On the 30th of April, 1784, Congress recommended to the States, to invest them with a power, for fifteen years, to exclude from their ports the vessels of all nations, not having a treaty of commerce with them; and to pass, as to all nations, an act on the principles of the British navigation act.  Not that they were disposed to carry these powers into execution, with such as would meet them in fair and equal arrangements of commerce; but that they might be able to do it against those who should not.  On the 4th of January, 1786, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina, had done it:  It remained for New Jersey, Delaware, South Carolina, and Georgia to do the same.

in the mean time, the general idea has advanced before the demands of Congress, and several States have passed acts, for vesting Congress with the whole regulation of their commerce, reserving the revenue arising from these regulations, to the disposal of the State in which it is levied.  The States which, according to the public papers, have passed such acts, are New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware, and Virginia:  but the Assembly of Virginia, apprehensive that this disjointed method of proceeding may fail in its effect, or be much retarded, passed a resolution on the 21st of January, 1786, appointing commissioners to meet others from the other States, whom they invite into the same measure, to digest the form of an act for investing Congress with, such powers over their commerce, as shall be thought expedient, which act is to be reported to their several Assemblies for their adoption.  This was the state of the several propositions relative to the impost and regulation of commerce at the date of our latest advices from America.

Page 125.  The General Assembly of Virginia, at their session in 1785, passed an act, declaring that the district called Kentucky shall be a separate and independent State on these conditions. 1.  That the people of that district shall consent to it. 2.  That Congress shall consent to it, and shall receive them into the federal Union. 3.  That they shall take on themselves a proportionable part of the public debt of Virginia. 4.  That they shall confirm all titles to lands within their district made by the State of Virginia before their separation.

Page 139.  It was in 1783, and not in 1781, that Congress quitted Philadelphia.

Page 140, ’Le Congres qui se trouvoit a la portee des rebelles fut effraye.’ I was not present on this occasion, but, I have had relations of the transaction from several who were.  The conduct of Congress was marked with indignation and firmness.  They received no propositions from the mutineers.  They came to the resolutions which may be seen in the journals of June the 21st, 1783, then adjourned regularly and went through the body of the mutineers to their respective lodgings.