consisting of Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Blanchard, Mr. Gerry, Mr. Howell, Mr. Sherman, Mr. De Witt, Mr. Dick, Mr. Hand, Mr. Stone, Mr. Williamson, and Mr. Read, to whom was referred a letter of the 19th March, 1784, from the superintendent of finance, with sundry papers enclosed, and who were instructed to revise the institution of the treasury department, and report such alterations as they may think necessary, reported the draft of a circular letter to the supreme executives of the several states, which was agreed to as follows:

SIR,

[CIRCULAR.]

The subject of this address claims the attention of your excellency on the principle of the most urgent necessity.

The state of our finances is such as to require the united efforts of Congress and of the several states, for obtaining immediately a supply of money to prevent the loss of publick credit.

When the army were furloughed, they had the promise of three months pay; and as there was not money in the treasury, the superintendent of finance was under the necessity of issuing his notes to discharge this and other demands. The notes becoming due, part of them were redeemed with money supplied by the several states; but this being inadequate, the financier drew bills on Holland for the deficiency. A considerable proportion of these drafts have been paid by loans obtained there on the credit of the United States. But the letters from our bankers to the superintendent of finance inform, that they had been under the necessity, for the want of funds, to suffer so many of his bills to be protested for non-acceptance as, with the damages on protest in case of non-payment, will amount to the sum of six hundred and thirty-six thousand dollars.

We expect the return of these bills under a protest for non-payment; and should there not be money in the treasury of the United States to discharge them, your excellency may easily conceive the deplorable consequences.

Under such circumstances Congress think it their duty to communicate the matter confidentially to the supreme executive of each state, and to request in the most pressing terms their influence and exertion to furnish with all possible despatch, on requisitions unsatis

fied, their respective quotas of the sum mentioned according to the apportionment herewith transmitted.

I shall only add, sir, that Congress rely on your wisdom for accomplishing their views with as much despatch as possible, and that the estimates and requisitions for the year will be soon transmitted to your excellency.

I am, &c.

(To be signed by the President.)

The apportionment of the six hundred and thirty-six

thousand dollars is as follows:

New Hampshire,

Massachusetts,

22,348

95,157

On the report of a committee, consisting of Mr. Hand, Mr. Williamson, and Mr. Howell, to whom was referred a motion of Mr. Hand

Resolved, That the commissioners for treating with the Indian nations be informed, that as Congress are desirous of having that important business effected with the utmost despatch, and at as little expense as possible, the fifth article of their instructions, so far as it enjoins the holding of separate and distinct treaties with the several nations, is dispensed with; and that they the said commissioners are hereby authorized to treat with the said several nations of Indians collectively, or at different times and places, as they shall find most conducive to the interest of the United States.

APRIL 22, 1784.

Resolved, That as the command of the legion did not devolve on colonel Ternant upon the promotion of general Armand, he be not entitled to any other pay or commutation than that to which he was entitled as lieutenant colonel in the said corps.

JANUARY 20, 1785.

On the report of a committee, consisting of Mr. Monroe, Mr. Platt, Mr. Read, Mr. Hardy, and Mr. Spaight, to whom were referred a letter of third November, 1784, from the honourable JohnA dams, and a letter of the 11th of the same month from the honourable John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson

Resolved, That the paragraph in the joint letter respecting the communications they have received from the count de Vergennes upon the subject of the Dutch 34

VOL. I.