First Continental Congress: September 12, 1774

Link to date-related documents.

Journals of the Continental Congress [Edited]

Matthew Tilghman from Maryland took his seat.

No business being prepared for the Congress, the President adjourned it till Tuesday, & from Tuesday till Wednesday.

John Adams wrote in his Diary that he “attended my Duty on the [First] Committee, until one O Clock.”  He had dinner with John Dickinson whom he described as “a very modest man, and very ingenious, as well as agreeable.  He has an excellent Heart, and the Cause of his Country lies near it.  He is full and clear for allowing to Parliament, the Regulation of Trade, upon Principles of Necessity and the mutual Interest of both Countries.”

Silas Deane wrote to his wife Elizabeth Deane that he spent most of the week on Committees.  On Friday, however, “we had a grand Entertainment at the State House….About Five Hundred Gentlemen sat down at once, and I will only say there was a plenty of everything eatable, & drinkable & no scarcity of good Humor, & diversion. We had besides the Delegates, Gentlemen From every province on the Continent present.”

Edited with commentary by Gordon Lloyd.