| 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, JANUARY 15, 1777
Resolved, That Messrs. Purviance be requested immediately to remove all the powder belonging to the Continent from the ware-house in this town, to a convenient house at some distance therefrom, in proper waggons and carts, taking care that the tight barrels alone be removed, and that careful persons be employed to make 30 gallon
Page 38 | Page image
casks, sufficient to contain all the powder that may be in shattered or open casks:
That Captain Smith be desired to furnish a guard, on the powder, of the most trusty and orderly soldiers.
The committee appointed to prepare instructions to Mr. J. Allen, Indian agent for the eastern department, brought in a draught, which was read; and, being amended, was agreed to as follows:
Sir, Having been informed of your knowledge of, and acquaintance with, the tribes of Indians, inhabitants of St. John's and Nova Scotia, and, confiding in your zealous attachment to the interest of the united States, this Congress have made choice of you to be their agent, impowering you, in their behalf, to treat with those Indians, and as far as you shall be able, to engage their friendship, and prevent their taking a part on the side of Great Britain, in the unjust and cruel war against these united States:
You will explain to them, as clearly as their understanding of the nature and principles of civil government will admit of it, the grounds of the disputes between Great Britain and America, the pains that we have taken to settle those disputes on the rules of equity, and the necessity we were finally driven to, in defence of our liberty and lives, to resist our oppressors unto blood. Thus, by convincing them of the justice of our cause, you may attach them to our interests, and lay a solid foundation for lasting peace and friendship with us:
You will also inform them of the union that subsists among the people of these States, and the strength derived therefrom, to each of them: that viewing us in this light, they may see their own safety depending upon their peaceable disposition and behaviour towards us:
You are to cultivate trade with them; by which means, many great advantages which have heretofore from thence accrued to the subjects of Great Britain, will be gained by the people of these States:
And you are, in a particular manner, instructed to use your utmost diligence and influence to promote an intercourse and correspondence between those tribes and the Indians living in and about Canada; by the effecting of which, the most useful and necessary intelligence may be frequently obtained; and you are to give the earliest notice to Congress, and to General Washington, and the commanding officer at Ticonderoga, of such intelligence as you may receive:
Page 39 | Page image
You will, as often as you shall be required, exhibit to Congress a fair account of the expenditure of such monies as you may be intrusted with, for the purpose of your agency; together with a general state of affairs within your department, that Congress may avail themselves of it for the public good.
Resolved, That the sum of 900 dollars be annually allowed and paid to John Allen, Esq. during his continuance as agent of this Congress, to the Indians of St. John's and Nova Scotia:
That 1,000 dollars be advanced to John Allen, Esq. to enable him to carry on the affairs of his agency among the Indians of St. John's and Nova Scotia; he to be accountable for the same.
Resolved, That the sum of 533 1/3 dollars be advanced to the Board of War, for defraying the expences of sending the Hessian prisoners to Dumfries, and the prisoners in the guard house in Baltimore, to Leesburg, in Virginia, agreeable to the orders of Congress; the said Board to be accountable for the expenditure.
Resolved, That the sum of 55,000 dollars be advanced to the delegates of Georgia, for the use of the troops raised by that State; the said State to be accountable.
Resolved, That the Secret Committee be directed to supply Captain Yates's company with blankets; and that one month's pay be advanced to Captain Yates for his company; he to be accountable.
Resolved, That 2,000 dollars be advanced to General Smallwood, for the purpose of defraying the arrears due to the men of his late batallion; he to be accountable.
Resolved, That to morrow be assigned for appointing a pay master in Baltimore.
Congress then resolved itself into a committee of the whole, to take into consideration the state of the treasury, and the means of supporting the credit of the continental currency; and, after some time, the president
Page 40 | Page image
resumed the chair, and Mr. [Benjamin] Harrison reported, that the committee have come into a resolution on the subject to them referred, which he was ordered to report:
The report being read, was agreed to as follows:
Resolved, That the continental treasurer be empowered and directed to borrow money on the loan office certificates; that the same be countersigned by the auditor general for the time being, and that in transacting this business, he govern himself by the rules prescribed to the commissioners of the other loan offices; and have, for his trouble, the same allowance.
Resolved, That this Congress will, to morrow, resolve itself into a committee of the whole, to take into consideration the state of the treasury, and the means of supporting the credit of the continental currency.
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 |