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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, OCTOBER 6, 1777
A letter, of the 3d, from General Washington, 20 miles from Philadelphia, enclosing a copy of a proclamation by Sir William Howe, dated 28 of September; one of the 29 September from General Putnam, at Peeks Kill; and one, of the 5 inst. from Chevalier de Preudhomme de Borré. ∥were read:∥2
[Note 2: 2 The letter of Washington is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, V, folio 77. It is printed in Writings of Washington (Ford), VI, 91. That of Putnam is in No. 159, folio 99, and that of De Borré, in No. 78, II, 283.]
Ordered, That the copy of the proclamation be referred to the Committee of Intelligence; and that the letter from
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General Putnam be referred to the Board of War. they be directed to prepare an address to the inhabitants of Pensylvania, and report the same to Congress.
Ordered, That a copy of the letter from General Putnam, be immediately transmitted to General Washington; and that he pursue such measures in consequence thereof, as he judges most conducive to the public safety, and that he advise General Gates of the steps he may think proper should be taken.
Ordered, That a copy of the said letter be sent to General Gates, and that he be directed to give such assistance for strengthening the defences of Hudson's river, as the circumstances of his own department may admit, of which he is to judge.
Resolved, That General Washington be directed, if the situation of his army will admit, to send one of the four engineers to do duty at Fort Montgomery and the defences on Hudson's river.
Ordered, That the letter from the Chevalier de Preudhomme de Borré, be referred to the Board of War, and that they be directed to report thereon as soon as possible.
The Board of War brought in a report, which was taken into consideration: Whereupon,
Resolved, That two companies be raised on continental establishment for the purpose of guarding the stores at Carlisle; these companies to have no bounty, and to be inlisted for one year, unless sooner discharged by Congress, under an engagement from Congress that they shall not be removed from Carlisle, nor be ordered on any other service. That James Armstrong Wilson be appointed to one of the said companies, with the rank and pay of a major, and that Samuel Postlethwaite be appointed captain of the other company.
Resolved, That the commissaries general of purchases and issues, and their deputies and assistants, have power
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and authority to impress and seize waggons, shallops, and proper store-houses, on extraordinary occasions, for the use of their departments; this authority to extend to the distance of 70 miles from head-quarters, and to be in force until the first day of January next, and no longer; and that they respectively be directed not to contravene a former resolution of Congress, relative to waggons going with necessaries to the army; and, as far as circumstances will admit, that they exercise their authority on persons who have not taken the oaths or affirmations of allegiance to the respective states, in compliance with the laws of such states.
The Committee on the Treasury brought in a report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That there be advanced to George Eichelberger, Esqr. deputy quarter master general at Yorktown, 2,500 dollars, on his application in behalf of the quarter master general, for the use of that department, and for which the quarter master general is to be accountable; and that a copy of this order be sent to General Mifflin, quarter master general.
Ordered, That there be paid to William Ch[urchill] Houston, or his order, 333 1/3 dollars, for his salary as deputy secretary of Congress, from the 1st day of April to 1st of September last, being five months, at the rate of 800 dollars per ann.
Resolved, That the drawing of the United States' lottery be deferred until the sixth day of January next, on account of the unsettled state of the commonwealth of Pensylvania, occasioned by the invasion of the enemy; and that the managers of the said lottery give notice thereof by advertisement in the newspapers of the several states.1
[Note 1: 1 In the margin is written "To Mr. Searle." This report, in the writing of James Duane, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, I, folio 429.]
Adjourned to 4 o'Clock.
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Four o'Clock, p.m.
Met.
A letter, of the 5, from General Mifflin, enclosing one of the 4th, from Colonel Lutterloe, was read.
Congress proceeded to the election of a committee for Indian affairs; and, the ballots being taken, Mr. [James] Duane, Mr. [George] Walton, Mr. [Thomas] Burke, Mr. [Joseph] Jones and Mr. [Richard] Law, were elected.
A petition, from Charles M. Davitt, Patrick Smith and others, was read:
Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the commissioners of accounts for the northern department, and that they or any two of them enquire into the facts suggested by the petitioners, and also into the objections made by General Gates against allowing the claims of the petitioners, and make report thereof to Congress, delivering a copy of their report to General Gates.1
[Note 1: 1 In the margin is written "To Mr. Duane."]
Ordered, That the letters of the 19 June, and the 14 August, from Governor J. A. Treutlan, be referred to the Board of Treasury.
Ordered, That to morrow morning, at 11 o'clock, Congress take into consideration that part of the confederation that relates to the mode of voting in Congress.
Resolved, That so much of the resolution of the 23d day of March, 1776, as directs that the wages of seamen and mariners taken on board British merchant vessels, be paid and deducted out of the prize money, be repealed and made null and void.
Resolved, That all masters, officers and mariners, and all subjects of the king of Great Britain, taken on board any prize made by ally continental vessel of war, be hereafter considered as prisoners of war, and treated as such; and that the seamen and mariners of such prize be confined
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in the gaols or some other secure place in the State to which the prize shall be carried; and it is recommended to the several states to consider and treat all captains, officers and mariners, and all subjects of the king of Great Britain, taken on board any prize made by any vessel fitted out by, or carried into, any State by any privateer or letter of marque, as prisoners of war.
Ordered, That the commissary general of prisoners be informed of this resolve; and that he be directed to appoint a deputy in each State.
Resolved, That it be recommended to the legislatures of the several states to pass laws, declaring, that any person, his alder or abettor, who shall wilfully and maliciously burn or destroy, or attempt or conspire to burn or destroy, any magazine of provisions, or of military or naval stores, belonging to the United States; or if any master, officer, seaman, mariner or other person entrusted with the navigation or care of any continental vessel, shall wilfully and maliciously burn or destroy, or attempt or conspire to burn or destroy, any such vessel, or shall wilfully betray or voluntarily yield or deliver, or attempt or conspire to betray, yield or deliver, any such vessel to the enemies of the United States, such person, his alder or abettor, on legal conviction thereof, shall suffer death without benefit of clergy.
A letter, of the 25 September, from Brigadier Parsons, was read, recommending Mr. [Timothy] Dwight to be appointed chaplain to his brigade; Whereupon,1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XVIII, folio 151.]
Resolved, That the Rev. Mr. Dwight be appointed a chaplain to Brigadier Parsons' brigade.
Ordered, That the resolution of Congress of the 10th of September last, for paying the interest of money lent the Continent with bills of exchange on the commissioners
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at Paris, be without delay transmitted to the executive powers of the several states, with a request, that they will order the same to be published in their respective gazettes for six months, successively.
The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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