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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, AUGUST 27, 1776
A letter of the 23, from General Mercer, was laid before Congress, and read.
Resolved, [That it be] referred to the Board of War.2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XXIII, folio 301. In it the writer expressed surprise that no distinction was made between officers and privates in the resolution offering rewards to foreign troops. The suggestion led to the further resolutions of August 27.]
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A petition from Pelatiah Webster, was presented to Congress, and read, praying leave to sell the sloopBetsey, belonging to Abiel Wood, of Pownalborough, in the province of Maine; from selling of which he is restrained by the committee of inspection of the city and liberties of Philadelphia, on account of exceptions taken to the political character of the owner: Whereupon,
Resolved, That the petitioner have leave to sell the said sloop; the money arising from the sale, to be lodged in the hands of the assembly of Massachusetts bay, and by them disposed of in the same manner as the other estate of the said owner.
Resolved, That Zebulon Butler, Esqr. be appointed to supply the two companies ordered to be raised in the town of Westmoreland, with provisions; and that he be allowed therefor, at the rate of one twelfth part of a dollar per ration, until farther order of Congress.
The Board of War brought in a report, which was taken into consideration: Whereupon,
Resolved, That it be recommended to the legislature of the commonwealth of Virginia, to provide cloathing for the continental troops raised in that state; the expence of the said cloathing to be paid out of the continental military chest for the southern department, and deducted out of the soldiers' pay:
That Mr. Measam, who petitions to be provided for on the score of his having served in Canada, and also desires payment of an account against the continent, be referred to the Treasury Board, for a settlement of his account.
Resolved, That the Secret Committee be directed to deliver to the Maryland troops, such arms as are in their possession, belonging to the continent, and not already appropriated; the state of Maryland to be accountable for such arms delivered to their troops.
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The committee, to whom the letter from Colonel Wilson was referred, brought in their report, which was taken into consideration: Whereupon, Congress came to the following resolutions:
Congress proceeding to take into farther consideration the expediency of inviting, from the service of his Britannic majesty, such foreigners as are engaged therein, and expecting that, among the officers having command in the said foreign corps, there may be many of liberal minds, possessing just sentiments of the rights of human nature, and of the inestimable value of freedom, who may be prompted to renounce so dishonourable a service, by the feelings of humanity, and a just indignation at the office to which they are devoted by an infamous contract between two arbitrary sovereigns, and at the insult offered them, by compelling them to wage war against an innocent people, who never offended them, nor the nation to which they belong, but are only contending for their just rights; and willing to tender to them also, as they had before done to the soldiers of their corps, a participation of the blessings of peace, liberty, property and mild government:
Resolved, That this Congress will give, to all such of the said foreign officers, as shall leave the armies of his Britannic majesty in America, and chuse to become citizens of these states, unappropriated lands, in the following quantities and proportions, to them and their heirs in absolute dominion; to wit, to a colonel, 1,000 Acres; to a lieutenant colonel, 800 Acres; to a major, 600 Acres; to a captain, 400 Acres; to a lieutenant, 300 Acres; to an ensign, 200 Acres; to every non-commissioned officer, 100 Acres, and to every other officer or person employed in the said foreign corps, and whose office or employment is not here specifically named, in the like proportion to their rank or pay in the said corps; and, moreover, that where any officers
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shall bring with them a number of the said foreignsoldiers, this Congress, besides the lands before promisedto the said officers and soldiers, will give to such officersfurther rewards, proportioned to the numbers they shallbring over, and suited to the nature of their wanes. Provided, that such foreign officers or soldiers shall come over from the said armies of his Britannic majesty, before these offers shall be recalled.1
[Note 1: 1 "The Congress being advised that there was a probability that the Hessians might be induced to quit the British service by offers of land, came to two resolves for this purpose, which, being translated into German and printed, are sent to Staten-Island, to be distributed, if practicable, among these people. Some of them have tobacco marks on the back, that so tobacco being put up in them in small quantities, as the tobacconists use, and suffered to fall into the hands of these people, they might divide the papers as plunder before their officers could come to the knowledge of the contents, and prevent their being read by the men. That was the first resolve. A second has since been made for the officers themselves. I am desired to send some of both sorts to you, that if you find it practicable, you may convey them among the Germans that shall come against you."Franklin to General Gates, 28 August, 1776. Force,American Archives, Fifth Series, I, 1193.
See resolution passed November 27,post.
In theJefferson Papers (5th Series, X) is the following draft of an address, in the writing of George Wythe: The words in brackets were stricken out:
"The delegates of the thirteen united colonies of America to the officers and soldiers of
"It is with no small pleasure, when in this first address we ever made to you we must call you enemies, that we can affirm you to be unprovoked enemies. We have not invaded your country, slaughtered wounded or captivated your parents children or kinsfolk, burned plundered or desolated your towns and villages, wasted your farms and cottages, spoiled you of your goods, or annoyed your trade. On the contrary, [many of] all your countrymen who dwell among us, were received as friends, and treated as brethren, participating equally with our selves of all our rights franchises and privileges. We have not aided ambitious princes and potentates in subjugating you. We should glory [in] being [the] instrumental in [of] the deliverance of mankind from bondage and oppression. What then induced you to join in this quarrel with our foes, strangers to you, unconnected with you, and at so great a distance from both you and us? Do you think the cause you are engaged in just on your side? To decide that we might safely appeal to the judicious and impartial--but we have appealed to the righteous judge of all the earth, inspired with humble [hopes] confidence and well-grounded [confidence] hopes, that the lord of hosts will fight our battles, whilst we are vindicating that inheritance we own ourselves indebted to his bounty alone for. Were you compelled by your sovereigns to undertake the bloody work of butchering your unoffending fellow-creatures? [Cease to obey the] Disdain the inhuman office, disgraceful to the soldier. Did lust of conquest [tempt] prompt you? The victory, unattainable by you if heaven was not against us, which [you have] we know of no good reason [to] you have to expect, or [you] we to dread, shall cost you more than the benefits derived from it will be equivalent to; since it will be disputed by those who are resolved inflexibly to live no longer than they can enjoy the liberty you are hired to rob them of, and who are conscious of a dignity of character, which a contempt of every danger threatening the loss of that blessing seldom fails to accompany. Were you tempted by the prospect of exchanging the land you left for happier regions,--for a land of plenty and abhorrent of despotism? We wish this may be your motive; because we have the means, and want not inclination, to gratify your desires, if they be not hostile, without loss to ourselves, perhaps with [out] less expense, certainly with more honour and with more advantage to you than victory can promise. Numberless germans and other foreigners settled in this country [and thriving under the influence of its mild gove] will testify this truth. To give you farther assurance of it, we have resolved,
"Mistake not this for an expedient suggested by fear. In military virtue we doubt not americans will prove themselves to be second to none; their numbers exceed you and your [associates] confederates; in resources they now do or soon will abound. Neither suppose that we would seduce you to a treacherous defection. If you have been persuaded to believe, that it is your duty, or will be your interest [those] to assist those who prepare, in vain we trust, to destroy us; go on; and, when you shall fall into our hands, and experience less severity of punishment than ruffians, and savages deserve, attribute it to that lenity, which is never separate from magnanimity. But if, exercising your own judgments, you have spirit enough to assert that freedom which all men are born to, associate yourselves with those who desire, and think they are able to secure it, with all the blessings of peace, to you and your posterity."]
Resolved, That this Congress agrees to the proposition from General Howe, that in exchanges of prisoners, the choice shall be made by the respective commanders for their own officers and men; provided the respective commanders
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shall also have a right to make choice what citizens shall be given in exchange by the other.
Congress resolved itself into a committee of the whole, to take into their farther consideration the plan of foreign treaties; and, after some [time,] the president resumed the chair, and Mr. [Thomas] Nelson reported, that the committee have had under consideration the matter referred to them, and have gone through the same, and made sundry amendments therein.
Resolved, That the plan of treaties, with the amendments, be referred to the committee who brought in the
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[original] plan, in order to draw up instructions pursuant to the amendments made by the committee of the whole.
That two members be added to the committee:
The members chosen, Mr. R[ichard] H[enry] Lee and Mr. [James] Wilson.
A petition from the deputy commissary general was laid before Congress, and read.
Resolved, That it be referred to the Board of War.
Sundry members of the committee, appointed to revise the journals, and superintend the printing thereof, being absent,
Resolved, That four members be added to the said committee, any two to be a quorum:
The members chosen, Mr. [Thomas] Heyward, Mr. [William] Hooper, Mr. [William] Williams, and Mr. [George] Walton.
The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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