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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, MAY 16, 1776
A letter from the commissioners of Congress in Canada, dated Montreal, May 1;
Also a letter from General Schuyler, of the 10th; also
A letter from General Washington, of May [15], enclosing a letter ∥to him from∥ Dr. Stringer.2
[Note 2: 2 The letter of Washington is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, I, folio 685. It is printed inWritings of Washington (Ford), IV, 80. That of Schuyler is in No. 153, II, folio 133. That of the Commissioners in Canada is in No. 166, folio 17.]
Resolved, That the letter from Dr. Stringer to General
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Washington, be referred to the committee appointed to prepare medicine chests:
That the other letters be referred to Mr. W[illiam] Livingston, Mr. [Thomas] Jefferson, and Mr. J[ohn] Adams.
Resolved, That the president write to General Washington, requesting that he will repair to Philadelphia as soon as he conveniently can, in order to consult with Congress upon such measures as may be necessary for the carrying on the ensuing campaign.
Resolved, That George Morgan, Esqr. be empowered to draw for a sum not exceeding six thousand dollars, to pay for the goods he is ordered to purchase, and for defraying incidental charges; the same to be paid out of the ten thousand dollars voted for the commissioners of Indian affairs in the middle department.
Whereas Captain Richard Butler, by accepting the office of agent in the middle department of Indians, has lost the opportunity of being appointed a captain in the continental Serivce;
Resolved, That the Congress will, as soon as possible, compensate for that disappointment to him, by some promotion in their service.
The Congress proceeded to the election of a Major General and Brigadier General in the continental Army; when, the ballots being taken and examined,
Horatio Gates, Esqr. was elected Major General;1
[Note 1: 1 See John Adams, Autobiography,Works, III, 46.]
Thomas Mifflin, Esqr. Brigadier General.
Resolved, That Mr. [James] Duane be added to the standing committee for Indian affairs.
A petition from Joseph Carson and Joseph Donaldson, was presented to Congress, and read:
Resolved, That the Secret Committee be directed to sell the petitioners 50 lb. of powder.
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Resolved, That two of the additional batallions, ordered on the 14 to be raised in the eastern department, be raised, in Massachusetts bay, and the other in Connecticut:
That it be recommended to the general assemblies of Massachusetts bay and Connecticut, to endeavour to have the batallions inlisted for two years, unless sooner discharged by Congress; in which case, the men to be allowed one month's pay on their discharge; but, if the men cannot be prevailed on to inlist for two years, that they be inlisted for one; and that they be ordered, as soon as raised and armed, to march immediately to Boston.1
[Note 1: 1 "The truth is, I never opposed the raising of men during the war. I was always willing the General might obtain as many men as he possibly could, to enlist during the war, or during the longest period they could be persuaded to enlist for, and I always declared myself so. But I contended that I knew the number to be obtained in this manner would be very small in New England, from whence almost the whole army was derived. A regiment might possibly be obtained, of the meanest, idlest, most intemperate and worthless, but no more. A regiment was no army to defend this country. We must have tradesmen's sons, and farmers' sons, or we should be without defence; and such men certainly would not enlist during the war, or for long periods, as yet. The service was too new; they had not yet become attached to it by habit. Was it credible that men who could get at home better living, more comfortable lodgings, more than double the wages, in safety, not exposed to the sicknesses of the camp, would bind themselves during the war? I knew it to be impossible. In the Middle States, where they imported, from Ireland and Germany, so many transported convicts and redemptioners, it was possible they might obtain some. Let them try. I had no objection. But I warned them against depending on so improbable a resource for the defence of the country. Congress confessed the unanswerable force of this reasoning. Mr. McKean, I remember, said in Congress, 'Mr. John Adams has convinced me that you will get no army upon such terms. Even in Pennsylvania, the most desperate of imported laborers cannot be obtained in any numbers upon such terms. Farmers and tradesmen give much more encouragement to laborers and journeyman.' Mr. McKean's opinion was well founded, and proved to be true in experience, for Pennsylvania never was able to obtain half the complement of New England in proportion." John Adams, Autobiography,Works, III, 48.]
The committee, to whom the letters from General Washington of the 25 and 26 April, and the case of Alexander Ross, and the letter of General Lee, were referred, brought in their report, which was read.2 Also,
[Note 2: 2 This report was brought in May 10, and is printed under that date.]
The committee to whom the letter from General Washington
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of the 11, and the letter from General Schuyler of the 3d, and one from Captain Robertson of the 9th, with other papers, were referred, brought in their report, which was read.
The Committee to whom were referred a Letter from General Washington of the 11 of May instant, a Letter from General Schuyler of the 3d of May, and one from Capt. Daniel Robertson of the royal highland emigrant Regiment of the 9th of May, Beg Leave to report, that having considered the said Letters with their Inclosures, and other papers therein referred to, they came to the following Resolutions, vizt:
W. 10.1Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee that General Washington be authorized to fill up Vacancies in the Army by issuing Commissions to such officers under the rank of Field officers, as he shall think proper persons to supply the vacancy; he informing the Congress once every month of such appointments, which shall be deemed good and valid, unless disapproved of by Congress on such Information; and that blank Commissions be sent to the General for that purpose.2
[Note 1: 1 These letters and figures correspond to those used in the Jefferson report, printed June 17, 451,post.]
[Note 2: 2 "Not determined" in margin.]
W. 9.Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee that Lieut. Colo. Burbeck be dismissed from the continental Service.3
[Note 3: 3 "Agreed" in margin.]
Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee, that it would be a great Saving to the united Colonies and prevent many Inconveniences resulting from the present manner of keeping and providing for Prisoners to have a Commissary for Prisoners appointed for each of the three Departments, to superintend and take the Direction and supplying of such Prisoners, as have already fallen, or may hereafter fall into our hands during the Course of the War, as nearly conformable as the Circumstances of this Country will admit of, to the Custom ofEngland and France other civilized Nationsdescribed in an Inclosure in his Excellency's Letter, a Copy of which the Committee are of opinion ought to be transmitted to every General in the continental Army.4
[Note 4: 4 This paragrph is striken out, and in margin is written "Referr'd to Comee" The minute on treatment et prisoners was as follows: "It is the Custom in England and France, to send every person, Soldier or Sailor, under the Degree of a Commission'd Officer to some Inland Place, where there is an Old Castle, commonly surrounded with s High Stone Wall; and often times with a Moat, Comprehending a pretty large Space of Ground, where they are confined as in a Debtors Jail, with a Strong Guard of Militia, without Side, surrounded with Sentrys; where they are maintained by a Commissary who Contracts for their Support. The Officers, are sent upon their parole, to some Inland Town, as far distant as possible, from their Men, where they are allowed to Negotiate their Bills of Exchange, but are confin'd in Jail upon Son payment, Cartels for Exchanges of Prisoners, are allways settled between State and State, at War: but in the last War, between England and France, such Cartel was not settled until the latter End of it. England having seized so many prisoners before the Declaration of War, that France had no Equivalent to Exchange, or consider'd it as an Act, contrary to the Law of Nations; and would not until Oblig'd by necessity, submit to a Cartel; which, at length was settled by General Conway. An Account is kept in Europe, of the Expence of Maintaining pris:rs of War by Both States, which is Settled and the Balance paid at the Peace. England ought to be Oblig'd to Acknowledge us as an Independent State, at least so far as respects prisoners of Wax. Otherwise the treatment she shews to Our Soldiers or Seamen in her hands, ought to be exactly Observed upon Our part, to these we take Prisoners from them."]
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R. 4.Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Committee that there be raised for the service of the united Colonies, one Battalion of Germans.1
[Note 1: 1 "Agreed" in margin.]
R. 12. That Prisoners made from the enemy by Continental Arms be not exchanged by any authority but the Continental Congress.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, VI, folio 205. The last paragraph is in the writing of Richard Henry Lee, and all the other paragraphs are in the writing of William Livingston. It bears an endorsement: "1 paragraph postponed, 3 and 5 recommitted to the comee appointed to confer with the generals."]
The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock on Saturday.3
[Note 3: 3 "Last Friday afternoon I arrived here."Josiah Bartlett to John Langdon, 19 May, 1776.]
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