Notes from Congress’ Secret Journal on Instructions to Peace Commissioners, 7 June 1781
Notes from Congress’ Secret Journal
on Instructions to Peace Commissioners
MS (LC: Madison Papers). See Notes from Secret Journal, 28 May 1781, headnote.
June 7[, 1781]
Sd. Come. Carol. Jones &c—report1—Witherspoon’s motion2 with a Secret adl. instrn.3 1. to try for old ultm.4 as to Boundary 2 but if necessary to leave qon5 open—or this refused 3 to settle matter as well as possible—on 1st all ay—on 2. all ay but Sul: & Livr. Ward—Mr. Mer. Smith—so carried6—on the 3d—Sul: & Liv. ay—Lovl. & Ward no—Varm. ay—Huntington—Elsworth ay Sherman no—Witherspoon & Houston ay—Jones, Madison Bland—Smith no. Sharpe ay Johnson no—Matthews Bee Motte ay—Walton Few, Howley ay—lost—7
1. For this committee, see Notes from Secret Journal, 28 May 1781, editorial note, and n. 1. For the name of each delegate mentioned in this entry and the state which he represented, see Notes from Secret Journal, 6 June 1781, n. 4.
3. JM summarized the additional instruction in 1-2-3 order. For the exact wording, as given in the printed journal, see , XX, 608–9.
5. “Question.”
6. Nine states voted “ay,” but each of two of these had only one delegate present; one state voted “no”; the two delegates of one state deadlocked; and two states were unrepresented in Congress (, XX, 609).
7. Eight states voted “ay,” but each of three of these had only one delegate present; two states voted “no”; the two delegates of one state deadlocked; and two states were unrepresented (, XX, 610). Clearly, the four delegates from Virginia were unwilling to leave the determination of boundaries to the discretion of the peace commissioner or commissioners. Although Theodorick Bland often opposed JM and Jones, he stood with them on these three ballots.