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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, JUNE 24, 1777
Delaware.
Maryland, attended 15 min. after 12.
A letter, of the 22, 11 o'Clock P.M. from General Washington, at Middlebrook; one, of the 23, from Mr.
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President J. M'Kinley; one, of the 19, from Governor Livingston; and a petition from Henry Yelverton Price, were read:
Ordered, That the letter from General Washington be referred to the Committee of Intelligence1who are directed to extract therefrom and publish such parts as they think proper.
[Note 1: 1 The letter of Washington is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, IV, folio 291. It is printed inWritings of Washington (Ford), V,447. That of McKinley is in No. 70, folio 619; that of Livingston, in No. 68, folio 267; and that of Price, in No. 42, VI, folio 152.]
Congress took into consideration the letter from General M'Kinley; thereupon,
Resolved, That for the reasons assigned in the said letter, the militia of the State of Delaware, now drawn forth into actual service, be discharged; and that a warrant be drawn on the commissioner of the continental loan office, for the said State, in favour of Mr. President M'Kinley for 10,000 dollars, to pay the said militia, he to be accountable.
A petition from Daniel Bucklin, commander of the privateerMontgomery, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Appeals.
The Board of Treasury report, that a warrant should issue on the continental treasurer in favour of John Gibson, Esq. auditor general, for the sum of 500,000 dollars, to be sent to him, and for which he is to be accountable.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, I, folio 251.]
Ordered, That such a warrant be drawn.
The Committee of Treasury brought in a farther report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,
Resolved, That there be allowed for holding the treaty in the Middle Department at Fort Pitt, latelyrecommended by the Committee on Indian affairs agreed to,
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3,000 dollars, to be paid to Colonel G[eorge] Morgan, for which he is to be accountable:
That there be allowed for the contingent expences of the said department, until December next, 1,200 dollars, to be paid to Colonel G[eorge] Morgan; and for which he is to be accountable.
Resolved, That the execution of the resolution of Congress of the 8th day of January last, for laying up magazines of provisions at Fort Pitt, be suspended, so far as relates to Indian expeditions, of which, at present, from the friendly disposition of the Indians, there seems but little probability; and that a magazine be laid up there, sufficient only for the supply of the posts and garrisons in that quarter.
Resolved, That for compleating boats and other vessels ordered by Congress to be kept in readiness at Fort Pitt, 3,000 dollars be advanced to Colonel G[eorge] Morgan; for which he is to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, I, folio 253.]
The Board of War brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,
Resolved, That 1,200 dollars be advanced to Captain Robert Higgins, of the 8th Virginia Regiment, to enable him to compleat his company; and to be accountable for the expenditure.
Resolved, That the Board of War write to the commissary of prisoners, instructing him to propose to the British commissary of prisoners, in New York, that the prisoners of each party in the present war be supplied with such provisions, cloathing or other necessaries during their captivity by the respective captors, as may be approved of by the deputy commissaries resident where the prisoners are confined; fixing in the contract
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the quantum and value of a ration of provisions; the cloathing and necessaries to be charged at the current prices; and the accounts of such supplies to be rendered quarterly, and the balance paid, if required, in provisions at the current rates, if due from the American commissary; or in cloathing at the current price, if due from the British commissary.
Resolved, That the said commissary of prisoners, be empowered to make such contract on behalf of the United States of America, and to make such reasonable alterations from the directions of the Board of War as he may find necessary, to obtain an equitable bargain for the mutual supply of prisoners.1
[Note 1: 1 These resolutions, in the writing of Robert Morris, are in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 28, folio 37.]
Resolved, That if the commissary general of prisoners shall not be able to accomplish a contract on equitable principles within the space of three weeks from this date, he be authorized to send in a quantity of provisions to supply the prisoners of war taken by the enemy and now in New York; that the overplus provision, beyond what the prisoners want for their sustenance, be sold to supply them with cloathing and other necessaries; and that it be recommended to the commissary general of prisoners, not to divulge this resolution, that an unreasonable advantage may not be taken of it.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, in part, dated June 23, p. m., is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, I, folio 235. The paragraph on the foundry workmen is noted as "referred to the Executive Council of Pennsylvania." The members of the Board present were: John Adams, Roger Sherman, Samuel Adams, and Francis Lightfoot Lee.]
The Board of War having recommended, that eleven workmen employed by Colonel Mark Bird, in the cannon foundery and nail works, in Berks county in Pensylvania, carried on by him for the use of the United States, be
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discharged from the militia into which they are now drafted.1
[Note 1: 1 The Board of War reported, June 23:
"That eleven Workmen employed by Colonel Mark Bird at his Cannon and Nail Rod Works in Berks Country, Pennsylvania, be discharged from the Militia into which they are drafted, as Congress are of opinion they are of more extensive Uses to the Continent in their Employment as Artificers, and as it is represented that the works must stand still if these Workmen march out with the Militia."]
Ordered, That this matter be referred to the supreme executive council of the State of Pensylvania.
A petition from Andrew Hodge, was read:
Ordered, That the same be referred to the Marine Committee; and that they be empowered and instructed to take measures for obtaining an exchange of Andrew Hodge, son of the petitioner.
A petition from R[obert] Levers was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
Resolved, That Mr. [George] Frost be appointed a member of the Marine Committee, in the room of Mr. [William] Whipple.
Resolved, That another member be added to the Board of War.
Resolved, That appointment be postponed till to morrow.
The several matters &c ∥to this day referred, being postponed,∥
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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