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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 --MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1777
A letter, of the 8, from the council of safety of Maryland, with sundry papers, relating to the insurrection on the Eastern Shore of Maryland; one, of the 3d, from Southy Simpson, Esq. of Accomac; and one, of the 11
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of December last, from General Lee, at Morristown, were read:1
[Note 1: 1 The letter of the Maryland Council is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 70, folio 147.]
Ordered, That the letter from Southy Simpson be referred to the Board of War.
Resolved, That it be recommended to the council of safety of Maryland, to prevent the sailing of all provision vessels, while the enemy's ships of war infest the bay; as, there is the greatest reason to apprehend, they cannot avoid falling into the possession of the enemy.
Resolved, That 400 dollars be advanced to James Betton, towards defraying the expences of carrying money to the eastern states, he to account with the State of New Hampshire.
Resolved, That the committee of Baltimore be desired to send William Pigot, a prisoner, under a trusty guard, to the town of York, in Pensylvania, and deliver him with this order, to the committee of York town, who are desired to have the said William Pigot safely and securely confined in prison till farther orders.2
[Note 2: 2 A petition from William Pigot is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, VI, folio 132. He and James Horn applied for a flag of truce, on February 10, 1777. Same volume, folio 136.]
A petition from Colonel Duggan was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury. A petition from Timothy Folger was laid before Congress and read:
Ordered, To lie on the table.
Resolved, That the Board of War write and inform General Smallwood, that Congress have ordered such a number of troops as they judge necessary, for suppressing the insurgents on the Eastern Shore ∥of Maryland,∥ and desire him to order the officers, employed in the recruiting service, to apply themselves diligently to that business.
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The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.1
[Note 1: 1 "Of the political principle of the respective States I am not yet able to speak very clearly, for they are kept as much as possible out of view. I conjecture, however, that all are under some apprehensions of combination in the Eastern States to derive to themselves every possible advantage from the present war, at the expense of the rest. I am not yet satisfied that there is any combination amongst them. I rather think that they only combine when they have one common interest, which is seldom the case, and I am sure this is not peculiar to them. On some late questions I observed they divided: one was relative to the interest to be paid on loans, another relative to the meeting of several States. In the sequel of this letter I mean to give you an abstract of the debates on these questions, and therefore shall say no more of them here. But, sir, I am more concerned to find that Pennsylvania, Maryland, Jersey and some others are exceedingly jealous of the states whose bounds to the westward are yet unascertained, and I am much mistaken if they do not upon all occasions endeavour to fix very extensive power in a mere majority of Congress in order to get resolutions unfavorable to the claims of such states entered into. To be more explicit, I believe they will endeavour by degrees to make the authority of Congress very extensive, and when it shall be fully established and acknowledged, to make such a party in it as will pass resolves injurious to the rights of those states who claim to the South Seas. You will see by some matters in the abstract of debate which I shall subjoin that this conjecture is not quite void of foundation. I am clearly of opinion at all events that those states who, like ours, have such claims should be explicit in declaring they will give no power to their Delegates to bind them in any thing that regards their Bounds. I am not yet able to be particular with respect to the measures intended to be pursued." Thomas Burke to Governor Caswell, Baltimore, 10 February, 1777. North Carolina Colonial Records, XI, 376.]
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