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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 --THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1776
The Board of Treasury reported, that they have examined the vouchers brought into their office by Joseph Hewes, Esqr. one of the Naval Committee, by which it appears, that the Naval Committee have expended the sum of one hundred and thirty four thousand three hundred and thirty three dollars and 27/90 of a dollar in fitting out eight armed vessels.
Resolved, That the same be allowed and passed to the credit of the said committee.
The Naval Committee having laid before Congress an account of sundry outstanding debts, and of sundry goods by them purchased, and put into the hands of different persons who have not yet accounted for the same,
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Resolved, That the said account be delivered to the Marine Committee, and that they be directed to take effectual measures to have the said outstanding debts collected and accounts settled.1
[Note 1: 1 The Thomson memorandum (see p. 90,ante) says that the Naval Committee "rendered their accounts, having fitted out 8 armed vessels, the business was referred to the Marine Comee and the Naval Comee discharged." In thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 31, folio 99, are to be found the details of these accounts, prepared in 1784.]
Resolved, That two months pay as major, being 66 2/3 dollars be advanced to Major le Chevalier de Vermonet; he to be accountable:
Resolved, That Major de Vermonet be referred to the Board of Treasury, for a settlement of his account for rations:
Resolved, That 100 dollars be advanced to Captain William Davies, of Virginia, for the use of his company on their march to New York, he to be accountable.
A petition from Captain Woelper, was laid before Congress, and read:
Resolved, That it be referred to the delegates of Pensylvania and Maryland, who are directed to settle the rank of the captains and subalterns in the German batallion, and report to Congress.
The Board of War brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,
Resolved, That Mons. Marquis de Malmedy be appointed to the rank and pay of a major by brevet in the continental army, and that he receive his commission accordingly:
That Mons. Jean Louis Imbert, a gentleman well recommended as an engineer, be sent to General Washington to be employed in that capacity, in order to shew his abilities, and that one month's pay as a captain be advanced for his expences:
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That Mons. Christian de Colerus be appointed to the rank and pay of a major by brevet, and that his commission be forthwith given him:
That Mons. Jean Louis de Vernejous be appointed to the rank and pay of a captain by brevet, and commissioned accordingly:
That the commander in chief of the forces of these states in the several departments, be directed to give positive orders to the brigadier generals and colonels, and all other officers in their several armies, that the troops, under their command, may, every day, be called together, and trained in arms, in order that officers and men may be perfected in the manual exercise and manoeuvres, and inured to the most exemplary discipline, and that all officers be assured, that the Congress will consider activity and success, in introducing discipline into the army, among the best recommendations for promotion.1
[Note 1: 1 This paragraph was suggested by John Adams. See his Autobiography,Works, III, 83.]
The commissioners for settling the public accounts in the Northern Army, having represented to the Board of Treasury, that sundry officers in the army, holding two commissions, had, previous to the time of General Schuyler's receiving the order of Congress, not to allow pay to any person for more than one commission, received warrants from the general for payment in their double capacity, and desiring to know whether such accounts are to be allowed:
Resolved, That such warrants drawn by General Schuyler, previous to the time of his receiving the order of Congress, be allowed by the commissioners:
That, to prevent, for the future, warrants being drawn by any general in the continental army, in favor of any officer, for more than one commission, the order of Congress
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be published, that no officer in the continental army is allowed to hold more than one commission, or to receive pay but in one capacity.1
[Note 1: 1 See note, p. 781,ante.]
The Committee of Treasury reported, that there is due,
To Henry Brothers, 54 dollars; George Troxsell, 64 72/90 dollars, and Jacob Miller, 60 dollars; the whole amounting to one hundred and seventy eight dollars and 72/90 of a dollar; to be paid to Lieutenant Colonel George Stricker, for the hire of three waggons from Maryland to Philadelphia, with the baggage of two field officers, and two companies belonging to the German batallion:
To the late Colonel Caleb Parry, for provisions supplied the militia on their march to New Jersey, with their ferriage, and the ferriage of baggage waggons over Schuylkill, 53 dollars; to be paid to John Jacobs:
Ordered, That the said accounts be paid.
A memorial from the Chevalier Dorré, was presented to Congress and read:
Resolved, That it be referred to the Board of War.
The Committee for Indian Affairs brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,
Resolved, That sixty six dollars and 60/90 of a dollar, be paid to Jacob Fowler, of the Montauk tribe of Indians on Long Island, for his trouble in going to the Mohawk and Oneida nations of Indians, and for his services whilst he remained amongst them:
That the commanding officers of the several posts, on the frontiers of Virginia and Pensylvania, be desired to give the earliest intelligence they can, of every important occurrence they may have notice of, respecting the Indians, to the commissioners, or, when they are not in the way, to the agent for Indian Affairs:
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That it be recommended to the inhabitants of the frontiers, and to the officers at all the posts there, to treat the Indians, who behave peaceably and inoffensively, with kindness and civility, and not to suffer them to be ill used or insulted:
That four hundred dollars be paid to the agent for Indian affairs, in the middle department, for expenditures, and be accounted for by him:
That the orders drawn by the commissioners for Indian affairs in the middle department, on the committee for Indian affairs, for £1,104 17 7 ½, Pensylvania currency, and for £73 0 9, of like money, being 3,141 10/90 dollars, the cost of sundry merchandise bought by the agent for the Indians; the former payable to James Heron, and the other to James Heron and James Bavard, be accepted, and that the money be paid by the treasurer of the United States:
That a talk be delivered to the chiefs and warriors of the Shawanese Indians, now in Philadelphia, to be communicated by them to their nation, in these words:
The United States of America, to their Brethren, the Chiefs and Warriors
of the Shawanese Nation.
We have heard from you by Mr. Morgan, our agent, and are much pleased with your reception of him into your towns, and with your answers to our messages by him. We expect that you and our commissioners will shortly meet in council at Pittsburg, when we hope our old friendship will be renewed, and such a peace established between us, as will last forever.
Our young brothers, Wenthissicia and Pellawa, have visited their white brethren here in company with Mr. Morgan. They can tell you that we keep our roads clear of thorns and briars, and open for all our Indian brethren, who think proper to visit us. We shall always be pleased to see our brothers, the Shawanese, and our brothers of every other Indian nation. We wish to see some of their wise men at our great council fire, which we preserve bright and clear for all nations.
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As it may be a means of conciliating the friendship of the Canadian Indians, or, at least, of preventing hostilities from them in some measure, to assist the president of Dartmouth college, in New Hampshire, in maintaining their youth who are now there, under his tuition, and whom the revenues of the college are not, at this time, sufficient to support; that, for this purpose, five hundred dollars be paid to the Rev. Dr. Eleazer Wheelock, president of the said college.1
[Note 1: 1 In the margin is written in the writing of Francis Hopkinson: "Order given to John Wheelock, son of the President."]
Resolved, That the adjutants of regiments in the continental army be allowed the pay and rations of captains, and have the rank of first lieutenants.2
[Note 2: 2 Printed in thePennsylvania Gazette, 25 September, 1776.]
Congress resumed the consideration of the articles of war; and, after some time, the farther consideration of them was postponed.
Resolved, That the Secret Committee be directed to supply the state of New Jersey with one ton of powder; the said state to be accountable.
The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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