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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 --MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1775
A letter from General Washington, dated 30th November, being received, was read,1 enclosing an Invoice of Stores on board the Nancy transport, taken by the schooner Lee, Captain Manly; also a letter from the Convention of New York, dated 7th December.
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, I, folio 301. In the Library of Congress are also to be found various vouchers relating to the disposition of the cargo on this vessel.]
The Committee to whom that part of Lord Stirling's letter, respecting the arresting and imprisoning soldiers for small sums, was referred, brought in their report.
Agreeable to the order of the day, the Congress took into consideration the instructions given to the delegates of Rhode Island, and ∥after debate thereon,∥ come to the following resolution:
Resolved, That a Committee be appointed to devise ways and means for furnishing these colonies with a naval armament, and report with all convenient speed.
That the committee consist of a member from each Colony. The members are Mr. [Josiah] Bartlett, Mr. S[amuel] Adams, Mr. [Stephen] Hopkins, Mr. [Silas] Deane, Mr. [Francis] Lewis, Mr. [Stephen] Crane, Mr. R[obert] Morris, Mr. [George] Read, Mr. [William] Paca, Mr. R[ichard] H[enry] Lee, Mr. [Joseph] Hewes, and Mr. [Christopher] Gadsden.
The Congress then took into Consideration the report of the Committee on Captain [Thomas] Jenkins's petition, which was agreed to as follows:
The Committee appointed to consider the Application of Captain Thomas Jenkins of the island of Nantucket, for license to sell his cargo of oil in this city, and to purchase a cargo of provisions and fuel for the necessary use
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of the inhabitants of said island, have taken the same into consideration, and come to the following resolutions:
Resolved, That the vigilance and zeal of the committee of the city and liberties of Philadelphia, in preventing the said Jenkins's cargo from being sold, contrary to the resolutions of Congress, be highly approved.
Resolved, That it appears to this Committee, that the inhabitants of said island are at present in great distress for want of the necessaries of life.
Resolved, That humanity requires that some speedy measures be taken by the Congress, to enable the said inhabitants to supply themselves with necessary fuel and provisions.
Resolved, That the select men of the town of Sherbourne, in Nantucket, prepare an estimate of the quantity of fuel, and provisions necessary for the use of said Inhabitants, and lay it before three or more justices of the peace, for the county of Barnstable, in the Colony of Massachusetts bay, attested by the oath or affirmation of the said select men; and that the said justices be empowered to grant licenses under their hands to any master or owner of vessels in the said island, to import fuel and provisions from the colonies of Massachusetts bay, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pensylvania, Lower Counties on Delaware, or Maryland, not exceeding the quantities specifyed in said estimate.
Resolved, Whereas it appears that the said inhabitants are in immediate danger of suffering for want of the necessaries of life, that the said Captain Jenkins be permitted, under the inspection of the committee of the city of Philadelphia, to unload and sell his present cargo, and to purchase a cargo of fuel or provisions, provided he shall first make oath or affirmation before a magistrate, and give bond, that the same is, bona fide, intended for the internal
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consumption of the said inhabitants, and that he will use his utmost endeavours, that it shall not fall into the hands of the enemies of the United Colonies.
The Committee to whom the petition of Jonathan Hudson was referred, reported their opinion in certain resolutions, which being read, were agreed to as follows:
Resolved, That so much of the said petition as prays for permission to export said cargo to any place other than the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey, Sark, Aldernay, or Man, or the West India Islands, is reasonable.
Resolved, That so much of the said petition as prays for any further permission is unreasonable.
Resolved, That the said petitioner give bond, with sufficient security, to the chairman of the committee of the town of Baltimore, under a penalty of double the value of the said cargo, to export the said cargo to some place other than the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey, Sark, Alderney, Man, and the islands of the West Indies; and within six months after the said exportation, to produce to the said chairman a certificate of the port, to which the said cargo shall have been shipped, authenticated under the hands of two Merchants of known character and reputation, residing in the same port; and that on executing such bond, the said chairman sign a permit to the said petitioner, allowing him to export the said cargo.
The Congress resumed the Consideration of a resolution of Congress respecting the numbering of the bills ordered to be emitted.
Resolved, that the Numbers commence from No. 1, and that the said numbers be in different ink from the former.
Resolved, That the following gentlemen be appointed to sign and number the bills ordered to be emitted, viz.
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Samuel Morris, Frederick Kuhl, Stephen Collins, Nicholas Garrison, Matthew Clarkson, Samuel C. Morris, Thomas Barclay, Anthony Morris, jun. James Wharton, Benjamin Fuller, Joel Evans, Andrew Bunner, John Mease, Thomas Coombe, John Bayard, Robert Tuckniss, Isaac Hazlehurst, Thomas Morris, Samuel Caldwell, John Purviance, Mordecai Lewis, George Campbell, Joseph Parker, Daniel Clymer, Joseph Watkins, jun. John Shee, Phineas Bond, James Read, Robert Roberts, John Ord, Isaac Howell, William Webb, Jonathan B. Smith, Cornelius Barnes, Thomas Smith, and William Crispin.
Resolved, That each bill be signed, and numbered by two of the foregoing gentlemen.
A petition from Mr. Phelps, was presented and read.
Ordered, To be taken into consideration to Morrow.
The Committee appointed to receive the applications and examine the qualifications of persons applying for offices, &c. reported Dr. Boyd as proper to be surgeon to the regiment raised in Pensylvania, and Mr. Patterson to be adjutant to said Regiment: Whereupon,
The Congress concurred in the choice of Doctor Boyd.
A petition from D[avid] Beveridge, was laid before Congress and read,
Resolved, That the same be referred to a Committee of three.
The members chosen, Mr. [John] Jay, Mr. [George] Read, and Mr. [Thomas] Jefferson.
Resolved, That an order be drawn on the treasurer in favour of the Committee of Correspondence, for the sum of 3,000 dollars.
Resolved, That to Morrow Morning be assigned to take into consideration that part of the report of the Committee of Conference respecting Boston.
A letter from the commissioners for Indian Affairs in
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the southern district with sundry enclosures, being received were read.
The Committee on the credit of the paper currency, brought in their report.
The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to ten o'Clock to Morrow.
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