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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 --SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 1776
Resolved, That the resolution respecting the sloop Sally, passed on Thursday last, be reconsidered, and that it be recommitted to the same committee.
Resolved, That the Secret Committee be directed to supply Captain Romans with 24 musquets for the use of his company.
Resolved, That the said committee be directed to deliver to Colonel St. Clair six lbs. of powder and four pounds of lead, for the use of the riffle company in his batallion.
The Congress resumed the consideration of the report from the committee of the whole; and the same being twice read, and debated by paragraphs, was agreed to as follows:
Resolved, That any goods, wares, and merchandise, except staves and empty casks, other than shaken or knocked down casks for molasses, may be exported from the thirteen United Colonies, by the inhabitants thereof, and by the people of all such countries as are not subject to the King of Great Britain, to any parts of the world which are not under the dominion of the said King; provided, that no vessel be permitted to export any greater
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number of shaken or knocked down molasses casks, than the same vessel is capable of carrying when they shall be filled with Molasses.
Resolved, That any goods, wares, and merchandise, except such as are of the growth, production, or manufacture of, or brought from any country under the dominion of the King of Great Britain, and except East India Tea, may be imported from any other parts of the world to the thirteen United Colonies, by the inhabitants thereof, and by the people of all such countries as are not subject to the said King; liable, however, to all such duties and impositions as now are, or may hereafter be laid by any of the said colonies.
Resolved, That nothing herein contained shall be understood to prevent such future commercial regulations as shall be thought just and necessary by these United Colonies, or their respective legislatures.
Resolved, That no slaves be imported into any of the thirteen United Colonies.
Resolved, That it be recommended to the assemblies and conventions in the several colonies, to appoint proper officers, at convenient places in their respective colonies, to take bonds, in adequate penalties, for observing the regulations made by the Congress, or assemblies, or conventions, concerning trade, and for securing the observation of such parts of the association as are not inconsistent therewith; and that the obligor shall, within eighteen months after the departure of the vessel, produce to such officers a certificate, under the hands and seals of three or more reputable merchants, residing at the port or place where the cargo shall be delivered, that the same was there unladed, and take manifests upon oath, of the cargoes exported and imported, and keep fair accounts and entries thereof, give bills of health when desired, grant
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registers shewing the property of the vessels cleared out, and sign certificates that the requisites for qualifying vessels to trade have been complied with: And that the fees of the said officers be stated by the respective assemblies or conventions: Provided always, that no prosecution upon any of the said bonds shall be commenced but within three years after the clate thereof.
Resolved, That all goods, wares, and merchandise, except such as are made prize of, which shall be imported directly or indirectly from Great Britain or Ireland, into any of these United Colonies, contrary to the regulations established by Congress, shall be forfeited and disposed of, agreeable to such rules as shall be made by the several assemblies or conventions, and shall be liable to prosecution and condemnation in any court erected, or to be erected, for the determination of maritime affairs, in the colony where the seizure shall be made.
Ordered, That the above resolutions be published.1
[Note 1: 1 Printed in thePennsylvania Gazette, 10 April, 1776. These resolutions, wrote John Adams, "were far short of what had been moved by members from Massachusetts, Maryland and Virginia."Works, III, 39.
"Congress has agreed to open the Trade, as you will see by the enclosed paper. Some other Resolutions are preparing, I am told, by some members, respecting Trade, in which I expect, will be inserted nothing looking toward dependency. As I have not seen them, I can say nothing further of them."Joseph Hewes to S. Johnston, 9 April, 1776.]
Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to bring in a resolution for disposing of and using the Tea now in these colonies:
The members chosen, Mr. R[obert] Morris, Mr. [John] Jay, and Mr. [Thomas] M'Kean.
The Committee of Claims reported, that there is due, To Robert Erwin, waggon master, for William M'Carty's and Richard Key's teams, to Virginia, with powder, thirty days each, and ferriages, amounting to ∥93 189=250.5 dollars.
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Ordered, That the above be paid.
The committee to whom the letters from General Schuyler, of the 7 and 19, and from William Paulding, Esqr. chairman of ∥a committee of∥ the convention of New York, of the 26 of March last, were referred, brought in their report, which being taken into consideration,
Resolved, That the committee of inspection and observation of Albany be desired to examine, state and settle the accounts of expences incurred in the taking of Ticonderoga and Crown Point, which shall be laid before them by General Schuyler, and report the same to Congress.
Resolved, That Mr. Robert Yates be appointed secretary to the commissioners for Indian affairs in the northern department, and be allowed at the rate of two hundred and fifty dollars by the year.
Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee that the contract made the 16th day of March last, between the Committee of the Convention of New York and Mr. Abraham Livingston, for supplying the Troops employed for the defence of that Colony, with the rations allowed by Congress, and with fuel and other necessaries, be confirmed; but that the said Convention be desired to acquaint Mr. Livingston if he will have so much of the Contract as concerns the supplying the Pennsylvania Battalions serving in the said Colony;and if he will not consent to do so, that these batallions be withdrawn it will be for the good of the public.
Resolved, That the commissioners for Indian affair in the northern department be desired to assure the Indians that Congress will do every thing in their power to procure goods for them, and hope they shall soon accomplish it.1
[Note 1: 1 The original of this report, in the writing of George Wythe, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, V, folio 309.]
Resolved, That the remainder of the report be postponed.
A letter from General Washington of the 27 of March, and
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A letter from ∥Brigadier∥ General Heath, being received, were read,1
[Note 1: 1 The letter of Washington is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, I, folio 563. It was referred to a Committee of the Whole House. That of Heath, dated New York, April 3, is in No. 157, folio 3.]
Resolved, That the letter from General Washington, with the enclosed papers, be referred to a committee of the whole.
Resolved, That the sum of 100,000 dollars be sent to New York, for the use of the army there, in the service of the United Colonies.
The Committee for Prisoners brought in a report, which was read:
The Committee for the Prisoners further report, that they have maturely considered the Letters from Brigadier General Richard Prescott, Esquire, Lieutenant Colonel John Connolly, Captain Thomas Gamble, Captain Duncan Campble, Lieutenant Allan Cameron, Surgeon John Smith and Mr. Allan McDonnell. That they have confered with the former on the subject matter of his said Letter, in which conference, he urged that the capitulation entered into by him with Major Brown off La Valtrie, was infringed in his person and property, but descended to no particulars, nor mentioned what part of his property, of what value, or by whom the same was imbezzled, which he alledged, was owing to his confinement. The Committee informed him of his cruel treatment of Captain Allen, and Mr. Walker, by putting them in irons, and burning and destroying the House and effects of the latter to a great value; he did not deny the facts, but resolved the whole into the orders of General Carlton, his commanding officer, to which he said he made no addition. They then proposed to furnish him with a copy of Thomas Walker, Esquire, his memorial to the Congress, and to wait his answer; and also let him know, that as well the officers and soldiers, as the sailors and other inhabitants of the Thirteen United Colonies, who were so unfortunate as to fall into the hands of the British forces both by land and sea, were treated with unprecedented severities, which would probably compell the Colonists to retaliate, and that if he chose to write, any thing respecting this information to General Howe, or to any person in Great Britain, his Letters should be safely and speedily forwarded.
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He replied, that he did not choose to see Mr. Walker's memorial nor himself, that he was not accustomed to writing, it was out of his way, and in his present state of mind inconvenient, andabsolutely refused declined to write to General Howe &c., or to state any thing whatsoever to the Committee or Congress in writing.
Upon the whole, The Committee came to the following Resolutions:
[Note 1: 1 Against this paragraph was written "postponed."]
[Note 2: 2 Against this paragraph was written "Agreed to." It is printed under April 9, p. 264,post, with other resolutions based upon this report.]
[Note 3: 3 This report, in the writing of Thomas McKean, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 28, folio 33.]
∥Ordered, To lie on the table.∥
Resolved, That the delegates of Virginia be directed to write to their convention, or committee or council of safety, to collect and forward to the treasurers of the
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United Colonies, what gold and silver they can procure, and to draw on the president for the amount thereof, at the rate of eight dollars for half Joes, weighing nine pennyweight.
The Committee on Applications and Qualifications, having recommended Samuel Checkley, as a proper person to fill up a vacancy of an ensign in the third Pensylvania batallion:
Ordered, That a commission be granted to said Samuel Checkley accordingly.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock on Tuesday next.
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