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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 --TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1777
Mr. [Thomas] Heyward, attending in his place, produced credentials of a new apointment, which were read as follows:
South-Carolina.
In the General Assembly,
The 10th Day of January, 1777.
The Members of the Legislative Council, and of this House jointly, voted for Delegates to represent this State in the Continental Congress;
And, the ballots being reckoned,
Mr. Speaker reported, that the Honourable Arthur Middleton, Thomas Heyward, jun. and Henry Laurens, Esqrs. having a Majority of Votes of the Members present, were duly elected.
In The General Assembly,
The 20th Day of January, 1777.
Resolved, Unanimously, That the Delegates of this State in the Continental Congress, already or hereafter to be elected, or a Majority
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of such of them as shall, at any Time, be present in the said Congress, or any One of the said Delegates, if no more than One shall be present, be, and they and he are and is, hereby authorized and empowered for and in Behalf of this State, to concert, agree to, and execute every Measure which they or he, together with a Majority of the Continental Congress, shall judge necessary for the Defence, Security, Interest, or Welfare of this State in particular, and of America in general.
In the General Assembly,
The 21st Day of January, 1777.
The Members of both Houses proceeded to ballot jointly for Two more Delegates to represent this State in Continental Congress,
And the Ballots being cast up,
Mr. Speaker reported, that only the Honourable Charles Pinckney, Esq. of the Gentlemen that were ballotted for, had the Votes of a Majority of the Members present; Who was accordingly declared duly elected.
The Members of both Houses then proceeded to ballot for the other Delegate to the Continental Congress.
And the Votes being reckoned,
Mr. Speaker reported, that the Honourable Paul Trapier, jun. Esq. was duly elected by a Majority of the Ballots of the Members present.
True Extracts from the Journals.
Peter Timothy, Cl. G. A.1
[Note 1: 1 The original is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, South Carolina, Credentials of Delegates.]
A letter, of the 8th, from Mr. G. Walton and Mr. G. Taylor, at Durham, with a copy of the minutes of proceedings with the Indians, was read, and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
A letter, of the 15th, from the committee of Congress, at Philadelphia; one, of the 22, and one, of the 25 of January, from the committee of safety for the state of New York, at Fishkill; one, of the 11th, from General Washington, at Morristown, with sundry letters from French officers; one, of the 28 January, from Brigadier [James] Moore, at Charlestown; one, of the 24th of the same month, from Brigadier Howe, at the same place, with sundry papers enclosed, were read:2
[Note 2: 2 The letters from New York are in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 67, II, folios 17 and 21; that of Moore is in No. 78, XV, folio 163.]
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Ordered, That the letter from Brigadier Howe, with the papers enclosed, be referred to the delegates of South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia.
∥Ordered,∥ That the letters from the council of safety of New York, be referred to the Board of War.
Resolved, That General Washington be directed to cause an enquiry to be made into the military abilities and conduct of the French gentlemen in the army, and how far they can be usefully employed in the service of these States, and to dismiss such of them as he shall find unworthy of commissions, or unable to render service in the military line.
Mr. [Samuel] Chase, a delegate from Maryland, attended, and produced the credentials of ∥a new appointment of∥ delegates from that State, which were read as follows:
In the House of Delegates, February 15, 1777.
On striking the joint Ballot of both Houses for Delegates to represent this State in Congress, a Majority appeared in favor of Samuel Chase, Benjamin Rumsey, William Smith, Charles Carroll, of Carrolton, Thomas Stone and William Paca, Esqrs. Resolved, therefore, That the said Samuel Chase, Benjamin Rumsey, William Smith, Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, Thomas Stone and William Paca, Esqrs. or any two or more of them, be Delegates to represent this State in Congress.
By Order,G. Duvall, Clk. Ho. Del.
By the Senate: Feby. 15th, 1777.
Read a first and second Time by an especial Order, and assented to.
By order,R. Ridgely, Clk. S.
Resolved, That Darby Lux and Daniel Carroll be appointed signers of the bills of credit, in addition to those already appointed.
The order of the day being called for, Congress proceeded to take into consideration the propriety of appointing an additional number of general officers; and, after debate,
Resolved, That an additional number of general officers be appointed.
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Resolved, That three majors general be appointed.1
[Note 1: 1 "Several days of this week were consumed in debates on the appointment of General Officers. The debates were perplexed, inconclusive and irksome. The Delegates of several States were desirous of fixing a rule of promotion, and several were offered and rejected. Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina desired that each State should recommend officers in proportion to the men they furnish: three Battalions, one Brigadier, nine [?], one Major General. This was rejected. It was then proposed, to promote General Officers as they stood in rank, and rejected. To all the rules a saving was added, that the Congress might deviate from any, in favour of merit eminently distinguished and generally acknowledged.
"North Carolina argued that some rule should be observed, and entered on the Journals. That the Congress would be an object of very jealous apprehension, unchecked and unlimited as it is, if the officers of the army held their honor at the precarious pleasure of a majority. Officers hold their honor the most dear of anything. Setting them aside when they were entitled to promotion would wound that honor very sorely. Their attention would therefore be entirely to that authority which had so much power to wound it, or to cherish it. This policy was always observed by monarchs, and the end was to keep the army dependent on them: but such policy was unbecoming in Congress, who ought to give no room for jealousy. The rule of succession is most familiar to officers, and therefore most agreeable to them: but the proportion would give greatest satisfaction to the States, and the satisfying them was of greatest importance and ought to be adopted.
"At length it was proposed to resolve, that regard be had to the rank, to the quota, and to merit. It was agreed to, but no notice was taken of it in the nomination or appointments. N. Carolina did not vote for Major Generals; because the delegate found, no rule was observed, and he knew nothing of the merit of any officers in nomination, and did not choose to give a vote in Congress, for which he could give no reason." Burke's Abstract of Debates in Congress. North Carolina Colonial Records, XI, 380.]
The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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