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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, MARCH 19, 1776
Resolved, That Monsieur Dohicky Arundel be appointed a captain of artillery in the continental service.
That General Lee be directed to set on foot the raising a company of artillery, and it be recommended to the convention or committee of safety of Virginia, to appoint the other officers of said company of artillery.
A letter from col. Dayton, of the 15, was presented to Congress, and read:
Referred to the committee on procuring musquets.
A letter from Mr. Tucker, President of the convention of New Jersey, of the 17, was presented to Congress, and read: Whereupon,
Resolved, That Captain Woolverton, with his company, be taken into the service of the United Colonies; and that he be directed to repair, with his company, as soon as properly armed and accoutred, to New York, and put himself under the command of the officer commanding there; and that the pay of Captain Woolverton's company commence from the time they are provided with arms and accoutrements.
A letter from Colonel Belestre, [a Canadian prisoner,] of the 16th, and sundry letters from Cameron and Smith, were read:
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Resolved, That the same be referred to the committee on prisoners.
Resolved, That the Secret Committee be directed to supply the BrigLexington, Captain Barry, with one ton of powder.
Ordered, That the committee to whom was referred the state and situation of the prisoners at Trenton, report thereon as soon as possible.
Resolved, That the sum of 250,000 dollars be sent to the pay master general, for the use of the army under the immediate command of General Washington:
Resolved, That the sum of 50,000 dollars be sent to General Schuyler, for the use of the army under his command.
The committee appointed to prepare instructions, &c. to the commissioners going to Canada, brought in a draught of farther instructions, and of a commission, which were read.
Agreeable to the order of the day, the Congress resolved itself into a committee of the whole, to take into their farther consideration the memorial from the merchants, traders, and others, inhabitants of Philadelphia, the memorial of Edmund Custis, the letter from the committees of Accomac and Northampton, and the petition of Joseph Blewer and Daniel Robinson, and, after some time spent thereon, the president resumed the chair, and Mr. [Benjamin] Harrison reported, that the committee had taken into consideration the matters to them referred, and had come to sundry resolutions, which he delivered in:
The report of the committee being read, was agreed to, and is as follows:1
[Note 1: 1 Here were inserted the resolutions which are printed under 23 March, 1776,post, and are not repeated in this place.]
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Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to draw up a declaration pursuant to foregoing resolutions, ∥and lay the same before Congress:∥
The members chosen, Mr. [George] Wythe, Mr. [John] Jay, and Mr. [James] Wilson.
Resolved, That it be an instruction to the said committee, to receive ∥and insert∥ a clause or clauses, that all seamen and mariners on board of merchants ships and vessels, taken and condemned as prize, shall be entitled to their pay, according to the terms of their contracts, until the time of the condemnation.
The committee to whom the letters and papers from Mr. Mease, were referred, brought in their report, which was read:
Ordered, To lie on the table.
Resolved, That Mr. [William] Whipple be appointed a member of the Marine Committee, and of the Committee for receiving the applications and examining the qualifications of gentlemen who apply for offices in the continental service.
The committee to whom the letters from General Washington, of the 14th and 26th of February last, and the letter from Lord Stirling, of the 25 of the same month, were referred, brought in their report, which was read; and the same being taken into consideration,
Resolved, That the first part thereof be re-committed.
Resolved, That the value of the passage boat,York, be made good to Michael Kearney, Junr. the owner thereof; it appearing that she was impressed into the continental service, and employed in taking the shipBlue Mountain Valley, and for that reason, afterwards seized and detained by order of Captain Parker, commander of the British ship of warPhoenix; and that Lord Stirling be desired to appoint proper persons to value the said boat, and report such valuation to Congress.
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The Congress proceeded to the election of a member of the Secret Committee, in the room of Mr. [Josiah] Bartlett, ∥who is absent,∥ and
The ballots being taken,
Mr. R[ichard] H[enry] Lee was elected.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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