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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, FEBRUARY 8, 1776
Resolved, That the 250,000 voted yesterday, be sent to the pay master general, under the care of Mr. ∥Colonel∥ Bull, and two other trusty persons.
The following sums to be charged to the pay master general, being paid by the treasurers:
August 23, 1775. On a draught of General Washington, to John Mease, £100 Pensylvania currency [=266 2--3 dollars.]
Nov. 27, 1775. On a draught of James Warren, pay master general to Doctr. Franklin, the sum of 7,111 dollars.
Feb. 2, 1776. On draught of ditto Cox and Furman, the sum of 1000 dollars.
Feb. 6. On ditto to John Beane, 750 dollars.
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Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to contract with a proper person for supplying Colonel Wayne's batallion with the rations allowed them.
That it be an instruction to said committee to contract with some proper person for supplying the Pensylvania troops on the west side of Susquehanna; and also to contract with a proper person to supply the batallion ordered to be raised in the lower counties on Delaware, while in that government.
The members chosen, Mr. [John] Morton, Mr. [Francis] Lewis, and Mr. [James] Wilson.
The Committee of Claims reported, that there is due,
To Mr. Tench Tilghman, for charges &c. in escorting a sum of money from Philadelphia to General Schuyler, the sum of £107.11.7=286 9/10 dollars.
To Azariah Dunham on several certificates for provisions to several riffle companies, the sum of £7 15 0 lawful=25 8/10 dollars.
To Melchior Meng, for waggon-hire, in carrying money to Cambridge, the sum of £28 10=76 dollars.
To Moses Gale, for the entertainment of Captain Cluggage's company of rifflemen, the sum of £3.17.0 New York currency=9 7/10 dollars, and that the same ought to be paid to Henry Wisher, Esqr.
To John B. Scott, for expences in conducting General Prescot from Trenton to Philadelphia, the sum of £5.7.5=14 3/10 dollars.
To George Benner, for waggon-hire, in carrying money from Philadelphia to General Schuyler, November last, the sum of £14.12.6=39 dollars.
To Dennis Sneeden, for ferriage, provisions, &c. the sum of £20.5 New York currency, =50 6/10 dollars, to be paid to John Alsop, Esqr.
To Jesse Jones, for horse hire, the sum of £3.5.0=8 7/10 dollars, to be paid to Mr. Dealing.
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To Mark Bird, the sum of £2.4.0 for necessaries to several prisoners, =5 8/10 dollars.
To George Meade & Co. on several certificates, the sum of £39.3.0¾=104 4/10 dollars, of which £37.3.9 [99.2] being for riffles furnished to Captain Hugh Stephenson's company, ought to be charged to the said company, and the remaining sum of £1.19.3¾ being for provisions is a continental expence.
Ordered, That the above accounts be paid.
The committee farther reported, that Mr. M'Kean had laid before them, an account of the application of 40 dollars put in his hands by Congress, by which it appears, that there remains in his hands, the sum of £5 16=15.4 dollars.
Ordered, That the same be paid into the hands of T[imothy] Matlack, he to be accountable.
The Committee on the disposition of prisoners, reported the form of a parole to be signed by the officers, which being read, was agreed to as follows:
Ibeing made a prisoner of war, by the army of the thirteen United Colonies in North America, do promise and engage, on my word and honor, and on the faith of a gentleman, to depart from hence immediately to, in the province of, being the place of my election; and there, or within six miles thereof, to remain during the present war between Great Britain and the said United Colonies, or until the Congress of the said United Colonies shall order otherwise; and that I will not directly or indirectly, give any intelligence whatsoever to the enemies of the United Colonies, or do or say any thing in opposition to, or in prejudice of, the measures and proceedings of any Congress for the said colonies, during the present troubles, or until I am duly exchanged or discharged.
Given under my hand, thisday of, A. D. 1776.
The Secret Committee, to whom the petition of Mr. Pierre Le Fargue was referred, brought in their report, Whereupon,
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Resolved, That Mr. Pierre Le Fargue be permitted to load the sloop, in which he imported a small quantity of powder and arms, with the produce of these colonies (horned cattle, sheep, hogs, poultry, and lumber for making of casks excepted) and export the same to Martinique. And that the said Mr. Pierre Le Fargue do take every possible precaution to avoid all British men of war and cutters on his voyage, and use his utmost endeavours to import into these colonies the powder and arms mentioned in his memorial, and proposed to be imported by him.
The committee on the memorial of Murray, Sansom and Co. &c. brought in their report, which was read, and ordered to lie on the table.
A memorial from the committee of safety [of Pennsylvania,] was laid before Congress, respecting the erecting of powder mills:
Ordered, To lie on the table.
Resolved, That the sum of 100 dollars, be paid to Mr. Dohicky Arundel, and that he be directed immediately to repair to General Schuyler:
That a quarter cask of powder be delivered to Captain Craig, of Colonel St. Clair's batallion, for the use of his company:
That the sum of 12,000 dollars be advanced to the convention or committee of safety of New York, for the use of the ∥four∥ batallions to be raised there; that the same be transmitted by the delegates of that colony, the said convention or committee of safety to be accountable.
A letter from Dr. Rush and a memorial from Dr. Connolly, respecting the state of said Connolly's health, ∥was presented to Congress and read:∥1 Whereupon,
[Note 1: 1 Dr. Rush's letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XIX, folio 19. Connolly's memorial is in No. 78, V, folio 29.]
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Resolved, That the said J. Connolly be allowed, at suitable times, to walk in the prison yard or hall, the gaol keeper taking especial care to prevent his escape.
The inhabitants of Richmond county, in the colony of New York, having refused to send deputies to represent them in provincial convention, and otherwise manifested their enmity and opposition to the system and measures adopted for preserving the liberties of America; and, as a just punishment for their inimical conduct, the inhabitants of that colony, having been prohibited by the convention, from all intercourse and dealings with the inhabitants of said county, and this Congress being informed by the committee of safety of that colony, that the freeholders of the said county did afterwards, without any opposition, elect deputies to represent them in provincial convention; but, as the proceedings against them had been submitted to the consideration of the Congress, it was apprehended the deputies could not be received, until the sense of Congress thereupon should be communicated:
Resolved, therefore, That it be referred to the said provincial convention, to take such measures respecting the admission of the deputies, and revoking the interdict upon the inhabitants of the said county, as they shall judge most expedient; provided, that the said deputies, and major part of the inhabitants of said county, shall subscribe the association entered into, in that colony.1
[Note 1: 1 "Agreeably to your instructions, we have represented to Congress the case of the inhabitants of Richmond County. As our Convention might be embarrassed, while it seemed doubtful to you whether they ought, without the intervention of Congress, to decide on the propriety of admitting the Deputies elected for that County, it became our duty to press for a speedy decision on this subject. It was readily agreed that the Convention ought to be the sole judges of their own Members; and on this principle the resolution, which we have the honour to enclose, was grounded."New York Delegates to the New York Committee of Safety, 11 February, 1776. Force,American Archives, Fourth Serif, V, 263.]
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Resolved, That Monday, the 19th instant, be appointed for Dr. Smith, to deliver a funeral oration in honor of General Montgomery, and of those officers and soldiers who so magnanimously fought and fell with him in maintaining the principles of American liberty.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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