| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |
A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1776
A letter of the 26th, from General Washington, with copy of a letter to him from Lord Drummond; also,
A letter of the 27th, from Captain F. Wade, being received, were read:1
[Note 1: 1 The letter of Washington, with enclosures, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, II, folio 493. It is printed inWritings of Washington (Ford), IV, 369.]
A petition from Jacob Bankson, and one from Jean Langeay, were presented to Congress, and read.2
[Note 2: 2 The petition, without date, of Jean Langeay, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, IV, folio 96.]
Resolved, That the letter from Captain Wade be referred to the Board of Treasury, and that they be directed
Page 711 | Page image
to forward to him 100 dollars; he to be accountable; that the petitions be referred to the Board of War.
Resolved, That an order for 500,000 dollars be drawn on the treasurer, in favour of the Marine Committee, they to be accountable for the expenditure of the same.
Resolved, That an order for 5,000 dollars be drawn on the treasurer, in favour of the delegates of Georgia, for the purpose of purchasing riffles for the troops ordered to be raised for the defence of that state, and for defraying [the expenses of] their march to Georgia; the said delegates to be accountable for the expenditure.
Information being given to Congress that one of the Virginia batallions was on their march to New Jersey, intending to pass through Yorktown and Philadelphia; Whereupon,
Resolved, That the commanding officer of the said batallion be directed to continue their march from Yorktown, by the nearest route, to New Jersey; there to be subject to the orders of General Washington.
The Marine Committee having recommended Joseph Greenway to be a third lieutenant on board the Delaware frigate, commanded by Charles Alexander, Esqr.
Resolved, That he be accepted, and that a commission be granted to him accordingly.
A petition from Jacob Fowler was presented to Congress, and read.
Resolved, That it be referred to the standing committee for Indian affairs.
Resolved, That the Marine Committee be empowered to lendeight ten bolts of light duck to the delegates of Maryland, for the use of their troops; provided the same can be done without prejudicing the [marine] service.
Resolved, That an order for £117 2 0=312 24/90ths dollars be drawn on the treasurer, in favour of Josiah
Page 712 | Page image
Bartlett Esqr. and others, committee for purchasing medicines; the same being for a box of rhubarb bought ofPelatiah Webster.
The delegates of Virginia produced the credentials of their appointment, which were read and are as follows:
Virginia, Scit. In Convention, Thursday,June 20, 1776.
The Convention proceeded, according to the order of the Day, to the Appointment of Delegates to represent this Colony in General Congress, and, the Members having prepared Tickets, and put the same into the Ballot Box, Mr. Treasurer, Mr. George Mason, Mr. Blair, Mr. Holt, and Mr. Henry Tazewell, were appointed a Committee to examine the same, and report upon whom the Majority falls; and, it appearing, from the Report of the Committee, the Majority was in favour of George Wythe, Thomas Nelson, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, and Francis Lightfoot Lee, Esqrs.,
Resolved, therefore, That the said George Wythe, Thomas Nelson, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, and Francis Lightfoot Lee, Esqrs., be, and they are hereby, appointed Delegates to represent this Colony in General Congress for one Year, from the 11th of August next.
Resolved, That any three of the said Delegates be a sufficient Number to represent this Colony in the said General Congress.
A Copy:John Tazewell,Clk. Conv.
The committee to whom the letter from Mease and Caldwell was referred, brought in their report, which was taken into consideration: Whereupon,
Resolved, That five hundred pound weight of gun powder be delivered to the said Mease and Caldwell, for the purpose of procuring deer skins, to make breeches for the soldiery in the service of the United States; they to be accountable.
That the Secret Committee be directed to fall upon proper ways and means of procuring a further supply of deer skins, for the like purpose, from Georgia and South Carolina.
Page 713 | Page image
The committee, appointed to take into consideration the letter from Harriot Temple, to the president of Congress, brought in their report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,
Resolved, That, upon the said Harriot's producing to the quarter master general, an account of the trees which were cut down upon the farm of Robert Temple, Esqr. for the purpose of supplying the continental army with wood for firing, or for the purposes of fortification, so far as from the nature of the circumstances such destruction can be ascertained by her, that the quarter master general of the continental army, shall make her a just compensation for the same, in such manner as other persons have been paid, who have supplied the army with wood for these purposes; and that the quarter master general, in his accounts, shall be allowed for the same by this Congress.
Congress took into consideration the report of the committee for enquiring into, and rectifying, the defects in the powder, manufactured for the United States; and, thereupon,
Resolved, That there be an Inspector or inspectors sufficiently qualified to judge the goodness of gun powder, who shall examine every cask of gun powder manufactured, or to be purchased on account of the United States, by the most approved method of ascertaining the quality of gun powder; the said inspector or inspectors to receive one eighth part of a dollar for every hundred weight of powder he or they shall so examine:
That no gun powder be received into the public magazine for the use of the United States of America, or delivered from the powder mills for that purpose, but such as has been approved of by the public inspector,
Page 714 | Page image
as to its quickness in firing, strength, dryness, and other necessary qualities:
That the inspector mark each cask approved, with the letters U. S. A. and such other marks as are necessary to distinguish the several sorts of gun powder:
That every maker of gun powder, mark every cask, in which he shall pack his gun powder, with the first letters of his name:
That gun powder be put into no cask but such as are well seasoned and dry:
That it be recommended to the legislatures of the several states of America, to cause suitable inspectors to be appointed, to examine and determine the quality of all gun powder manufactured within their jurisdiction, and that no person be allowed to vend any gun powder, manufactured in any of the states of America, unless the same, in the judgment of such inspector, shall be of sufficient quality; and to make such laws for executing this, or any other regulations for promoting the manufacture of good gun powder, as to them may seem most convenient.
Ordered, To be published.1
[Note 1: 1 Printed in thePennsylvania Gazette, 4 September, 1776.]
Congress then proceeded to the election of an inspector of gun powder; and, the ballots being taken,
Robert Towers was chosen.
Resolved, That five hundred thousand dollars be sent to the pay master general at New York:
The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
PREVIOUS SECTION .. NEXT SECTION .. NAVIGATOR
| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |