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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 --THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1778
A letter, from Mons. de Roche Fermoy, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A letter, of the 9th, from John Purviance, was read, desiring leave, on account of the situation of his family, to resign his office of manager of the United States' lottery.
Resolved, That he have leave to resign.
Ordered, That the letter be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A letter, of the 11 January, from Governor Caswell of North Carolina, enclosing sundry resolutions of the general assembly of that State, was read:
Ordered, That the letter be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A letter, of the 10, from the Board of War, was read.1
[Note 1: 1 This letter, on foreign officers, in the writing of Timothy Pickering, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, I, folio 513.]
The committee appointed to take into consideration the letter of the 3d, from the supreme executive council of the State of Pensylvania, to the delegates of the said State, and the proceedings of the Board of War upon the resolution of Congress of the 15 of January, for laying
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up magazines of flour for the use of the army, brought in a report, which was taken into consideration: Whereupon,
Resolved, That the commissioners appointed under the law of the State of Pensylvania for the better supply of the army are fully adequate to the purpose of purchasing the 30,000 barrels of flour required by the resolution of Congress, of the 15 of January.
That the instructions of the Board of War to General James Ewing, Colonel John Byers and others, their Superintendents for the purchase of flour, &c, in some respects interfere with the business and powers of the commissioners said law of the State of Pensylvania. That the Board of War have ordered a greater quantity of flour and other provisions to be purchased than was directed by the resolution aforesaid, and have employed superintendents for that purpose: Whereupon,
Resolved, That the board proceed in that business, and that they confine the superintendents by them appointed to the purchase of the extra quantity of flour and other provisions specified in their instructions, and cautiously avoid leashing with the commissioners appointed under the law of the State of Pensylvania aforesaid, in the execution of their duty.
That three hundred thousand dollars be transmitted to the president of the State of Pensylvania to enable the commissioners appointed under the law of that State for purchasing provisions for the army, to execute their commissions, and that they account to the Board of Treasury for the expenditure thereof.
That the commissioners under the act aforesaid observe such instructions and orders as they shall from time to time receive from Congress, or the Board of War, relating to the quantity of the articles of provisions and forage by them to be purchased or seized; and the places where
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the same shall be deposited or carried to and the manner in which they shall be secured and managed.
That the said commissioners inform the superintend ants aforesaid, or the Board of War, from time to time, of the quantity of provisions by them purchased and where the same are deposited, in order that they may receive directions with respect to the places where the said provisions are to be transported to and secured.1
[Note 1: 1 To this point, the report, in the writing of John Henry, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 20, II, folio 23. Against each paragraph is written the word "Agreed," but only one paragraph appears to have been retained in the Journals.]
That the said commissioners be authorised and requested to purchase every kind of provisions and forage wanted for the army, not confining themselves to the article of flour above mentioned.
Resolved, That the superintendents appointed by the Board of War be allowed two and a half per cent on all purchases by them to be made, in full of all charges for clerks and other expenses whatsoever, except the expense of transportation, and that in purchasing they do not exceed the prices established by law.2
[Note 2: 2 These two paragraphs, in the writing of Abraham Clark (?), are in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 20, II, folio 25. They were also "agreed" to.]
Three o'Clock, p. m
The Committee on the treasury, to whom was referred the letter from the Board of War, brought in a report, which was taken into consideration: Whereupon,
Resolved, That a proper person be appointed to act as secretary of ordnance, and pay master to the Board of War and Ordnance:
That his salary shall be ninety dollars a month:
That the said pay master shall answer all warrants drawn on him by the Board of War and Ordnance, out
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of the money which he shall receive by orders of Congress, and shall keep fair accounts of his payments, and make monthly returns thereof to the Board of Treasury: he shall also transmit returns once a month, or oftener, to the pay master general, or other proper officer or officers, of all advances made to continental troops, or militia, in actual service, in order that proper stoppages may be made:
That the Board of War and Ordnance shall, from time to time, make out the proper estimates of money to be advanced for the use of their department, and lay the same before Congress; and all monies granted by Congress, on their application, shall be applied to the purposes set forth in the said estimates.
That an Auditor of Accounts be appointed for the Board of War and Ordnance, whose Duty it shall be to settle all accounts of Negatived. monies that are or may be advanced or paid in that Department, and to govern himself by the Contracts of the said Board, and where no Contracts exist, by their Directions relative to the Allowances to be made on such Accounts; and that he observe such Regulations as he shall receive from the Board of Treasury.
Congress proceeded to the election of a secretary of ordnance, and a pay master to the Board of War and Ordnance, and, the ballots being taken,
Joseph Nourse, Esqr. was elected.
Resolved, That a warrant for 316 dollars, issue in favour of Captain Reuben Lipscomb, for the extra month's pay granted to the army under General Washington, by the resolution of the 29th of December last, and which is due to 40 men of the 7th Virginia regiment now on their way to Virginia, who were regularly discharged on the 2 February, and mentioned in a list signed by Brigadier
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General Woodford, and also to Captain Lipscomb, who conducts them; he to give a receipt for the money, and to account for the same.
The letter, of the 9th January, from General Washington, being sent for from the Board of War, the same was read; and, a motion being made thereon,
Resolved, That the letter, with the motion, be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. [Abraham] Clark, Mr. [Eliphalet] Dyer, and Mr. [William] Ellery.
Resolved, That the Board of War and Ordnance be directed to be very cautious in recommending or giving any encouragement to foreign officers who have come of their own accord to seek employment in the army of these United States; that if the Board shall find, among such foreigners, any of eminent abilities and merit who by their knowledge and experience, can, in the opinion of the Board, render essential service to these states in such way as the Board shall be able to point out, Congress expect the Board will recommend them: and if any foreigners of rank and eminence in their own country should offer their services, it is also expected that the Board will report specially respecting them: but, as to all others, the Board are directed to thank them for their offers of service, without suffering them to wait, and thereby incur expense by unnecessary attendance,
Resolved, That the 300,000 dollars, ordered to be advanced to the president of Pensylvania, be paid to the delegates of that State, to be by them transmitted to the said president.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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