| PREVIOUS | NEXT | ITEM LIST | NEW SEARCH | BEST MATCH |
A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
A letter, of 2 December, from Major General Lincoln, was read:1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 158, folio 305.]
Ordered, That so much thereof as relates to money be referred to the Board of Treasury, and the remainder to the Board of War.
A petition of William Mitchel was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A letter, of this day, from the Board of War, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred back to the Board of War to take order.
A letter, of 30 December, from Doctor J. Morgan, was read, requesting to be furnished with copies of the following letters and returns of Doctor W. Shippen, viz2:
[Note 2: 2 Morgan's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 63, folios 161--164.]
Letters previous to October 9, 1776, on which were founded the resolves of that day; of November 1, 1776, including the return of the sick; November 9, 1776; November 24, 1777, and return of the sick, also return of the hospital officers; January 19, 1778, with the return of the hospital officers, &c., also Governor Livingston's, to which it refers; January 26, 1778, to Francis Lewis, Esquire; Whereupon,
Page 2 | Page image
Ordered, That Doctor Morgan's request be complied with and that those of the papers which are in the possession of the Medical Committee be lodged in the Secretary's office for that purpose.
The delegates for Massachusetts bay produced credentials of their appointment, which were read as follows:
State of Massachusetts Bay,
Council Chamber, November 18th, 1779.
These Certify that |the Honorable John Hancock, Samuel Adams, Elbridge Gerry, James Lovell, Samuel Holten, George Partridge and Artemas Ward, Esquires, were agreeable to the Assignment of this Day by the General Assembly of the State aforesaid, Chosen Delegates to represent the said State in the honble the Congress of the United States of America for the year 1780.
Attest:
John Avery, D. Secretary.1
[Note 1: 1 The original is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, Massachusetts, Credentials of Delegates.]
Congress took into consideration the report of the committee, to whom was referred the report of the Board of War, on the petition of Robert Jewell; and thereupon,
Resolved, That thirty dollars a day be allowed to Robert Jewell, keeper of the new jail in Philadelphia; twenty dollars a day to each of his assistants; and ten dollars a day to his turnkey; in full for their services and subsistance, until the further orders of Congress.
On the question to agree to the foregoing resolution, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [James] Forbes,
{table}
Page 3 | Page image
So it was resolved in the affirmative.
A report from the Board of Treasury was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Mr. W[illiam] Ellery, delegate for the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, on his application, for four thousand dollars, for which the said State is to be accountable.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Joseph Carleton, secretary and paymaster to the Board of War and Ordnance, for four thousand dollars, on account of his salary.
That on the application of Chaloner and White, agents for Jeremiah Wadsworth, commissary general of purchases, the following warrants issue in their favour, for six millions of dollars, on account of the said Jeremiah Wadsworth, and for the use of his department, for which sum he is to be accountable, viz.
One on Nicholas Gilman, treasurer of the State of New Hampshire, for three hundred thousand dollars.
One on Henry Gardiner, treasurer of the State of Massachusetts bay, for one million of dollars.
One on Joseph Clarke, treasurer of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, for seventy five thousand dollars.
Page 4 | Page image
One on John Lawrence, treasurer of the State of Connecticut, for one million five hundred thousand dollars.
One on David Rittenhouse, treasurer of the State of Pennsylvania, for two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
One on Samuel Patterson, treasurer of the State of Delaware for seventy five thousand dollars.
One on Thomas Harwood, treasurer of the State of Maryland, for five hundred thousand dollars.
One on George Webb, treasurer of the State of Virginia, for seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
One on his excellency, Richard Caswell, Esquire, governor of the State of North Carolina, for seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars:
In part of the monies raised by the said States respectively, for the use of the United States.
One on the continental treasurer, for five hundred thousand dollars.
One on Abraham Yates, junior, commissioner of the continental loan office for the State of New York, for one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
And one on Thomas Harwood, commissioner of the continental loan office for the State of Maryland, for one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
That on the application of Charles Pettit, assistant quartermaster general, the following warrants issue in his favour for seven hundred and ten thousand dollars, on account of Major General Greene, quartermaster general; who is to be accountable, viz.1
[Note 1: 1 In the original report the amount is given as $660,000.]
One on Nicholas Gilman, commissioner of the continental loan office for the State of New Hampshire, for ten thousand dollars.
Page 5 | Page image
One on Nathaniel Appleton, commissioner of the continental loan office for the State of Massachusetts bay, for four hundred thousand dollars.
And on Thomas Harwood Esq. Commissioner of the Continental Loan Office for the State of Maryland for two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
Office for the State of Maryland for two hundred and fifty thousand
And one on the treasurer, for three hundred thousand dollars. This last to defray the contingent expences of the Virginia troops on their march to the southward.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 935. The final paragraph is in No. 136, IV, folio 1.]
Congress resumed the consideration of the report of the committee, appointed to consider of proper salaries for the purchasing commissaries, and for regulating the departments of the commissary and quarter master; and thereupon,
Resolved, That the commissary general of purchases be allowed a salary at the rate of forty thousand dollars by the year, until the further order of Congress; also six rations a day, and forage for four horses.
That an assistant commissary be appointed by the commissary general to each of the states in which it shall be necessary that purchases be made under him, and in which provision shall not have been made by the states respectively for furnishing the necessary supplies.
That the said assistant commissaries be allowed on all good merchantable articles which may be purchased by them, or under their direction respectively, two per cent on twenty fold the prices they were sold at in the year 1774, until the further order of Congress; out of which they shall pay all their agents, and defray the whole expence attending such purchases: nor shall they; nor any of their agents, be entitled
Page 6 | Page image
to rations or forage, except when called by the necessary business of their department to attend the army.
And in order the better to ascertain such prices;
Resolved, That the executive power of every State be requested to return to the Board of Treasury a list of the commodities usually sold within such State, and the price current in the year 1774; and that copies of such lists be furnished from thence to the commissary general and his assistants:
That the commissary general be directed to keep regular accounts, in which he shall charge all persons belonging to his department with the money advanced to them, and give them credit for the purchases made by them, entering their respective accounts at large; that he check all accounts within his department, and reject improper charges; direct the manner in which the accounts of his respective deputies shall be kept, ordering the articles purchased to be entered under distinct heads, so that the expenditures for each separate article may be seen at one view; that he shall, once in every three months, or oftener if required, exhibit a fair and comprehensive view of the state of his purchases, in columns, the manner in which the same has been expended, and the stock on hand, with the price of each article, and the State, county, and district in which purchased:
That every assistant commissary make monthly returns to the commissary general of the articles purchased, the price, the name of the agent by whom the same were bought, and the persons to whom delivered; or, if still on hand, at what place stored:
That no money be advanced to any assistant commissary until he has made such returns, and accounted for money received, rendering to the commissary general receipts from his agents for the money advanced to them:
Page 7 | Page image
That every assistant commissary call upon his agents for monthly returns of their expenditures; without which returns no further sums be advanced to them; but that they be sued to account for the money in their hands:
That the commissary general of issues be, and he is hereby directed, to make monthly returns of the number of rations issued, to what persons, and at what places, to the Board of War, in order to take their direction as to the continuing such issues.
On passing the first part of the resolution for granting two per cent, &c. to the assistant commissaries, to the words "until the further orders of Congress" inclusive, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [James] McLene,
{table}
So it was resolved in the affirmative.
Ordered, That so much of the report as relates to the appointment of inspectors be re-committed.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock on Monday.
PREVIOUS SECTION .. NEXT SECTION .. NAVIGATOR
| PREVIOUS | NEXT | ITEM LIST | NEW SEARCH | BEST MATCH |