Journal of the Continental Congress Excerpts Related to the Post Office Rev. 1 (1-2011) The Journals of the Continental Congress are the records of the daily proceedings of the Congress as kept by the office of its secretary, Charles Thomson. All Acts, Resolves and other information relating to the running of the Government are contained within its pages or references. The Journals were transcribed and published by the Library of Congress in 34 volumes issued from 1904 to 1937. About 25 years ago, I spent about a week at the Library of Congress making photocopies of anything relating to Post Office operations. These have been invaluable in understanding how the Post Office functioned from 1775 until 1792. These Journals have now been digitized and are available on the Library of Congress website at: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lwjc.html This file includes the transcipts of those records relating to the Post Office that I've found to date. I'm continuing to add to this file, so it should be considered a work in progress. Entries marked with {Rev1} were added during that revision. Ed Siskin Voorhees, NJ [email protected] New Jersey Postal History Society www.NJPostalHistory.org 1 Free Digital File Journal of the Continental Congress 1774-1789 Excerpts Related to the Post Office WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1774, A.M. An address from William Goddard to the Congress was read and lie on the table. 1 MONDAY, MAY 29, 1775 As the present critical situation of the colonies renders it highly necessary that ways and means should be devised for the speedy and secure conveyance of Intelligence from one end of the Continent to the other, Resolved, That Mr.[Benjamin] Franklin, Mr. [Thomas] Lynch, Mr. [Richard Henry] Lee, Mr. [Thomas] Willing, Mr. S[amuel] Adams, and Mr. P[hilip] Livingston, be a committee to consider the best means of establishing posts for conveying letters and intelligence through this continent. THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 1775 The report of the committee being read and debated, Resolved, That a General be appointed to command all the continental forces, raised, or to be raised, for the defence of American liberty. That five hundred dollars, per month, be allowed for his pay and expences. The Congress then proceeded to the choice of a general, by ballot, when George Washington, Esq. was unanimously elected.2 FRIDAY, JULY 21, 1775 (Franklin's Articles of Confederation) {Rev1} In a volume of the Papers of the Continental Congress No. 9, containing a history of the Confederation, the first entry in the writing of Charles Thomson reads: "July 21. 1775. Agreeably to Order the Congress resolved itself into a Committee of the whole to take into Consideration the State of America, when doct. B. Franklin submitted to their Consideration the following Sketch of Articles of Confederation." 1 Probably a scheme for a post office. Ward says the congress on this day also "considered of non-importation." 2 These resolutions were printed in the Pennsylvania Packet, 11 December, 1775. Washington was nominated by Thomas Johnson of Maryland, and the election was unanimous. The attitude of the Congress and the causes leading to this choice are fully described in the Diary and later correspondence of John Adams. New Jersey Postal History Society www.NJPostalHistory.org 2 Free Digital File The original Ms. is in No. 47, folio 1. It has long been believed that the trade propositions submitted by Franklin on this day originally formed part of the Articles of Confederation, and the two documents are usually printed together. In 1775 a British vessel captured copies on their way to South Carolina and the two papers were published as one; and again in the Archives of New Jersey, vol. X, p. 691. But Thomson's sentry must be conclusive. The Articles were probably submitted by Franklin of his own motion.] Articles of Confederation and perpetual Union, entered into agre proposed by the Delegates of the several Colonies of New Hampshire, &c &c, in general Congress met at Philadelphia, May 10, 1775. Art. I. The Name of this Confederacy shall henceforth be The United Colonies of North America. ..... Art. V. That the Power and Duty of the Congress shall extend to the Determining on War and Peace, to sending and receiving ambassadors, and entring into Alliances, [the Reconciliation with Great Britain;] the Settling all Disputes and Differences between Colony and Colony about Limits or any other cause if such should arise; and the Planting of new Colonies when proper. The Congress shall also make and propose such general Regulations Ordinances as tho' necessary to the General Welfare, particular Assemblies from their local Circum cannot be competent to; viz. such as may relate to those that may relate to our general Commerce; or general Currency; to the Establishment of Posts; and the Regulation of our common Forces. The Congress shall also have the Appointment of all General Officers, civil and military, appertaining to the general Confederacy, such as General Treasurer, Secretary, &c. TUESDAY, JULY 25, 1775 The Committee appointed to consider the ways and means of establishing posts, bro't in their report, which was read, and ordered to be taken into consideration to Morrow. Resolved, That the following Gentlemen be appointed and fully authorized to sign the same, viz. Luke Morris, Samuel Meredith, Judah Foulke, Samuel Morris, Frederic Kuhl, Robert Strettle Jones, Thomas Coombe, John Morton Ellis Lewis, John Mease, Thomas Lawrence, Robert Ritchie Daniel Clymer, John Maxwell Nesbit, Thomas Barclay, John Bayard, William Craig, Thomas Bartow Junr., John Shee, Isaae Hazelhurst, Robert Roberts, Anthony Morris, Mordecai Lewis, George Mifflin, Robert Tuckuiss Andrew Bunner, William Jackson, Joseph Sims, James Milligan, and James Reed. That each of the continental bills be numbered and signed by two of the above gentlemen. New Jersey Postal History Society www.NJPostalHistory.org 3 Free Digital File WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 1775 Agreeable to the order of yesterday, the Congress resumed the consideration of the report of the Committee on the post office; which being debated by paragraphs, was agreed to as follows: That a postmaster General be appointed for the United Colonies, who shall hold his office at Philada, and shall be allowed a salary of 1000 dollars per an: for himself, and 340 dollars per an: for a secretary and Comptroller, with power to appoint such, and so many deputies as to him may seem proper and necessary. That a line of posts be appointed under the direction of the Postmaster general, from Falmouth in New England to Savannah in Georgia, with as many cross posts as he shall think fit. That the allowance to the deputies in lieu of salary and all contingent expences, shall be 20 per cent. on the sums they collect and pay into the General post office annually, when the whole is under or not exceeding 1000 Dollars, and ten per cent. for all sums above 1000 dollars a year. That the rates of postage shall be 20 pr cent less than those appointed by act of Parliament.3 That the several deputies account quarterly with the general post office, and the postmaster general annually with the continental treasurers, when he shall pay into the rect of the Sd Treasurers, the profits of the Post Office; and if the necessary expence of this establishment should exceed the produce of it, the deficiency shall be made good by the United Colonies, and paid to the postmaster general by the continental Treasr. On motion made, Resolved, That it be recommended to the postmaster general to establish a weekly post to South Carolina. That it be left to the postmaster general to appoint a secy and comptroller. The Congress then proceeded to the election of a postmaster general for one year, and until another is appointed by a future Congress, when Benjamin Franklin, Esqr. was unanimously chosen. That each gentleman who signs the continental money, be allowed and paid out of the continental treasury, one Dollar and one third of a dollar for each and every thousand bills signed, and numbered by him. That the gentlemen appointed to number and sign the Bills, do give their receipts for the same, expressing the number and denomination of them; and after numbering and signing them, shall deliver the same to the continental Treasurers, taking their receipts for the bills so delivered. 3 Suspended September 30. New Jersey Postal History Society www.NJPostalHistory.org 4 Free Digital File On motion, Resolved, That Mr. S[amuel] Adams, Mr. [Richard Henry] Lee, and Mr. J[ohn] Rutledge, with the Secretary, be a committee to revise the Journal of the Congress, and prepare it for the press. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1775 A letter from Genl Washington, dated the 21 of Septr, with sundry enclosures, being recr by express, was laid before Congress and read.4 The Committee of Accounts produced sundry accots. which they reported as just, viz. John Powell's, for riding express, a ballance due to him amounting to forty-five dollars and one-third of a dollar. Matthias Slough, for money advanced to the riffle companies, amounting to seven hundred and ten dollars and sixty-four ninetieths of a dollar. James Alexander for riding express, a ballance due to him, amounting to one hundred and seventy-two dollars and twenty-six ninetieths of a dollar. Ordered, That the above accounts be paid. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1775 It being represented to the Congress, that from the present situation of affairs and the correspondence now carried on through N. A., it is apprehended that if the rate of postage is lowered agreeable to the resolution of Congress, the proceeds of the office will not support the necessary riders; and as the people in general are well satisfied with, at least no complaints have been made with regard to, the rates lately paid for the postage of letters, On motion, Resolved, That the resolution of Congress respecting the lowering the rates of postage be suspended until farther orders from this Congress.