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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 22, 1776
Two letters from General Washington, of the 9th of February, being received were read,1
[Note 1: 1 These letters are in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, I, folios 465 and 477. They are printed inWritings of Washington, (Ford), III, 403, 406.]
Resolved, That the said letters be referred to a committee of the whole.
Agreeable to the above resolve, the Congress resolved itself into a committee of the whole, to take the above letters into consideration, and after some time the president resumed the chair, and Mr. [Samuel] Ward reported, that the committee had taken into consideration the matter referred to them, but not having come to a conclusion, desired him to move for leave to sit again.
Resolved, That this Congress will, to morrow, resolve itself into a committee of the whole, to take into consideration the letters of General Washington.
A delegate from New Jersey, having informed Congress that the regiment of militia, ordered by the convention of that colony to march to the defence of New York, in consequence of the resolve of Congress of the 12th of this month, were not sufficiently armed, and that they could not be furnished with arms, unless the Congress supplied them ∥out of the public stock∥; and as the Congress have not arms to spare, those they have, being necessary for arming the batallions raising in the continental service, therefore
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Resolved, That the march of the said batallion of militia be countermanded.
Resolved, That orders issue to quicken Colonel Wayne in getting his batallion ready; and that, as fast as he can get a company properly equipped, he cause it ∥immediately∥ to march to New York.
Resolved, That the president be directed to write to the convention of New York, and desire they would inform Congress, what proficiency they have made in raising the four batallions recommended to be raised in that colony for the defence of the same.1
[Note 1: 1 "As New York was thought to be in a critical state, and no recommendation had appeared from our Committee of Safety or the officers of the four battalions, it occasioned much surprise and uneasiness, and the only apology I was able to make, viz., the expectation of a meeting of the Convention, and the utility of their advice, (which, indeed, depended on my own conjecture,) did not prove satisfactory. It was said that, while everything was done for New York at the publick expense that could be wished or asked, they neglected their own defence, &c. This produced a resolution that an inquiry should be made into your progress with respect to those battalions."James Duane to the Convention of New York, 25 February, 1776.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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