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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 --TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 1776
The colony of Connecticut having appointed new delegates, and the same attending, produced the credentials of their appointment, which was read as follows:
At a general Assembly of the Governor and Company of the English Colony of Connecticut, in New England, in America, holden at New Haven, (in said Colony,) on the second Thursday of October, Anno Domini, 1775.
Resolved, By this Assembly, That Roger Sherman, Oliver Wolcott, Samuel Huntington, Titus Hosmer, and William Williams, Esqrs. be, and they are hereby appointed Delegates to represent this Colony at the General Congress of the United Colonies in America, for the Year ensuing, and untill new be Chosen; that is to say, the said Roger Sherman, Oliver Wolcott, and Samuel Huntington, Esqrs. do attend
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said Congress, and on the failure of either of the said Gentlemen, by sickness, or otherwise, then the said Titus Hosmer, or William Williams, Esqrs. are to supply the place or places of any or either of the said three Gentlemen first named, in such manner, that three of said Delegates, and three only, do attend said Congress at any one Time; and the said three Delegates, or any or either of them, who shall be present in said Congress, are hereby fully Authorized and Impowered to Represent this Colony in said Congress, to Consult, advise, and Resolve upon Measures necessary to be taken and pursued for the Defence, Security and preservation of the Rights and Liberties of the said United Colonies, and for their common safety; and of such their proceedings and Resolves they do transmit Authentic Copies, from Time to Time, to the General Assembly of this Colony. That the said Delegates now appointed do repair to, and take their Seats in said Congress, by the first Day of January next, in Case said Congress shall be then sitting, or as soon after as said Congress shall be Convened; and that the said Gentlemen, who are now attending said Congress in behalf of this Colony, do continue in their said Office untill the Gentlemen now Chosen, and are directed to attend in manner aforesaid, shall arrive at said Congress.
A true Copy of Record,
Examined byGeorge Wyllys,Secretary.1
[Note 1: 1 The original is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, Connecticut,Credentials of Delegates.]
A letter from Mr. [Francis] Lewis, dated 8 January, being read, ∥recommending a stranger to the notice of Congress∥.2
[Note 2: 2 The stranger was probably Dohicky Arundel. SeeJournals, February 5, 1776,post.]
Ordered, That the same be referred to the Committee on the qualifications of persons applying for offices.
Resolved, That a member be appointed on the committee to draw up instructions to the officers in the recruiting service, in the room of Mr. [Eliphalet] Dyer. The ballots taken Mr. [Thomas] McKean was chosen.
Resolved, That the several petitions of gentlemen, praying to be the appointed officers in the Pensylvania Batallions,
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be referred to the Committee on the qualification of officers.
An application being made in behalf of one Mr. Jugé and the owners of a vessel lately arrived in Delaware, for leave to export provisions to the amounts of the cargoes by them imported:
Resolved, That this be referred to the Secret Committee.
Some members of the Secret Committee being absent,
Resolved, That two members be added to that committee:
The members chosen, Mr. [Joseph] Hewes and Mr. [Robert] Alexander.
The committee on the state of these colonies brought in a partial report, which was read, whereupon,
Ordered, that the consideration
Resolved, That another batallion be raised in the colony of North Carolina, in order to defeat any attempts which may be made in opposition to the measures recommended by the Continental Congress, for the preservation of American Liberty.
Resolved, That the farther consideration of the report be referred till to Morrow.
∥The committee having desired leave to sit again, the same was granted.∥
Resolved, That to Morrow be assigned for taking into consideration, in a committee of the whole, the propriety of opening the ports after the first of March next.
Information being given to Congress by the delegates of South Carolina, that their colony, being in want of seamen, had given orders to offer high wages to such as would engage in their service, but least this should cause uneasiness among the seamen employed in the service of the colonies, they thought it proper to inform Congress the thereof, and take their opinion and direction thereon:
Resolved, That this be referred to a committee of 5.
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The members chosen, Mr. [Stephen] Hopkins, Mr. [Samuel] Huntington, Mr. [Robert Treat] Paine, Mr. [Lewis] Morris, and Mr. [William] Floyd.
Resolved, That the committee appointed to fit out armed vessels, be empowered to purchase and fit out a small vessel as a tender for the fleet fitted out.
The committee appointed, to devise ways and means for procuring powder from Providence, brought in a report, with an account of a cargo provided for that purpose by Messrs. Willing and Morris, amounting to £1,212.9.0 Pensylvania currency=3,233 2/10 Dollars; Whereupon,
Resolved, That the said committee be authorized to give such orders to the captain of the vessel, fitted out for the service as they may think proper.
That an order be drawn on the treasurers, in favour of Messrs. Willing and Morris, for the sum of 3,233 2/10 dollars in full for the cargo shipped on board the sloopLady Catherine for the use of the Continent.
The committee on General Washington's letters, brought in their report, which being taken into consideration, the Congress, thereupon, came to the following resolutions:
Resolved, That the pay master general of the army at Cambridge, be empowered to draw his bills upon the president of the Congress, or, in their recess, upon the committee of Congress for that purpose appointed, for any sums of money which may be deposited in his hands, not exceeding, in any one month, the monthly expences of the army; and that such bills, countersigned by the General or Commander in chief of the said army, be accepted and paid.
That the free negroes who have served faithfully in the army at Cambridge, may be re-inlisted therein, but no others.
That, if General Washington think proper, Colonel
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R. Gridley be continued chief engineer in the army at Cambridge.
That the pay of the assistant engineers in the army at Cambridge be 26 2/3 dollars per month.
That there be but one chaplain to every two regiments of the army at Cambridge, and that the pay of each chaplain be 33 1/3 dollars per month.
The committee having desired leave to sit again, the same was granted.
Sundry members of the Committee on the Qualifications of persons applying for offices being absent,
Resolved, That four new members be chosen in the room of those who are absent.
The members chosen, Mr. [Oliver] Wolcott, for Connecticut, ∥in the room of Mr. [Eliphalet] Dyer;∥ Mr. [James] Duane, for New York ∥in the room of Mr. [John] Jay;∥ Mr. [Thomas] M'Kean, for the three Lower Counties on Delaware, ∥in the room of Mr. [Cćsar] Rodney;∥ and Mr. [John] Rogers, for Maryland.
Resolved, That Thursday next be assigned for taking into consideration the report of the Committee on Indian Affairs.
Resolved, That a list of the committees to whom matters are referred, and who have not reported, be made out and laid upon the table.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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