1. Congress lacked a quorum from 3 Nov. 1786 to 16 Jan. 1787. Then for one day—17 Jan. 1787—seven states were present, but the attempt to choose a president failed because the states could not agree on one man. Congress did not again meet until 2 Feb., when the delegates elected Arthur St. Clair of Pennsylvania president (Burnett, The Continental Congress, pp. 673–74).

2. Abner Nash arrived in New York around 1 Nov. 1786, was immediately taken ill, and died 2 Dec. 1786 (Burnett, Letters description begins Edmund C. Burnett, ed., Letters of Members of the Continental Congress (8 vols.; Washington, 1921–36). description ends , VIII, xciii).

3. Shays’s Rebellion provoked widespread rumors of British involvement. John Jay wrote to Jefferson, “A Variety of Considerations and some Facts afford Room for Suspicions, that there is an understanding between the Insurgents in Massachusetts and some leading Persons in Canada, but whether with or without the Consent or Connivance of the british Government, is still to be ascertained. There is so much Evidence of their having sent Emissaries to Quebec, and of Propositions made to and received by them from a Character of Distinction there, that I am induced to think there is at least some Truth in it.… Intimations have been given that the People of Vermont are less and less anxious to be admitted into the Confederacy, and that they rather incline to a Connection of some kind or other with Britain than with us. This also remains to be proved. Two Circumstances however give it some Appearance of Probability, Vizt. It is said and believed that they talked with Sr Guy Carlton during the War, and they know that by remaining separate from the States, they will also remain uncharged with our Debts” (14 Dec. 1786, Boyd, Papers of Jefferson description begins Julian P. Boyd et al., eds., The Papers of Thomas Jefferson (19 vols. to date; Princeton, N. J., 1950——). description ends , X, 596; see also Edward Carrington to Edmund Randolph, 8 Dec. 1786, Burnett, Letters description begins Edmund C. Burnett, ed., Letters of Members of the Continental Congress (8 vols.; Washington, 1921–36). description ends , VIII, 516). Sir Guy Carleton, appointed governor of Quebec in 1786, was supposed to have been sent to Canada with explicit instructions to harass the Americans as much as possible with the object of fomenting disturbances in their governments (Jefferson to Jay, 11 Aug. 1786, Boyd, Papers of Jefferson description begins Julian P. Boyd et al., eds., The Papers of Thomas Jefferson (19 vols. to date; Princeton, N. J., 1950——). description ends , X, 221, 222 n.). Vermonters had been in contact by way of Canada with British officials ever since the Revolution, but Vermont provided no more than refuge and sympathy for the Shaysites (Dunbar, “Monarchical” Tendencies in the U.S., p. 110; Chilton Williamson, Vermont in Quandary: 1763–1825 [Montpelier, 1949], p. 171).

4. The delegates in Congress resolved to use whatever means and power they had to suppress the insurrection in Massachusetts. Fearful of the states’ reaction to forceful action by the federal government, they voted on 20 Oct. to raise a special body of troops under the guise of defending the western frontier against hostile Indians, but in fact for the purpose of supporting Governor Bowdoin against the Shaysites (Burnett, The Continental Congress, p. 672; JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, 1904–37). description ends , XXXI, 892).

5. John Adams reported to Jay in a letter of 27 Oct. that Britain was pursuing treaties of commerce with various European nations, among them “perhaps, Spain” (Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States, II, 679).