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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, APRIL 29, 1776
Sundry Letters and papers being received, were laid before Congress and read, viz.
A letter from General Washington of the 25th, enclosing a return of the army at New York:
A letter from Major Wrixon, declining to accept the commission of chief engineer:
A letter from the council of safety of Maryland, with the examination of Alexander Ross, and sundry papers found in his possession:2
[Note 2: 2 The letter of Washington is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, I, folio 618. It is printed, in part, inWritings of Washington (Ford), IV, 44. The letter of E. Wrixon is in No. 78, XXIII, folio 273. That of the Council of Safety of Maryland is in No. 70, folio 25.]
Resolved, That the letter from General Washington and the letter from the council of safety of Maryland, with Mr. Ross's papers, be referred to a committee of five:
The members chosen, Mr. [Benjamin] Harrison, Mr. [Edward] Rutledge, Mr. [Robert] Goldsborough, Mr. [Robert Treat] Paine, and Mr. [Cæsar] Rodney.
A letter from General Lee of the 19th, was received and read.
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A letter from Thomas Bullit and a petition from Dr. J. Potts, was presented to Congress and read.1
[Note 1: 1 The letter from Lee is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 158, folio 45. The petition of Dr. Potts is in No. 78, XVIII, folio 56. That of Bullitt is in No. 78, II, folio 71.]
Resolved, That they be referred to the foregoing committee.
Resolved, That letters be written by the president to General Schuyler and the committee of safety of New York, desiring them to inform this Congress, whether the continental commissions sent to them for the officers of the troops raised by Connecticut the last campaign, were delivered, or offered to them, or any, and which of them; and whether any, and which of them accepted or refused, the same? and particularly, whether commissions were offered to Colonel Waterbury and Colonel Easton, and whether they refused accepting them?
Resolved, That Captain Peter Adams, from Maryland, under whose custody Alexander Ross was brought to this city, be dismissed, and that the said Alexander Ross be delivered to the care of the officer Commanding the continental troops in Pensylvania.
Resolved, That a standing committee of five be appointed for Indian affairs;
That the appointment be deferred till to morrow.
Resolved, That the Congress, relying on the integrity and honor of Captain [A.] M'Gee, order, that he be permitted to go at large, on giving his parole to the committee of West Augusta, not to engage or be concerned in any measures injurious to these colonies, by stimulating the Indian nations to make war against them, or otherwise.
The Committee of Claims reported, that there is due,
To Benjamin Marshall, for tin cartouch boxes, the sum of £174 18 0=465 dollars:
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To Ephraim Blaine, Esqr. the sum of £1,026 0 5=2,736 dollars for subsistence, waggonage, and ferriages of the 6th [Pennsylvania] batallion:
Ordered, That the above be paid.
The Congress resumed the consideration of the report of the committee on the letters from General Washington of the 19th, &c.1 Whereupon,
[Note 1: 1 See note under April 23, p. 301ante.]
Resolved, That the papers from Fort Pitt be referred to the committee appointed to consider the state of Indian affairs in the middle department, and that the said committee be instructed to prepare a plan of an expedition against Fort Detroit, and an estimate of the expence.2
[Note 2: 2 This paragraph is not in the original report.]
Resolved, That no Traders ought to go into the Indian country without licence from the agent in the department; and that care be taken by him to prevent exorbitant prices for goods being exacted from the Indians.
Resolved, That a ton of powder be sent to Mr. [G.] Morgan, to be distributed to such Indians as the agent shall be convinced are in our interest.
Resolved, That measures be immediately taken to procure goods to supply the Indians at the treaties ordered to be held with them.3
[Note 3: 3 These paragraphs are taken from the report presented April 23, p. 301ante.]
Resolved, That the Line between the Indians and these Colonies, agreed upon at Fort Stanwix, ought to be adhered to, and no Surveys or Encroachments made of their Lands.And that the late Attempt to survey Montours Island on the Ohiom, is unjustiafiable and ought immediately to be cancelled.
Resolved, That the councils of Massachusetts bay and New Hampshire, and the governors of Connecticut and Rhode Island, be earnestly requested to take the most speedy and effectual measures to collect as much hard
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money in their respective colonies as possible, send the same, as collected, to General Schuyler, and draw upon the president of the Congress for the amount.
Resolved, that Mr. Price repair to Canada immediately.
Resolved, That the farther consideration of the report, and the several matters to this day referred, be postponed till to Morrow.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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