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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, OCTOBER 17, 1776
A petition from Henry Keppele was laid before Congress, and read, setting forth, that he hath entered an appeal against the sentence passed on the ship Charming
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Peggy, and praying that a convenient day may be assigned for hearing the said appeal:
Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed, with full power to hear and determine upon the said appeal:
The members chosen, Mr. [Samuel] Huntington, Mr. [Robert Treat] Paine, Mr. [George] Wythe, Mr. [James] Smith, and Mr. [James] Wilson.
Resolved, That a committee of three [four] be appointed to review such of the resolutions of Congress as relate to the capture and condemnation of prizes, and report what alterations or additions should be made respecting the same:
The members chosen, Mr. [George] Wythe, Mr. [Edward] Rutledge, Mr. [Robert Treat] Paine, and Mr. [Samuel] Huntington.
A petition from Carpenter Wharton was presented to Congress, and read:
Resolved, That it be referred to the council of safety of Pensylvania.
Resolved, That a commissary be appointed to supply the batallion, commanded by Colonel Mackay, with provisions; the ballots being taken,
Ephraim Blaine, Esq. was elected.
Resolved, That Mr. Francis Lewis, Jun. be permitted to go to the state of New York with Mr. Foxcroft.
The committee, to whom was re-committed the report on the state of the prisoners in the gaol of Philadelphia, brought in a farther report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,
Resolved, That the prisoners from North Carolina be permitted to return to their families, if the convention of that state shall be of opinion they may so do, without danger to that or any other of the United States; and, in the mean time, that bedding, blankets, and other necessaries,
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be furnished the gaoler, by Mr. Mease, for the use of such prisoners as are unprovided with them:1
[Note 1: 1 A petition from these prisoners is in the Colonial Records of North Carolina, X, 888.]
That Captain M'Kenzie be permitted to apply to the state of North Carolina for liberty to return there; and, in the mean time, that he be allowed ten dollars to bear his expences to Lancaster county:
That Lieutenant M'Clean, an half pay officer, taken in Canada, be permitted to reside at Reading on giving his parole.
Resolved, That a Committee of Intelligence be appointed to select and report such authentic accounts, as are, from time to time, received by Congress, of the state of the armies and navy of the United States, as they shall judge proper to be published by authority of Congress:
The members chosen, Mr. [Benjamin] Rush, Mr. R[ichard] H[enry] Lee, and Mr. [Francis] Hopkinson.2
[Note 2: 2 "Congress have appointed a 'Committee of Intelligence,' to select and publish such intelligence as Congress shall receive from time to time, and it shall be proper to publish. That committee have, in this week's papers, published an account of the sea fight on the lake, but omitted some particulars which I have mentioned. They have also given the public such intelligence as hath been received from the army in the middle department.... At this critical period, when we have so much at stake, every friend to his country is anxious to know every thing that takes place. Sensible of this Congress, as I have already mentioned, have appointed a committee of intelligence, whose publications may be relied on: and if the accounts which Congress receives from the armies are particular, the public will be gratified so soon as posts can convey the newspapers to the different states." William Ellery to Governor Cooke, 26 October, 1776. Rhode Island in the Continental Congress, 94, 95.]
Resolved, That a committee be appointed to bring in a plan for the better regulating the treasury board:
The members chosen, Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry, Mr. [Philip] Livingston, and Mr. [Francis] Hopkinson.
Mr. Duché having, by letter, informed the president, that the state of his health, and his parochial duties, were such, as obliged him to decline the honour of continuing chaplain to the Congress,
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Resolved, That Mr. president be desired to return the thanks of this house to the Rev. Mr. Duché, for the devout and acceptable manner in which he discharged his duty during the time he officiated as chaplain to it; and that 150 dollars be presented to him, as an acknowledgment from the house for his services.
The Committee of Treasury reported, that there is due,
To Captain A. H. Brice, for his allowance as an officer prisoner, from 19th April, to 17 October, 1776, inclusive, being 26 weeks, at 2 dollars a week, 52 dollars:
To Captain Thomas Hesketh, for his allowance from 20 July to 19 October, inclusive, being, 13 weeks, at 2 dollars a week, 26 dollars:
To George Haas, for the hire of his waggon and his expences with money from Philadelphia to Boston, 131 24/90 dollars:
To Colonel Hausegger, for the expence of himself and two prisoners from Ticonderoga to Philadelphia, 57 9/90 dollars:
To Captain Matthew Smith, to be paid to Lieutenant Archibald Steel, for inlisting his company, consisting of 80 men, at 11/3 dollars each, 106 60/90 dollars:
That they have examined the accounts exhibited by Lieutenant Archibald Steel, of Captain Smith's company, for the pay of 34 officers and privates, and of Adjutant Christian Febiger, taken prisoners at Quebec, amounting to £590 15 [=1,575 30/90 dollars,] (exclusive of the pay of one serjeant, one corporal and 12 privates, who inlisted in the service of the king of Great Britain, amounting to £178 15 [=476 60/90 dollars] which is retained) with £117 17 6 [=314 30/90 dollars] received from Mr. Mease, leaves a balance due to the said Steel of £472 17 6 equal to 1,261 dollars:
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That there is due, to George Steyer, for linens furnished, and to be charged to Captain John Nelson for the use of his company, 24 dollars:
To Adam Zantzinger, for the hire of two waggons, and the expences of an escort of light horse with money from Philadelphia to the camp, near New York, 150 60/90 dollars:
To William Clayton, for provisions supplied the militia on their march to New Jersey, 24 27/90 dollars:
To John Bates, for 499 camp kettles delivered by him to Gustavus Risberg, assistant to the deputy quarter master general, 665 30/90 dollars:
To William Bentley, and to be paid to Colonel Stricker, for provisions supplied the Virginia troops on their march, 17 54/90 dollars:
To Joseph Bentley, for provisions supplied the militia and flying camp, on their march to New Jersey, 19 72/90 dollars:
To Nicholas Bazin, a Canadian prisoner, for his allowance from 3d March to 17 October, is 32 5/7 weeks, at 2 dollars a week, is 65 38/90 dollars.
Ordered, That the above accounts be paid.
The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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