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A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Congress assembled. Present, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia; and from New Hampshire, Mr. [Pierse] Long, and from Delaware, Mr. [William] Peery.
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Congress proceeded to the election of a president, and the ballots being taken, the honble. Nathaniel Gorham was elected.
The Commee. [consisting of Mr. William Grayson, Mr. Nathan Dane, and Mr. James Monroe] to whom was referred the letter of Governor Henry, Report:
That it appears to your Commee.
*******
Your Comee. observe that as the organization of the Indian departmt. is already under commitment, they deem it unnecessary to take any notice of it in this report.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of William Grayson, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 20, II, folio 317. According to indorsement it was read this day and "Wednesday June 7th Assigned for consideration. Question taken and lost 29 June, 1786," where that portion of the report omitted above is spread verbatim on the Journal. Patrick Henry's letter of May 16 is in No. 71, II, folio 427. See ante, May 26.]
Office Of Hospital Accounts,
New York, June 6, 1786.
The Commissioner for settling the Accounts of the Hospital Clothing and Marine Departments, to whom was refered the Memorial of Robert Johnston, begs leave to report:
That he has examined into the facts stated in the Memorial and finds that Doctor Johnston faithfully performed the several Duties therein stated, in the prosecution of which he was unavoidably put to many Expences, all of which were allowed by Doctor Potts, Deputy Director General of the Hospital in an Account settled with him. It appears also that Doctor Johnson was put to a considerable expence in going from the Northward to join the Southern Army and when there, in travelling to different places to procure Medicines and Necessaries for the Sick. But however reasonable and just the several charges of Expences made by Doctor Johnston may be, as there is no Resolve of Congress allowing them, your Corer thought it his duty to reject them wholly, without examining into their Reasonableness or propriety.
Your Commr. begs leave to observe, that considerable charges of the like nature occur in the Accounts of almost all the principal, and in some of the inferior Officers of the Department, all which on a final settlement of their accounts must be rejected for the same reasons.
Page 331 | Page image In many instances no doubt these expences will be found to have been incurred unavoidably, but the question naturally occurs how far the liberal allowance of Subsistance granted to the Hospital Officers, was considered as adequate to the expences of executing the Duties of their Offices; on Examination it will probably be found that in most instances it was fully adequate, in some few perhaps it was not. Upon the whole your Commr. is of opinion * * *1 [Note 1: 1 This report, of Commissioner Ben Walker, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 31, folio 121. According to indorsement it was read June 6. The opinion of the Commissioner, omitted above, was adopted June 28 and it there spread on the Journal with minor verbal changes.] The Board of Treasury to whom was Referred the Memorial of John Wilcox and Gerardus Clarkson, Executors of Benjamin Flowers deceased late Commissary General of Military Stores, Beg leave to Report: That having referred to the Comptroller of the Treasury the said Memorial, they have received a Report thereon of which the enclosed is a Copy. From the Statement made by the Comptroller Congress will observe the reasons, which have influenced that Officer in declining a Final Settlement of Colonel Flowers Accounts; the Board axe of Opinion, that they are of weight, although it is to be apprehended that such accurate Returns of the Issues of Provisions and Stores in the different Departments of the late Army cannot be made, as the present Forms of Office render requisite. In the Department of Military Stores in particular the presumption is, that from the perishable nature of such Articles, their disperst situation, frequent Removal, and irregular mode of Issue, an exact Account of their Disposal could never be obtained; whatever Expence the United States might Subject themselves to for obtaining this end, even were the Accountable Parties are still living. It is to be observed, that the deceased, in behalf of whose Estate the Memorial is presented, is represented to be of fair Reputation, and that he died in low Circumstances; which are presumptions that there has been no Embezzlement of the Stores purchased or received by him, so far as they were Subject to his immediate Inspection and Controul: But as, from the Report of the Comptroller, it does not appear that any Attempt has been made by the Executors of the Deceased to render any Account whatsoever of the Articles purchased
Page 332 | Page image Such an Account the Memorialists as Executors of the deceased have no doubt may still be furnished; but they alledge that the Estate of the deceased is so reduced as not to be competent to defray the necessary Clerkship attending this Business. They therefore pray that the United States in Congress would either direct the Official Certificate to be Issued for the Balance which may appear due on the Settlement of the Cash Account of the Deceased, or defray the Expense of the Clerks who may be necessarily employed in the investigation of his Public Accounts. Under these circumstances, the Board submit to the Consideration of Congress the following Resolves.1 [Note 1: 1 This report, signed by Samuel Osgood, Waiter Livingston, and Arthur Lee, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 138, II, folio 515. According to indorsement it was read June 6 and passed July 3, where the recommended resolves are spread verbatim on the Journal. The Comptroller's report is on folio 523. See ante, February 13. June 2d, 1786.
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or received by Colonel Flowers as principal of the Department, the Board are of Opinion, that it would Establish a precedent, which in its consequences might prove highly injurious to the Public Interest, to direct a final Settlement of his particular Account, 'till the best Evidence is obtained of the disposition of the Articles, purchased or received by him as Principal of the Department, which present circumstances will admit of.
June 6: The following committee was appointed: Mr. [Charles] Pinckney, Mr. [James] Monroe and Mr. [Rufus] King "To form an Ordinance for the complete arrangement and government of the Indian department." The committee of March 21 on Indian trade was this day discharged. A report was rendered June 28.
Committee Book No. 190.
Also, according to indorsement, was read a letter of June 5, from the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, forwarding a letter of March 18 from the Governor of Madeira through the hands of John Marsden Pintard. Jay's letter is in No. 80, II, folio 373.
Also, was read, a letter of June 6, from the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, forwarding a letter from Count de Florida Blanca, in answer to that of September 21, 1785. Jay's letter is in No. 80, II, folio 377. Florida Blanca's letter, dated January 28 is in No. 97, folio 290.]
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