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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, JUNE 9, 1777
Mr. [George] Clymer returned.
A letter, of the 5, from General Washington, at Middlebrook, enclosing a letter of the same date from Brigadier General Knox;
Also, one of the 8, from the same;
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One, of the 7, from Joseph Reed, Esqr. wherein he informs, that "the situation of his private affairs, which are much altered since his acquiescence in General Washington's recommendation, the want of time to qualify himself for that line of service, which he intended and has proposed to him, and a diffidence of discharging it with approbation, oblige him to decline the appointment, which the Congress have been pleased to make of him as a Brigadier General, for which honour done him, he begs leave to express his grateful acknowledgments."
Also a letter, of the 7, from Governor Livingston, with a return of the batallions raised in New Jersey, for the service of the United States, were read:1
[Note 1: 1 The letters of Washington are in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, IV, folios 233 and 245. They are printed inWritings of Washington (Ford), V, 411, 418. That of Knox is in No. 152, IV, folio 241, and that of Reed in No. 78, XIX, folio 89.]
Ordered, That the letters from General Washington, with the papers enclosed, and the letter from Governor Livingston, be referred to the Board of War.
Resolved, That Mr. [William] Duer be added to the Committee on Intelligence.
An application from Richard Derby, Jun. chairman of the committee of correspondence, inspection and safety, at Salem, in Massachusetts bay, in behalf of Peter Pickman Frye, was read:2
[Note 2: 2 This application is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, III, folio 25.]
∥Ordered, That it be∥ referred to the Board of War.
A letter, of the 6, from General Washington to R. Morris, Esqr. enclosing one to Appolos Morris, ∥was read; Whereupon,∥
Resolved, That General Arnold be directed to put Major Appolos Morris under immediate arrest and confinement, until the further order of this Congress.
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Ordered, That the letter, of the 6, from General Washington to R. Morris, Esqr. with the letter enclosed, be referred to the Board of War.
A petition from Francis Armstrong, was read, praying an order to the clerks of Messrs. Richard Dallam, Mease & Caldwell, or any others, who may have the books ascertaining the sums paid for the batallion commanded by Colonel Porter, to give him, the petitioner, a duplicate of the said accompt from the beginning:
Resolved, That the prayer of the petition be granted.
A letter, of the 6, from Governor Johnson, enclosing a petition from George Handy, and others, and a protest from William Pool, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Marine Committee.
A petition from Hughey Con, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
Resolved, That an order for 50,000 dollars be drawn on the commissioner of the loan office for the State of Pensylvania, in favour of Matthew Irvine, deputy commissary general, and charged to the account of Joseph Trumbull, commissary general, for which he is to be accountable.
In consequence of an adjustment made by the commissioners, &c. ∥of accounts,∥ the auditor general reports,
That there is due to Major Nicola, two months' pay of six companies for the guard of this city, being for May and June, the sum of seven thousand, four hundred and eighty-eight dollars and 60/90 of a dollar.
That there is due to John Byrn, late a soldier in Captain Morgan's company of rifflemen, for a rifle belonging to him which was lost at the attack on Quebec, the sum of 16 60/90 dollars:
That there is due to James Leard, for half ferriage of seventy two men over the Susquehanna, 2 36/90 dollars:
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That there is due to Major Vaughan, Captain Hazard, and others, their expences as officers of the guard to military stores, from Sinnepuxent to Philadelphia, the sum of 228 30/90 dollars:
That there is due to Monsieur Lotbinier, a Canadian chaplain, for his pay and rations, from the 10th March to the 10 June, being three months, at 41 30/90 dollars ∥a month,∥ the sum of 124 dollars:
That there is due to the commissioners of claims, for a pair of Venetian blinds, they paid for, for the use of their office, the sum of 32 dollars:
That there is due to Susannah M'Nutt, for sundry meals supplied the militia on their march to camp, the sum of 3 45/90 dollars:
That there is due to Seth Duncan, for do. 19 39/90 dollars:
That there is due to Joseph Hutchinson, for do. 2 36/90 dollars.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, I, folio 219.]
Ordered, That the said accounts be paid.
At a Board of War9th June, A. M., 1777.
Members present: Mr John Adams, Mr Sherman and Mr Carroll.
The Board taking into their Consideration sundry Papers and Letters referred to them by Congress, came into the following Resolutions, Viz:
Resolved That Genl Washington be directed to inform General Howe, That this Congress most sincerly laments the necessity to which they are driven by the cruel Policy of their Enemies, of entering into any Resolutions which have any appearance ofRecommitted Severity towards those Prisoners of War, who have fallen, or may fall into our hands, but that there are no other means in our power of perswading our Enemies to respect the rights of Humanity. That with this view only, it is their Determined Resolution to carry into Execution the law of Retaliation.
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That ifthe American our Prisoners or any of them now in the power of General Howe, or any other Commander of his Britannic Majesty's Forces, or any otherAmericans [citizen of any of these United States]1 who may hereafter fall into their hands, shall be sent to the Realm of Great Britain, or any part of the Dominions of the saidRecommitted King of Great Britain, to be there confined in Common Goals, or any other place or places of Confinement, in pursuance of the late Act of Parliament; It is the Resolution of this Congress to treat the Prisoners now in our power and such as may hereafter fall into our hands, in a manner as nearly similar as our circumstances will admit, and to confine in close custody all such of them as may refuse to become Citizens of America, and take the Oath of Allegiance to these United States.
[Note 1: 1 Words in brackets were inserted by John Adams.]
Resolved That in Answer to Gen. Washington's Letter of the 3rd. Instant, he be informed that Congress are willing that such of the inhabitants of the States in the neighbourhood of the British Army as through fear or perswasion have been induced to join the Enemy, and are desirous to return, should be restored to their former priviledges in these States, provided they return withinnext ensuing, and take an Oath of Fidelity and of abjuration of all allegiance to the King of Great, Britain, and that it be referred to the Legislatures of the respective States to determine, to which of their Inhabitants it may be safe and prudent to grant said priviledge, and such as ought to be excluded therefrom.2
[Note 2: 2 In the margin John Hancock wrote: "Previous Question, and the Resolve not yet Determined."]
That a Warrant for sixteen hundred Dollars be drawn by the President in favour of Mr Thomas Butler, public Armourer, the said Thomas Butler to be accountable for the expenditure ofOrdered to Lie this, and of all other Monies he may receive to enable him to conduct the public Armoury; and that he be required to have his Accounts examined by the Board of War, before they are presented for Settlement, at the Treasury.3
[Note 3: 3 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, I, folio 207. It was recommitted, and on the back is written: "The Report of this Morning to Congress, being recommitted, the Board after making sundry Alterations, came into the following Report thereon." The members present were John Adams, Roger Sherman and Samuel Adams. The report, as altered, is printed under June 10, 1777,post (page 449).]
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The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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