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A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --THURSDAY, JUNE, 25, 1778
A letter, of 22, from General Washington, in Jersey, near Coryell's ferry, was read.
A letter, of 11th, from the council of war of the State of Rhode Island, &c. directed to the delegates of that State, was laid before Congress, ∥and read:∥2
[Note 2: 2 The letter of Washington is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, VI, folio 135; that of Rhode Island is in No. 64, folio 406.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the committee of arrangement.
Congress resumed the consideration of a report of the Committee on the Treasury, of the 24; Whereupon,
Ordered, That 100,000 dollars of the warrant for 300,000, issued the 12 February last, in favour of the delegates of Pensylvania, to be by them transmitted to the president of the said State, for the purchase of flour, &c. be applied to the purpose of paying for the cloathing mentioned in the letter of the 5th, from the president of the council of Pensylvania.3
[Note 3: 3 See note on p. 612 ante.]
A report being brought in from the Board ∥of War∥ was read; Whereupon,
At a Board of War, May 17th., 1778
Present, Colo. Pickering, Mr. Peters, Mr. Duer.
That Colo. Armand, Marquis de la Rouerie, at present commanding the Independent Corps, formerly raised by Major Ottendorf, be authorized
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to recruit for the purpose of compleating the said Corps, Deserters from the Enemy's foreign Troops, French Men, and others not owing Allegiance to the King of Great Britain, upon the same Terms as other Troops raised on the Continental Establishment for three Years or during the War.
That the said Corps be distinguished by the Name of The Free and Independent Chasseurs.
That it consist of Three Companies, formed and Commanded as follows, vizt.:
Each company to consist of one Captain, 1 Captn. Lieut., 2 Lieuts., 8 Sergeants, 8 Corporals, 2 Drummers, 128 Privates.
Regimentary Officers, 1 Colo., 1 Major, 1 Regimental Standard Bearer, or Ensign Major, with the Rank and Pay of Lieut.
So that the whole will be composed as follows, viz:
That Genl. Washington be authorized to appoint as Officers to the said Corps, such Officers of Merit as are at present in it, and such other foreign Officers of Merit as at present hold Commissions, and who are not already and cannot be annexed to other Corps, on the propose arrangement of the army.
That this Corps when raised shall act in concert with Genl. Pulaski's Legion in such manner as Genl. Washington shall deem best
That if any French, or other Foreigners (not Deserters from the Enemy) shall Enlist in the said Corps, the State in which such Troops shall so enlist shall be credited in their Continental Quota for such Recruits as they shall think proper to allow the State Bounty in addition to that allowed by the United States.
And whereas, Congress have received Information that several Foreign Deserters from the Enemy's Troops and Prisoners of War have been enlisted in the Regiments rais'd by the Respective States, contrary to the Resolutions of Congress, but injurious to the interests of these States.
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Resolved, That Genl. Washington be directed to order Returns to be made from the Regiments of such Deserters and Prisoners of War; and that they be turn'd over to such Companies of Genl. Pulaski's Legion, or of the Free and Independent Chasseurs as they shall prefer.
That the sum ofDollars be advanced by the Treasury to the Order of the Board of War to be by the said Board paid from Time to Time to Colo Armand or his order for the purpose of recruiting the said corps.
By order of the Board.Tim. Pickering, junr
That none of the said Foreign Officers, to be appointed in the said corps, shall receive any higher pay than what is annexed to the Commands they may respectively be appointed to, by Virtue of any Brevet Commission which may have been granted by the Resolutions of Congress of the 2d February last.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of William Duer, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, II, folio 39. It is endorsed: "Debated, partly amended and postponed."]
Resolved, That the independent corps raised by Colonel Armand, in consequence of General Washington's permission, be taken into continental pay; the pay to commence from the time of the respective inlistments of the non-commissioned officers and privates engaged in the same:
That General Washington be authorized to officer this corps with such foreign and other officers of merit as at present hold commissions, and who are not already and cannot be annexed to other corps on the proposed arrangement of the army:
That if any of the states shall think proper to allow to the non-commissioned officers and privates, who have or shall inlist in Colonel Armand's corps, the bounty allowed by them respectively, in addition to the continental bounty, the men so engaged shall be credited as part of the quota of the State who shall allow the additional bounty:
That the sum of five thousand dollars be paid to the Board of War, to be by them advanced to Colonel Armand,
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towards paying the continental bounty and recruiting charges of the said corps; for which sum, Colonel Armand is to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Timothy Pickering, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, II, folio 125.]
The committee to whom were referred the letters of Governor Greene, General Sullivan, &c. brought in a report; Whereupon,
Whereas, it appears from repeated and recent advices that the States of New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay and Connecticut have not completed their quota of troops for the defence of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, according to the agreement of the Stipulation at Springfield, whereby and part of that State hath been lately laid waste, and the rest is now exposed to the ravage and devastation of a savage enemy: And whereas it further appears from a letter of the Governor of Connecticut to General Sullivan, of the fifth of June instant, that by reason of the contiguity of that State to the State of New York, they had stipulated with the State of Massachusetts Bay to furnish out an additional number of Militia for the defence of Hudson's River, in lieu of which the State of Massachusetts Bay was to send an equal number for the defence of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.
Resolved, That it be and it is hereby most earnestly recommended to the States of New Hampshire and Massachusetts Bay that they immediately complete and send forward their quotas as stipulated at Springfield; and that the latter, over and above their quota, furnish the number of militia assigned to the state of Connecticut by the Convention at Springfield, in lieu of the additional number of militia sent to Hudson's river by the State of Connecticut in behalf of the State of Massachusetts Bay.
Resolved, That it be, and it is hereby most earnestly recommended to the State of Massachusetts bay, over and above the quota assigned to them for the defence of Rhode Island by the convention of Springfield, to compleat and send forward with all possible despatch, the number of men assigned by the said convention to the State of Connecticut,
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in lieu of the additional number of militia sent to Hudson's river by Connecticut, in behalf of Massachusetts bay.1
[Note 1: 1 This paragraph was substituted for the above.]
Resolved, That General Washington be, and he is hereby directed to order the continental battalion raised by the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, now in the main army, to the said State for the defence thereof, [if in his opinion the same may be done without any injury to the general interest of these United States.]2
[Note 2: 2 The words in brackets were inserted by Henry Laurens.]
Resolved, That the Board of War be, and they are hereby directed to furnish General Sullivan with two thousand stand of arms, including the number already ordered by the said Board, to be put into the hands of the State troops and militia under his command, from the arms lately imported into Portsmouth, in the State of New Hampshire, if any there be, or from some convenient magazine; and that they order General Sullivan to take particular care that the arms be delivered up by the militia before they leave the service.
Resolved, That the navy board in the eastern department be, and they are hereby empowered to cause to be built, equipped and manned, three large gullies for the defence of Providence, Warren, and Taunton rivers, or procure three suitable vessels for that purpose, if, upon advising with the council of war in the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations and General Sullivan, they shall judge the measure to be expedient.
Resolved, That a Warrant issue on the Treasury for two hundred thousand dollars, and on the Loan Office in the State of Committed to Treasury Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, for one hundred thousand dollars, in favour of said State, the State to be accountable.3
[Note 3: 3 This report, in the writing of William Ellery, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, II, folio 431.]
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Ordered, That the part of the report relative to advancing a sum of money to the State of Rhode Island &c., be referred to the Board of Treasury.
Three o'Clock, p. m.
The Committee on the Treasury brought in a report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That 20,000 dollars be advanced to Joseph Nourse, pay master to the Board of War and Ordnance, for the contingent expences of the said Board; and for which sum he is to be accountable.
That two thousand dollars be advanced to the delegates of the State of Connecticut, 1,000 on the application of Mr. S[amuel] Huntington, and 1,000 upon the application of Mr. O[liver] Wolcott, two of the said delegates; the State to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 387.]
The commissioners of claims report,
That there is due to Major James Armstrong Wilson, a balance in full for the pay of his own and Captain S[amuel] Postlethwaite's company, and of thirteen men belonging to different regiments in Brigadier Wayne's division, doing duty with Major Wilson's company from 1st April to 5 June instant, when the two companies were discharged, and for expences and charges in raising the said companies, the sum of 1,005 50/90 dollars:2
[Note 2: 2 This report, dated June 24, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 383. It gives many details of the charges.]
Ordered, That the said account be paid.
Congress took into consideration the representation from New Jersey, ∥on the articles of confederation,∥ which was read, as follows:
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To the United States in Congress assembled. The representation of the Legislative Council and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey, sheweth,
That the articles of confederation and perpetual union, between the states of New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, proposed by the honble. the Congress of the said states, severally for their confirmation, have been by us fully and attentively considered: on which we beg leave to remark as follows:
[Note 1: 1 This paragraph was not inserted in the Journals by Charles Thomson, but by Thomas Edison.]
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to observe, that the present war, as we always apprehended, was undertaken for the general defence and interest of the confederating colonies, now the United States. It was ever the confident expectation of this State, that the benefits derived from a successful contest, were to be general and proportionate; and that the property of the common enemy, falling in consequence of a prosperous issue of the war, would belong to the United States, and be appropriated to their use. We are therefore greatly disappointed in finding no provision made in the confederation for empowering the Congress to dispose of such property, but especially the vacant and unpatented lands, commonly called the crown lands, for defraying the expences of the war, and for other such public and general purposes. The jurisdiction ought in every instance to belong to the respective states within the charter or determined limits of which such lands may be seated; but reason and justice must decide, that the property which existed in the crown of Great Britain, previous to the present revolution, ought now to belong to the Congress, in trust for the use and benefit of the United States. They have fought and bled for it, in proportion to their respective abilities, and therefore the reward ought not to be predilectionally distributed. Shall such states as are shut out by situation from availing themselves of the least advantage from this quarter, be left to sink under an enormous debt, whilst others are enabled, in a short period, to replace all their expenditures from the hard earnings of the whole confederacy?
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from whatever class they may be raised. If the whole number of inhabitants in a State, whose inhabitants are all whites, both those who are called into the field, and those who remain to till the ground, and labour in mechanical arts and otherwise, are reckoned in the estimate for striking the proportion of forces to be furnished by that State, ought even a part of the latter description to be left out in another? As it is of indispensable necessity in every war, that a part of the inhabitants be employed for the uses of husbandry and otherwise at home, while others are called into the field, there must be the same propriety that persons of a different colour, who are employed for this purpose in one State, while whites are employed for the same purpose in another, be reckoned in the account of the inhabitants in the present instance.
That we think it our indispensable duty to solicit the attention of Congress to these considerations and remarks, and to request that the purport and meaning of them be adopted as part of the general confederation; by which means we apprehend the mutual interests of all the states will be better secured and promoted, and that the legislature of this State will then be justified in ratifying the same.
Whereupon, a motion was made,
That the several articles in the confederation, referred to in the representation of the State of New Jersey, be so far re-considered as to admit the purport and meaning of the additions, alterations, and amendments, proposed in the said representation:
Question put,
Passed in the negative, 3 ayes, 6 noes, one divided.
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The delegates of Pennsylvania were then called on for the report of their constituents relative to the articles of confederation; Whereupon,
They moved in behalf of their State:
Question put,
Passed in the negative, 2 ayes, 8 noes, 1 divided.
Question put,
Passed in the negative, 2 ayes, 9 noes.
Question put,
Passed in the negative, 3 ayes, 7 noes, one divided.
Question put,
Passed in the negative, 1 ay, 10 noes.
The delegates from Virginia being called on for the report of their constituents, relative to the articles of confederation, informed Congress,
That they are empowered to ratify the same as they now stand.
The delegates from South Carolina being called upon for the report of their constituents upon the confederation, moved in behalf of their State:
Passed in the negative, 2 ayes, 8 noes, 1 divided.
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Passed in the negative, 3 ayes, 8 noes.
Passed in the negative, 2 ayes, 8 noes, 1 divided.
Passed in the negative, 2 ayes, 9 noes.
Passed in the negative, 1 ay, 9 noes, 1 divided.
Passed in the negative, 2 ayes, 9 noes.
Passed in the negative, 1 ay, 9 noes, 1 divided.
Passed in the negative, 2 ayes, 9 noes.
Passed in the negative, 3 ayes, 8 noes.
Passed in the negative, 2 ayes, 8 noes, 1 divided.
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"The troops to be raised shall be deemed the troops of that State by which they are raised. The Congress or grand council of the states may, when they think proper, make requisition to any States for two-thirds of the troops to be raised; which requisition shall be binding upon the said states respectively; but the remaining third shall not be liable to be drawn out of the State in which they are raised, without the consent of the executive authority of the same. When any forces are raised, they shall be under the command of the executive authority of the State in which they are so raised, unless they be joined by troops from any other State, in which case the Congress or grand council of the states may appoint a general officer to take the command of the whole: and until the same can be done, the command shall be in the senior officer present, who shall be amenable for his conduct to the executive authority of the State in which the troops are, and shall be liable to be suspended thereby. The expences of the troops so to be raised, shall be defrayed by the State to which they belong; but when called into service by the United States, they shall be fed and paid at the expence of the United States:"
Passed in the negative, two ayes, nine noes.
Passed in the negative, 2 ayes, 8 noes, 1 divided.
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Passed in the negative, 2 ayes, 9 noes.
Passed in the negative, 2 ayes, 9 noes.
Passed in the negative, 2 ayes, 9 noes.
Passed in the negative, 3 ayes, 7 noes, 1 divided.
Passed in the negative, 2 ayes, 9 noes.
Passed in the negative, 1 ay, 10 noes.
Passed in the negative, 2 ayes, 9 noes.
Passed in the negative, 1 ay, 10 noes.
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and be afterwards confirmed by the legislatures of eleven of the United States:"
Passed in the negative, 3 ayes, 6 noes, 2 divided.
The delegate from Georgia being called on for the report of his constituents on the Confederation, informed Congress that he has not yet received any instructions or orders respecting the same; but that his State having shewn so much readiness to ratify the articles of Confederation, even in an imperfect state, and it being so much for their interest, that the confederation should be ratified, he had no doubt of their agreeing to it as it now stands.
Delaware and North Carolina absent ∥not having delegates present in Congress, no report was received from them, saving what is contained in Governor Caswell's letter, informing, that the legislature of North Carolina have agreed to the articles of confederation.∥
Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to prepare the form of a ratification of the articles of confederation:
The members chosen, Mr. R[ichard] H[enry] Lee, Mr. G[ouverneur] Morris, and Mr. [Francis] Dana.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock, to Morrow.
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