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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 --WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 1776
A petition from Preudhome la Jeunesse was presented to Congress, and read.
Resolved, That it be referred to the Board of War.1
[Note 1: 1 This petition is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, IV, folio 376. On this day the Board presented a report as follows:
"That the Petition of Preudhome la Jeunesse he granted, and a Commission be given him to be Captain of a Company of Canadians Arcadians and French to belong to Col. Livingstone's Regiment and to join the Army at Ticonderoga as soon as may be."
It was "ordered to lie." The report, in the writing of Richard Peters, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, I, folio 3.1]
The committee to whom the memorial of Samuel Holden Parsons was referred, brought in their report, which was taken into consideration: Whereupon,
Resolved, That Bazil Bouderot, mentioned in the said memorial, be sent to the state of Massachusetts bay, and there delivered to the council of the said state, and that it
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be recommended to the said council to proceed against the said Bazil Bouderot according to the laws of their state; but, if they have no laws by which crimes committed out of their state may be tried within the same, that then they confine the said Bazil Bouderot, until the situation of public affairs will admit his being removed to Nova Scotia, where the crime is alleged to have been committed, and there submitted to a fair trial, according to the antient laws of that province.
The committee to whom part of the report from the Committee on Spies was re-committed, having brought in a report, the same was taken into consideration: Whereupon,
Resolved, That all persons, not members of, nor owing allegiance to, any of the United States of America, as described in a resolution of Congress of the 24th of June last, who shall be found lurking as spies in or about the fortifications or encampments of the armies of the United States, or of any of them, shall suffer death, according to the law and usage of nations, by sentence of a court martial, or such other punishment as such court martial shall direct.
Ordered, That the above resolution be printed at the end of the rules and articles of war.
Resolved, That 500,000 dollars be sent to the pay master general for the use of the army at New York.
The Board of War brought in a report, which was taken into consideration: Whereupon,
Resolved, That the Cannon Committee be directed to contract for the immediate casting of six 6 pounders, six 12 pounders, four 8 inch howitzers, four 6 inch howitzers, and 6 cohorn mortars, to be made of brass, if a sufficient quantity of that metal can be procured; if not,
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to be cast of iron, and sent, as soon as possible, to General Gates for the use of the northern army, and that the said committee provide also carriages, and every thing necessary to complete the said artillery for service:
That Major General Ward be authorized and requested, if his health will permit, to continue in the command of the forces in the service of the United States, in the eastern department, until farther orders:
That the Cannon Committee be authorized to possess themselves of the copper said to be at New London, belonging to the United States.
Resolved, That Colonel Henry Knox be authorized to draw upon the pay master general for money sufficient to pay for any quantity of copper that can be procured for the use of the United States; he to render an account of the sums drawn for, and the copper purchased.
Resolved, That the letter from General Washington, received and read yesterday, and the letter from him of the 12, with the papers enclosed, be referred to the Board of War.
A letter to the Committee of Secret Correspondence was laid before Congress and read.
Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to revise the resolutions of Congress, respecting the place where prizes are to be carried into, and to bring in such farther resolutions as to them shall seem proper:
The members chosen, Mr. [Thomas] Jefferson, Mr. [Robert] Morris, and Mr. J[ohn] Adams.
The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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