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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, SEPTEMBER 14, 1775

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Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1775

Link to date-related documents.

Met according to adjournment.

A number of letters recd by several members, during the recess of Congress, being produced, were read, viz:

1., a Letter from Mr Jos. Hawley, excusing his not acting as a Commissioner for Indian affairs, on account of his bad state of Health.1

[Note 1: 1 Hawley's letter declining the appointment is in Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 58, folio 247, and is as follows:
Sir, I have been regularly Notified That I have the honour to have been appointed by the Honble Continental Congress one of the Commissioners of Indian Affairs for the Northern department.
As the duties resulting from that Appointment are too laborious and important to consist with my low state of health, I intreat the Honble Congress to be so candid to me as not to impute my declining to serve the publick in that way, to any want of zeal for the good of our country, as I assure them that if my health was firm, no service that I can think of, would be more agreeable to me.
As I have a very direct oppertunity to write General Schuyler I shall improve it and advise him that I am for infirmity and want of health oblidged to decline that Service and that I have made the Honble Congress acquainted therewith.
I have the honour to be with the greatest respect,
Your Honours most Obedt humble Sert
Joseph Hawley
Watertown Jul 22d 1775
To the Honble John Hancock Esqr to be communicated to the Honble Continental Congress]

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2d, a letter from Elisha Phelps, appointed a Commissary for the Northern Army by Govr Trumbull, in pursuance of an Order of Congress, together with a copy of his commission and appointment.

3d., a letter from Mr J[oseph] Reed, esq. Secy to General Washington, among other things, intimating the desire of the General, that the cloathing lately intercepted by the Committee of Philadelphia, should be forwarded to the Camp for the use of the American Army.1

[Note 1: 1 This letter is in Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 69, I, folio 19. It was dated August 24, and was received September 2, by the Committee of Safety of Philadelphia, to whom it was addressed.]

On motion made, Resolved, That the above cloathing be immediately forwarded, under a proper guard, by the delegates for Pensylvania, to Genl Washington, for the use of the American Army.

4th., a letter from the Committee of Safety in New York, with an enclosed copy of a letter from Genl Washington:2

[Note 2: 2 That of Washington is in Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, I, folio 107. On the back of this letter from Washington, Charles Thomson has made the following endorsement:
"The delegates from Pensyl. having informed the Congress that from sundry occurrences they had not pd. any of the expences &c. recommended to be pd. by them and desiring that some members be added from other Colonies as sundry debts have been incurred in other Colonies.
"Resolvd that Mr. Chase &c. be added to the delegates from Pen. and that any five of them be a quorum to settle the accots. of expences rifflemen and the Hussars, &c.

The second column of names must apply to the Committee on Medicines. See p. 250, post.]

These being taken into consideration,

Ordered, That the delegates for Pensylvania prepare and lay before the Congress to Morrow, an Account of the

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powder belonging to the Continent, received, and how it is disposed of, also an account of all the powder now in this city.

On Motion, Resolved, That Edward Flemming be appointed deputy adjutant general for the army in the New York or northern department, with the rank of a Colonel, and that the president make out a Commission for him accordingly, and forward the same by the first opportunity.

Ordered, That the President forward to General Sehuyler four hundred blank Commissions for the officers in his Army, to be by him filled up, agreeable to the order of Congress.

5th., sundry letters from General Sehuyler,1

[Note 1: 1 Letters dated July 26, 27, 28 and August 6, read in Congress on this day, are in Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 153, folios 63, 71, 77, 102.]

The same being taken into consideration,

On motion made, Resolved, That Samuel Stringer, Esqr. be appointed director of the Hospital, and chief Physician and surgeon for the Army in the northern department.

That the pay of the sd Samnel Stringr, as Director, Physician, and surgeon, be four Dollars per day.

That he be authorized and have power to appoint a number of surgeon mates under him, not exceeding four.

That the pay of said mates be 2/3 of a dollar per day.

That the number be not kept in constant pay, unless the sick and wounded be so numerous as to require the

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constant attendance of four, and to be diminished as circumstances will admit, for which reason the pay is fixed by the day, that they may only receive pay for actual service.

That the deputy Commissary general be directed to pay Doctr. Stringer for the Medicines he has purchased for the use of the army, and that he purchase and forward such other medicines as General P. Schuyler shall, by his warrant, direct, for the use of said army.

That Mr. [Eliphalet] Dyer, Mr. [Thomas] Lynch, Mr. [John] Jay, Mr. J[ohn] Adams, and Mr. [Francis] Lewis, be a Committee to devise ways and means for supplying the continental army with Medicines.

The delegates for Pensylvania appointed, at the last session, a committee to settle and pay the expences incurred for raising and arming the riffle companies, as well as those incurred in consequence of the resolve for raising a company of Hussars, and for expresses, &c. having informed the Congress, that, on account of sundry difficulties, they had not executed that service, and desiring that some members from other colonies, where debts have been contracted, may be added,

Resolved, That Mr. [Samuel] Chase, Mr. [Thomas] Nelson, Mr. [Stephen] Crane, Mr. [John] Jay, and Mr. [Silas] Deane, be added to the delegates for Pensylvania, and that any five of them be a quorum to settle and pay the above accounts, and that they report of their proceedings to the Congress.1

[Note 1: 1 See note 1 on p. 249. ante.]

The Delegates from the Colony of Georgia informed the Congress, that they were ordered by their constituents to lay before the Congress sundry papers from that colony, and the same being produced, were read.

The Commissioners for Indian Affairs, in the northern

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department, having transmitted to the Congress the minutes of a Treaty held with the Six Nations at Albany, in August, the same were read.

The Congress then resumed the consideration of the Letter ∥of the 6th Instant∥ received from Messrs. L. Morris, and J. Wilson, and upon motion,

Resolved That the enterprize proposed in their letter be not undertaken.

Resolved, That Col. Lewis Morris, who is now at Pitsburg, act as a commissioner for Indian Affairs in the middle department, at the treaty proposed to be held on the 20th instt, Doctr. B[enjamin] Franklin, the standing commissioner, not being able to attend.

∥Ordered, That the president write to Messrs. Morris and Wilson, and inform them of the foregoing resolution.∥

Adjourned till 10 o'clock to Morrow.

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