4.5. Continental Congress.

JOURNALS OF THE

CONTINENTAL CONGRESS

1774-1789

STANFORD LIBRARY

EDITED FROM THE ORIGINAL
RECORDS IN THE LIBRARY OF
CONGRESS BY GAILLARD HUNT,
CHIEF, DIVISION OF MANUSCRIPTS

August, 1782

STANFOR

MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 1782

461

In pursuance of the resolution of the sixteenth day of July last, the agents for the Commonwealth of Pensylvania and for Connecticut made report as follows:

BRAR

To the honorable the Congress of the United States of America:
We the underwritten agents on the part of the Commonwealth of
Pensylvania, and of the State of Connecticut, do humbly certify, that
in pursuance of the resolution of Congress bearing date the sixteenth
day of July last, we have met and conferred together, and by joint con-
sent have appointed the following gentlemen as commissioners to con-
stitute a court for hearing and determining the matter in question
between the said states, that is to say, the Hon. William Whipple,
esq. of New Hampshire; the Hon. Major General Nathaniel Greene,
of Rhode Island; the Hon. David Brearley and William Churchill
Houston, esqrs. of New Jersey; the Hon. Cyrus Griffin and Joseph
Jones, esqrs. of Virginia; and the Hon. John Rutledge, esq. of South
Carolina, any five or more of whom we have agreed shall constitute
a court, and have authority to proceed and determine the matter and
difference between the said states. At the same time we beg leave
most humbly to request that Congress will be pleased to determine how
much shall be allowed to the said commissioners as a compensation
for their services, and also in what manner and by whom they shall be
paid.

Dated the 8th day of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-two, and in the 7th year of our independence.

On the report of a committee, consisting of Mr. [John] Lowell, Mr. [Ezekiel] Cornell, and Mr. [James] Madison, to

1According to Papers of the Continental Congress, Committee Book, No. 186, this joint report of the agents for Pennsylvania and Connecticut was referred, on this day, to Mr. [John Morin] Scott, Mr. [James] Madison, and Mr. [John] Witherspoon.

2708°-VOL 23-14-1

whom was referred a letter of the 9th of July from the Commander in Chief, with sundry papers enclosed:

Resolved, That Congress approve the conduct of General Washington in refusing to enter into any discussion with General Carleton on the subject of the treason laws passed by the several states.

Resolved, That the states of America which compose the union, being sovereign and independent, the laws respectively passed by them for their internal government and the punishment of their offending citizens, cannot be submitted to the discussion of a foreign power, much less of an enemy.

2. That as soon as due provision shall be made on the part of the enemy for settling and discharging the balance due to the U. S. for the past maintenance of Prisoners, and solid arrangements made to provide for them in future, a general exchange of prisoners will be concurred in on the part of the U. States.

3. That a copy of the two last resolutions be transmitted by Gen! Washington to Gen! Carleton.

Report of the Committee to whom was recommitted the report on the letter of General Washington submit the following resolutions: That Congress have always been and still are ready to coneur-in-a cartel for an exchange of prisoners on equal and just principles-and approve of the measures taken for that purpose by the Commander in Chief.

That a copy of this resolution be transmitted by Genl. W. to the British Commander-in-Chief in New York.'

On the report of a committee, consisting of Mr. [Arthur] Lee, Mr. [John] Witherspoon, and Mr. [John] Rutledge, to whom was referred a letter of the 5, from General Washington, Congress came to the following resolutions:

The Committee to whom was referred the letter from Gen! Washington of August 5, 1782, enclosing the copy of a letter from Sir Guy Carleton and Admiral Digby dated August 2nd and the reports of two committees together with sundry letters relative to a partial exchange

1 This report, in the writing of James Madison, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, VI, folio 399.