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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 --FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 1777
Mr. [James] Sykes, one of the delegates from the State of Delaware, attended, and produced the credentials of his appointment, which were read as follows:
In Council, February 22d., P. M., 1777.
Whereas Nicholas Van Dike and James Sykes, Esqrs. have been chosen, by joint Ballot of both Houses in the General Assembly, to
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represent the Delaware State in the Continental Congress, in the room and stead of John Dickinson and John Evans, Esqrs. Resolved, That they, together with George Read, Esq. or any one or more of them, are hereby fully authorized and empowered, for and in behalf of this State, to concert, agree to, and execute any measure, which they or he, together with a Majority of the Continental Congress, shall judge necessary, for the defence, Security, Interest, and Welfare of this State in particular, and America in General, with power to adjourn to such times and places, as shall appear most conducive to the public safety and Advantage. Sent for concurrence.
Eodem die, P. M., In Assembly, read and concurred in.
Extract from the minutes,
Slator Clay, Clerk of the Council.1
[Note 1: 1 The origina is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, Delaware, Credentials of Delegates.]
Brigadier General Armstrong having resigned his commission, as an officer in the service of the United States,
Resolved, That his resignation be accepted.2
[Note 2: 2 The letter of Armstrong is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 162, folio 264.]
A remonstrance and petition from sundry persons in York Town, Pensylvania, was read.
Ordered, That the same, together with the paper enclosed, be referred to the Board of Treasury.
Ordered, That the Board of Treasury settle the accounts of Colonel Hand, who is promoted to the rank of brigadier general, in order that he may deliver up his regiment, and enter upon the duties of his new office as soon as possible.
The Secret Committee having, by direction of Congress, in their resolve of the first of December last, appointed Messrs. Abraham Livingston and William Turnbull, agents, to repair to the eastern states, for the purpose of purchasing and collecting cloathing for the use of the army, which business they have assiduously performed, and for which purpose, the said committee advanced to the said agents twenty thousand dollars at the time they set out, and the farther sum of one hundred
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and twenty thousand dollars, granted them for that purpose, the 15 of February last, as appears by a resolve of Congress of that date, and the receipts of these two sums are acknowledged by the said agents, in their letters dated 19 and 22 March last: It also appearing, that the agents have drawn sundry bills on the said committee, which are not yet paid: and whereas, General Washington, agreeable to the powers vested in him by Congress, has lately appointed James Mease, Esqr. cloathier general for the American army, whose business it now is to settle and adjust all accounts respecting the cloathing of the army; therefore,
Resolved, That the Secret Committee be credited in the treasury books for 140,000 dollars paid by them to the said Messrs. Abraham Livingston and William Turnbull, and that the same be charged to James Mease, Esqr. who is to settle all accounts, with the said agents, respecting the business in which they have been employed, and to pay the draughts they have drawn, or may rightfully draw on the said committee, or on him as cloathier general, and that he be also empowered to make them reasonable compensation for their services.
The committee appointed to confer with General Greene, brought in a farther report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,
Resolved, That there be one commissary general of musters for the army of the United States:
That there be one four deputy muster master general in the eastern, one in the northern, one in the middle, and one in the southern department muster masters general:
That the said appointments be made by Congress:
That one deputy muster master be appointed to each grand division of the army;
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And that these appointments be made by the commander in chief:
That the troops be mustered, once in every month, by the deputy muster masters; and once, at last, in every three months, the deputy muster master general of each department shall superintend at such muster:
That, in mustering, particular attention be paid to the cloaths, arms, accoutrements, and pay of the troops, and a report made to the commanding officer of the department, of neglect or deficiency:
That, on every muster, five rolls be made out by the captain or commanding officer of every company or troop, sworn to and signed by him and one other commissioned officer; one of which rolls shall be returned to him, certified by the officer of musters, one other shall be transmitted to the Board of Treasury, one to the pay master general of the department, and one to the regimental pay master, to be affixed to the pay rolls:
That the deputy muster master general of each department, return an abstract of each muster roll once a month, to the deputy adjutant general of that department, and one other abstract to the commissary general of musters:
That the commissary general of musters return to the adjutant general, once a month, an abstract of all the musters, regimentally digested, together with an abstract of the rations drawn or retained by the several regiments:
That the issuing commissaries be obliged to deliver monthly to the commissary general of musters, an abstract of the rations drawn or retained by the several regiments:
That the adjutant general be ordered to send monthly to the Board of War, a copy of the abstracts, which he received from the commissary general of musters, together with an abstract of the returns of the army:
That the pay of the commissary general of musters be 60 dollars a month, and 4 rations per day.
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Of the deputy muster master general 50 dollars a month, and 3 rations a day:
Of a muster master 35 dollars a month, and two rations a day:
That neither of these have any military rank.
That the Board of War send to the Board of Treasury, copies of the abstracts of rations that may be included in the adjutant general's return.
Resolved, That Monday next be assigned for the appointment of the commissary general of musters, and deputy muster masters general.
Resolved, That every officer, commanding a regiment, troop, or company, who shall, upon notice given to him by any officer of musters, refuse or neglect to assemble the regiment, troop, or company, under his command, shall, on proof thereof, before a general court martial, be cashiered.
A letter, of the 18 of December last, from George Galphin, was read:
Ordered, That the same, with the papers enclosed, be referred to the Standing Committee on Indian Affairs.
Resolved, That the body of militia, which were applied for to the State of North Carolina, during the last winter, by the State of South Carolina, then under apprehension of an invasion from the enemy, be considered as part of the 5,000 militia, recommended by Congress to be embodied by the State of North Carolina, for the assistance of South Carolina or Virginia, as occasion might require, and that the expence, thereby accruing, be defrayed out of the continental treasury.
Resolved, That all captures made, or to be made, by vessels bearing commissions, issued by the president of South Carolina, previous to this 4th day of April, be considered as valid, as if made under continental commissions, and that a copy of this resolve be transmitted to
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each of the United States, as a law in any prize cause, which may be depending or instituted in any of the courts therein, and to secure the condemnation of vessels taken under such commissions, Congress having been made acquainted, that Mr. President Rutledge has granted commissions for letters of marque and privateers, for want of proper information, that by a former resolve of Congress such commissions were to be granted by Congress only.
Resolved, That the invitation given, at the desire of Mr. President Rutledge by Mr. Galphin, to the Creek Indians, to form a Congress in the ensuing spring, be approved; that the State of South Carolina be reimbursed the expences, which may attend such meeting, and that Mr. Galphin do use his endeavours to persuade some of the Creek chiefs to attend him to Philadelphia, and that this Congress will defray the charges of their journey.
The Board of War brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,
Resolved, That blank commissions be sent to Mr. Henry Fisher, of Lewistown, with orders, to raise, on continental establishment, an independent company, for the safeguard of the pilots and the persons and goods of other well affected inhabitants and subjects of these states, residing, or being near Lewistown and the coasts of Delaware bay; and that Mr. Fisher be informed, that if he chuses to accept the command of the company, Congress will confirm him therein; but, if he should decline the acceptance thereof, he be desired to nominate a proper person to fill that station, and in either case, that he nominate the subalterns.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, I, folio 129.]
Resolved, That the managers of the lottery of the United States be empowered to order monies, arising from the sales of tickets in those States, where there are no commissioners
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of the loan office, to be paid into the treasury of such State, the said State to be accountable.
That the managers of the lottery of the United States be authorized to defer the drawing of the said lottery, if they find it necessary.
The Board of Treasury reported,
That there is due to James Smythers, for a copper plate and planishing, made by David Cummings, for the purpose of printing the loan office certificates, and engraving the same, the sum of [£14 2 6=] 37 60/90 dollars.
That there is due to Gerard Hopkins, for 26 cloak pins, and putting them up, for the use of Congress, at Baltimore, the sum of 3 24/90 dollars.
That R[obert] R. Livingston, Robert Treat Paine and John Langdon, Esqrs. a committee of Congress, who, in November, 1775, repaired to Ticonderoga, have expended in the journey five hundred and ten dollars, and 43 ½/90 for which they ought to have credit, together with the sum of one hundred and one dollars, returned by Mr. Paine into the hands of John Gibson, Esqr. the auditor general, and with which he is to be charged1.
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, I, folio 101.]
Ordered, That the said sums be paid, and the said credit and debit be made accordingly.
A letter of this day from B. Flower, commissary general of military stores, was read; and referred to the Board of Treasury.
The Committee on the hospital, brought in a report, which was taken into consideration, and after debate,
Resolved, That the farther consideration thereof be postponed till to morrow.
The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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