| 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 --TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1776
A memorial from Colonel Moses Hazen was presented to Congress, and read.
Resolved, That it be referred to the committee appointed to enquire into the causes of the miscarriages in Canada.
The Committee appointed to inquire into the particulars of the late action on Long Island reported, that they have made inquiry and from the best information they could get have prepared account thereof.
Ordered, To lie on the table.
General Sullivan having reduced to writing the verbal message from Lord Howe, the same was laid before Congress, and read as follows:
The following is the purport of the message from Lord Howe to Congress, by General Sullivan:
That, though he could not at present Treat with Congress as such, yet he was very Desirous of having a Conference with some of The members, whom he would Consider for the present only as private Gentlemen, and meet them himself as such, at such place as they should appoint:
Page 731 | Page image
That he, in Conjunction with General Howe, had full powers to Compromise the Dispute between Great Britain and America, upon Terms advantageous to both; the obtaining of which Delayed him near Two months in England, and prevented his arrival at this place before the Declaration of Independency took place:
That he wished a Compact might be Settled at this time, when no Decisive Blow was struck, and neither party could say, that they were Compelled to enter into such agreement:
That, in Case Congress were Disposed to Treat, many things, which they had not as yet asked, might and ought to be granted Them; and That if, upon the Conference, They found any probable Ground of an Accommodations The authority of Congress must be afterwards Acknowledged, otherwise The Compact would not be Compleat.
Copy of General Sullivan's Letter to Lord Howe
New York,30th of August, 1776
My Lord.--agreeable to your Lordships Request I have Conversed with General Washington, who says that he has no power to Treat upon the Subject your Lordship mentioned, but has not the least objection to my going to Philadelphia to Inform Congress of what your Lordship has been pleased to Communicate to me upon the Subject. I shall wait your Lordships further Direction, and am with much esteem, your Lordships most obedient Servant,
Jno Sullivan
The Right Honble Lord ViscountHowe
His Lordship's Answer:
Eagle,30 August, 1776
Sir,
Understanding by your Letter That the only Doubt of the propriety of your going to Philadelphia is, by your Conversation with General Washington, Removed, I do not see occasion to give you further Trouble but to Recommend the prosecuting of your Journey. as you were pleased on that Condition to propose. I am Sir, your most obedt Humble Servt,
Howe
GeneralSullivan.1
[Note 1: 1 The original copy of these papers, in the manuscript of General Sullivan, was laid into the Manuscript Journal, No. 1, Vol. IV, folio 135.]
Page 732 | Page image
The Board of War brought in a report, which was read: Whereupon
Ordered, That the first part of the report lie on the table, to be taken up this day.
Resolved, That the part of the said report, which relates to the establishing a post between Philadelphia and Ticonderoga, be referred to the committee for regulating the post office. That the remainder of the report lie on the table:
Resolved, That two members be added to the said committee:
The members chosen, Mr. [William] Hooper and Mr. [Samuel] Huntington.
Resolved, That a regimental pay master be appointed to Colonel Magaw's batallion.
The ballots being taken,
John Mifflin, brother to Brigadier General Mifflin, was elected.
Resolved, That Jeduthun Baldwin, Esqr. be appointed an engineer in the continental army, with the rank of colonel, and pay of 60 dollars a month.
A letter from a number of officers who are prisoners at Carlisle, [was read,] complaining of some ill treatment they have received, and of their baggage being plundered, contrary to the capitulation, upon which they surrendered, and General Wooster, who was attending in the outer room, being examined touching the facts therein stated;
Resolved, That a letter be written to General Schuyler, directing him to make particular enquiry whether the baggage of the officers taken at St. John's and Chambly was plundered, and by whom, and report to Congress:
That the secretary of the Board of War be directed to inform the officers, that enquiry has been made of General
Page 733 | Page image
Wooster, to whom they refer, respecting the plunder of their baggage, and that he says he knows nothing of the matter, and that no information or complaint was ever made to him respecting that matter: And farther, inform them, that Congress have given orders to General Schuyler to make strict enquiry into this affair, and report thereon.
A letter, of the 2d, from General Washington, and a letter from William Palfrey, pay master general, were laid before Congress, and read.1
[Note 1: 1 The letter of Washington is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, II, folio 519. It is printed inWritings of Washington (Ford), IV, 378.]
Resolved, That the letter from General Washington be referred to a committee of the whole Congress:
Congress then resolved itself into a committee of the whole to take into consideration the letter from General Washington; and, after some time, the president resumed the chair, and Mr. [Thomas] Nelson reported, that the committee have had under consideration the letter to them referred, and have come to sundry resolutions, which he was ordered to report.
The resolutions reported from the committee of the whole Congress, being [severally] read, were agreed to as follows:
Resolved, That General Washington be acquainted, that the Congress would have especial care taken, in case he should find it necessary to quit New York, that no damage be done to the said city by his troops, on their leaving it: The Congress having no doubt of being able to recover the same, though the enemy should, for a time, obtain possession of it.
Resolved, That three more batallions be ordered from Virginia, to reinforce the army at New York, of which that commanded by Colonel Stephen to be one:
That for the same purpose, two of the North Carolina
Page 734 | Page image
batallions be ordered to march, with all possible expedition, to New York, under the command of Brigadier General Moore:
That it be recommended to the assemblies and conventions of the several states to the northward of Virginia, immediately to send all the aid in their power to the army at New York:
That one of the continental batallions in Rhode Island be ordered immediately to march, to reinforce the army at New York:
That it be recommended to the assembly of Massachusetts bay, to send to Rhode Island a batallion of their militia, to supply the place of the continental batallion ordered from thence.
The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.1
[Note 1: 1 "The Congress is, at this time, very thin. Colonel Lee is arrived here, but several others have taken leave of absence, among them Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Heyward."Josiah Bartlett to William Whipple, 3 September, 1776.]
PREVIOUS SECTION .. NEXT SECTION .. NAVIGATOR
| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |