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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 --SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 1778
Mr. [Roger] Sherman, a delegate from Connecticut, attended, and took his seat in Congress.
A letter, of 23, from General Washington, with sundry papers enclosed, was read:
Ordered, That the same be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. [William Henry] Drayton, Mr. G[ouverneur] Morris, and Mr. [Francis] Dana.
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A letter, of the 6, and one of the 9th, from General Heath, enclosing a copy of the parole given by Lieutenant General Burgoyne, and a copy of an agreement between Lieutenant General Burgoyne and Major General Heath, respecting the payment for provisions, fuel, &c.1
[Note 1: 1 The letter of Washington is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, V, folio 515; those of Heath are in No. 157, folios 105 and 109.]
Ordered, That the letters from Major General Heath, with the copy of the agreement, be referred to the Board of Treasury, and the copy of the parole to the Board of War.
A letter, of the 2d, from the council of Massachusetts Bay, and one, of the 19th, from Brigadier Winds, were read:2
[Note 2: 2 The council's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 65, I, folio 296; that of Winds is in No. 78, XXIII, folio 495.]
Ordered, That the letter from the council of Massachusetts Bay, be referred to the Board of War.
The committee to whom was referred the motion made yesterday, respecting the conduct and expressions of Mr. [Thomas] Burke, brought in a report, which was agreed to as follows:
Congress taking into consideration the minutes of the behaviour of Mr. [Thomas] Burke in the house, on the evening of the tenth of April instant, of his answer that evening by their messenger, and of his conduct in the house the next day; and the said minutes being read, Mr. [Thomas] Burke being heard in his place, and witnesses examined, it appears to Congress, and they accordingly,
Resolve, That the manner in which Mr. [Thomas] Burke withdrew, on the evening of the said tenth instant, was disorderly and contemptuous; and that the answer then returned by him was indecent. That the principle
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upon which he has attempted to justify his withdrawing from the house is dangerous, because it strikes at the very existence of the house, and, as in the present case actually happened, would enable a single member to put an instant stop to the most important proceedings of Congress. That his charge against the member from New York and others, of a combination against him, not having been even attempted by him to be supported by evidence; therefore, appears to be affrontive and groundless.
Ordered, That a copy of the minutes, and of the proceedings respecting Mr. [Thomas] Burke, be transmitted to the assembly of North Carolina.
The Committee on the Treasury brought in a report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That 1,000 dollars be paid Major William West, in discharge of a draught of William Palfrey, Esq. pay master general, in his favour, on the President of Congress, dated at camp, 24 March last, and for which the said William Palfrey is to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 247.]
A certificate of Brigadier Smallwood, in favour of the Rev. Mr. Joseph Montgomery, was laid before Congress:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
The committee appointed to prepare and report terms to be offered to such foreign officers and soldiers in the service of the king of Great Britain, as shall quit that service, and choose to become citizens of any of the United States of America, brought in a report, which was read.
Congress resumed the consideration of the report of the committee of the whole, respecting an allowance to officers after the war:
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On motion, that the consideration thereof be postponed; question put, and the yeas and nays being required,
{table}
So it passed in the negative.
A motion was made that the provision to be made for the officers, &c. be one half of their present pay.1
[Note 1: 1 In the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 21, I, folio 186½, is a motion in the writing of Samuel Chase: "The question was moved and put, that such provision for the officers be one half of their present pay." Laurens has added "This is Mr. Chase's motion."]
Four o'Clock, p. m
Congress resumed the consideration of the question under debate in the morning, to which an amendment was moved to strike out "present," and after the word
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"pay" add "on the first establishment made in the year 1775:" question put, passed in the negative.1
[Note 1: 1 In the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 21, I, folio 181, are two memoranda in the writing of Francis Dana. The first reads: "Be the one half part of their pay on the first establishment made in the year 1775." The second reads: "The question was moved and put that such provision of the officers be one half of their present pay." Then follows a memorandum in the writing of Charles Thomson: "Strike out 'the one half of their present pay' and insert, 'be the sum ofto each colonel; to each lieutenant colonel; sum ofto each major; sum ofto each captain.'" On the same sheet are the words following, in the writing of William Henry Drayton: "Had officers made the demand--not free Agent. Justice to the officers.Must have a standing army."]
Another amendment was moved, to strike out "one half of their present pay," and insert "a sum of money appropriated to the officers according to their rank, and payable to them or their representatives after the conclusion of the war:"2
[Note 2: 2 This amendment, in the writing of Samuel Chase, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 21, I, folio 187.]
After debate, the determination of this question, at the request of a State, was postponed to another day.3
[Note 3: 3 On folio 185, is an undated note by William Ellery, as follows:
"A Question was made in the House whether the officers in the army should be entitled to half pay or not. Whereupon a member from Rhode Island desired that the decision of that question might be postponed in behalf of that State."
On the back Laurens has written:
"Whether the question now moved to take the opinion of the House on a part of a resolution heretofore debated is of such a nature to come within the meaning of the rule that no question shall be determined &c."
This last motion may refer to the motion mentioned on pages 369 and 370 ante.]
Adjourned to 3 o'Clock P. M. to Morrow.
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