The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-09-26

VIZ Al uVo years, Win per cent. Inter-
est. In August, IVY, the committee on
treasury reported Recommendation that
the drawing be postponed, because the
sales had not been large enough, and
suggested that more tickets be sent to
the States, with the request that the
governors expedite their sale. The
scheme of this government lottery was
very like that of the Louisiana lottery
OF recent day-only one-half of the
money repaid in prizes, and the chances,
therefore. two to one against the buyer
OF the ticket. Congress once authorized
The District of Columbi to establish a
lottery for building purposes" The
PROM bitlonists of today would have been
horrlfled at a resolution passed by Con-
gress in September, 1777, directing the
commisary general to purchase thirty
hogsheads of rum to be distributed
among the soldiers in compliment for
their gallant behavior in the late battle
OF "Brandywine." 1t was not an inap-
propriate reward, through--for Brandy
wine.
The question OF clothing the army
seemed to give the Continental Congress
more trouble than anything else, for in
December. 1777, we find an appeal to
the States to furnish clothing to SOL
diers, and in the same month the COM
miJtee no the treasury made report
strongly condemning certain persons in
Massachusetts, Bay awho contracted for
clothing at an enormous price. and re-
fused to deliver the same until they
could receive the cash." So the army
contractor was not a product solely of
the late civil war.
There is nothing more amusing in
this collection of old documents than
the form of an address reported byCon-
gresham Osgood in 1854 for adoption by
Congress as general "sea letter" to be
issued to captains of vessels. 1t was adj
dressed to Most serene serene, most
puissant puissant, high, illustrious,
noble, honorable, venera BILE, wise and
prudent lords, emperors, kings, repu blics,
princes. dukes, earls, barons, lords. bur-
goniasters, schepens, counseiIors, as also
judges. officers, justiciaries and regents
OF all the good cities and places whether
ecclesiastical or secular, who shall see
these patents or hear them read.n 1t
would be interesting If one could have
had Mr.. Osgood's views on the reception
OF an lnfanta year ago.
RECEIVING FOREIGN MINISTER'S.
AS there was no President to receive
foreign ministers or to give instructions
to the ministers of the United Colonies,
this duty devoived on Congress, and
there is among other things an account
of the reception of the Dutch minister
in 1888. with his remarks. and the reply
for the President of Congress. In the
same year Congress adopted list of
" ceremonies" to be observed at the first
audience of foreign ministers with Con-
gress. When the Marquis de Lafaye cite
returned to France in 1878 Congress gave
him letter commencing him to his
king. Congress carried on regular
correspondence with the King of France
without an intermediary, and in June,
1779, President Henry Laurens wrote
letter to the king, congratulating him
on the birth of u princess. and asking
MIN to "obljge us with portraits of
yourself and royal consort, that, by being
placed in our council chamber we NAV
daily have before our eyes the royal
friends and patrons OF our soil.n
Congress had some diflculty in regu-
latlng the exepnses OF it's foreign minis
terS SO as to give them an opportunity to
appear with dignity in foreign courts.
and at the same time to conform to the
economical ideas that prevailed in the
matter of public expenditure At the
time Franklin was writing home that he
could not make a respectable appearance
at the court of France the President of
Congress was receiving letters alleging
- was "a UNEOlGlUuI0 VI IlOn6Y DIV
Franklin and his nephew Jonathan
Williams. Some of these structures NAV
have been warranted, for John Adams
was found including a charge for the
education OF his son an in account of his
expenses abroad. The item was disal-
lowed on the ground that the investiga-
ing committee did not find "any book or
proceeding of Congress, nor are they in
formed OF any general or received Gus
tom, on which the charge Of moneys for
the education of the accompanies son can
be admitted, and though the same is
they are of the opinion
that precedent be not established, .
CONGRESSIONAL FORETHOUGHT
Ia the appointment of Benjamin
Franklin to negotiate a treaty with
Sweden Congress esta biished very
curious precedent. The appointment Of
Franklin was accompanied by the APP
pointment of John Adams, John jaw
and Henry Laurens to succeed to his
office in regular order in case OF death.
All OF these gentlemen were then abroad
on diplomatic duty.
The departme of foreign affairs (now
the State Department. was created in
l7Sl, and it was provided that the Secre-
tary shall have liberty to visit Con-
gress." The departments of Finances.