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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, JUNE 27, 1777
Absent. New York, attended ½ after 11.
A letter, of the 19th, from W. Aylett, at Williamsburg; and one of the 18, from Governor Henry, to the delegates of Virginia, were laid before Congress and read:
Also, one of the 20, from W. Finnie, D. Q. M. G., was read.
Ordered, That they be referred to the Board of Treasury.
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The Committee on Foreign Affairs brought in a draught of commissions and instructions to William Lee, Esqr., Commissioner to the Courts of Vienna and Berlin, and to Ralph Izard, Esqr., Commissioner to the Court of Tuscany, which were read and the draught of Commissions being taken into consideration was agreed to as follows.1
[Note 1: 1 Printed on p. 518,post.]
The draught of instructions being debated, the determination on a part thereof was, at the request of New Jersey, postponed till to morrow.
The Committee on the Treasury report,
That there be advanced to Colonel George Morgan, 20,000 dollars, for compleating the payment of monies he has engaged for on contracts for provisions, which are directed to be laid up in magazines at Fort Pitt, for the supply of the different garrisons in that quarter; for the expenditure of which, the said Colonel George Morgan is to be accountable.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, dated June 25, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, I, folio 255. A second paragraph was adopted July 8,post.]
Ordered, That the same be advanced.
In consequence of an adjustment by the commissioners ∥of claims,∥ the auditor general reports,
That there is due to Robert Aitken, for 768 Journals of Congress, a copper plate printing-press, &c. the sum of 1,487 6/90th dollars:3
[Note 3: 3 This report, dated June 26, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, I, folio 259.]
There is due to Colonel Henry Hailer, for the expences of escorting 23 Canadian prisoners from Reading to Powles Hook, with two stage and three baggage waggons, being twenty days on the road, 1,044 88/90 dollars, and for 56 lb. of lead, for the use of his batallion, 3 66/90 dollars, amounting, in the whole, to 1,048 64/90 dollars:
That there is due to Rebecca Terry, for dieting of soldiers
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of Captain Grier's company, the sum of 6 70/90th dollars:
That there is due to Robert M'Knight, for one gun and bayonet, lost in the retreat of the baggage from Trenton last winter, it being his property, the sum of 13 30/90th dollars:
That there is due to Franklin Davenport, as brigade major under Colonels Griffin, Newcombe and Penrose, in the militia service of New Jersey, for pay from 22 December, [1776,] to 26 January, 1777, the sum of 56 48/90th dollars:
That there is due to William Tricket, for stationary he furnished for the use of Congress and the treasury office, the sum of 102 dollars:
That there is due to Colonel George Morgan, for the balance of his account in the Indian department, the sum of 42 36/90th dollars:
That there is due to Jacob Neff, for sundry meals supplied sundry troops of the militia on their march, the sum of 23 72/90th dollars:1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, 1, folio 257. It is dated June 25.]
That there is due to William Pollard, for the expences of six of the Philadelphia light horse to bring Colonel Haussegger from Lebanon, by order of General Gates, the sum of 63 14/90th dollars:
That there is due to William Hall, for the expences of four of the Philadelphia light horse, on their expedition to Princeton with a charge of money, as also attending prisoners to Coryell's Ferry, the sum of 60 47/90th dollars:
That there is due to George Dorland, a private of Captain James M'Clure's company, for his gun, bayonet, &c. lost at Fort Washington, the sum of 16 60/90th dollars:
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That there is due to Major Thomas Leonard, a prisoner on parole at Reading, being of Colonel Skinner's corps in the British service, for his allowance from the 3d March to the 22 June, being 16 weeks, at 2 dollars per week, the sum of 32 dollars.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, I, folio 265.]
Ordered, That the said accounts be paid.
The Committee of Treasury reported, That they have had under consideration the request of the commissary general referred to them for supplying Mr. Matthew Irwin with 80,000 dollars, to enable him to pay for the magazines of provisions laid up in Pensylvania; that they have been attended by Mr. Irwin, and in answer to their enquiry how this money was intended to be disposed of, were informed, that Joseph Pennel last winter purchased, in Lancaster and York Town, about 20,000 barrels of flour, 11,000 bushels of wheat and 15,000 gallons of whiskey, which are still stored at those places and Valley Forge, and that a balance of 20,000 dollars remains due to Mr. Pennel, and that Mr. Dunham wants 12,000 dollars to pay for cattle sent to head quarters. That it appears to the committee that the said flour and wheat are in great danger of perishing, and must be wholly lost to the public, unless some effectual means are applied for their preservation.
The committee farther report, That they are also formed by Mr. Irwin, that the price of cattle in Pensylvania is most, exorbitant, and are of opinion, that it, is advisable to direct the commissary general to suffer as few as possible to be purchased in that State; Whereupon,
Ordered, That so much of the said report as relates to the perishable state of the wheat and flour, be referred to the Board of War, who are directed to confer with Mr.
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C. Ludwick, superintendent of bakers, on the subject, and direct proper measures to be immediately taken for preserving the said wheat and flour:
That so much of the said report as relates to the high price of cattle in Pensylvania, be sent to the commissary general of purchases, and that he be directed to suffer as few as possible to be purchased in that State.
Resolved, That there be advanced to Matthew Irwin, agent to Joseph Trumbull, Esqr. commissary general, 80,000 dollars, agreeable.to the said commissary's request; who is to be accountable.
Resolved, That there be advanced to Rowland Madison, captain of a company of foot, in the 12 continental regiment, raised in Virginia, and commanded by Colonel James Wood, 500 dollars, which is to be charged to the said regiment.
Resolved, That a warrant issue from the President to the commissioner of the loan office for the State of Connecticut, in favour of Joseph Trumbull, Esqr. commissary general, for 100,000 dollars; for which he is to be accountable.
Resolved, That a warrant issue from the President to the commissioner of the loan orifice for the State of New York, in favour of Jonathan Trumbull, Jun. Esq1. deputy pay master general for the northern department, for 200,000 dollars; for which he is to be accountable.
Resolved, That a warrant issue from the President to the treasurer to transmit to John Gibson, Esqr. auditor general, 500,000 dollars; for which he is to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, I, folio 263.]
Resolved, That a warrant issue from the President to the commissioner of the loan office of the State of New Jersey, in favour of the delegates from New Jersey, for
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the use of the said State, for thirty-one thousand dollars; the said State to be accountable.
Resolved, That there be advanced to Captain James Holmes, of Colonel Martin's New Jersey batallion, the sum of 300 dollars, to be charged to the said regiment.1
[Note 1: 1 This one paragraph is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, I, folio 267.]
Resolved, That 1,000 dollars be advanced to Captain Jacob Weaver, of the independent company at Lancaster, for the use of the said company; he to be accountable for the expenditure.2
[Note 2: 2 This paragraph was reported by the Board of War June 26, 1777. It is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, I, folio 242. In Richard Peters's writing is added: "Mem. Move for Money for the use of the Board to pay Contingent Expences.']
Resolved, That tomorrow be assigned for appointing a deputy commissary general of issues in the room of Mr. M. Irwin, who declines.
The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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