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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, MARCH 26, 1778
A memorial from W. Bedlow was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A letter, of the 24 February, from the council of Massachusetts bay, respecting allowances to be made to sick and wounded soldiers, was read.1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 65, I, folio 288. It is indorsed: "There are no resolutions of Congress respecting soldiers in any of the circumstances mentioned in this letter."]
A letter, of 17, from Governor Livingston, was read, informing that, as prisoners begin to pass through Princeton, and recruits soon will, he has found it necessary to appoint Mr. Thomas Stockton to be issuing commissary there, and fixed his wages at 20 dollars a month, and allowed his clerk two-thirds of a dollar per day:2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 68, folio 343.]
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Resolved, That Congress approve the appointment.
Ordered, That the letter be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A letter, of 27 January, from Colonel Gansevoort, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War.
Congress resumed the consideration of the letter of the 25, from the Board of War; Whereupon,
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of five, and that they confer with the Board of War and report specially on the subjects mentioned therein:
The members chosen, Mr. [Francis] Dana, Mr. [Samuel] Chase, Mr. [Thomas] M'Kean, Mr. [Nathaniel] Scudder and Mr. [Nathaniel] Folsom.
Congress having great reason to expect an invasion of the State of Delaware, and being apprehensive that the enemy will be assisted or joined by the disaffected there, and considering the present condition of that government, and its inability to exercise such powers as are immediately and absolutely necessary for its preservation:
Resolved, nemine contradicente, That Brigadier Smallwood be directed to secure the persons of Thomas White, Charles Gordon, and such other inhabitants of that State as he shall, upon good grounds, suspect to be disaffected, and whose being at large will be dangerous to the independence of these states, and to send them under guard to such safe place or places as he shall think proper.
Two of the committee lately sent to camp being returned, moved sundry resolutions respecting the army, which were read:
Resolved, That all military Officers commissioned by Congress, who now are or hereafter may be in the service of these United States, and shall continue therein to the end of this present War, shall, when not annexed to any Corps of established Troops or holding or enjoying
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any Office of Profit under these United States or any of them, be entitled to receive annually, the one half part of the pay of officers of equal rank in the actual service of the said United States at the time such half pay becomes due. And that such half pay A Officers shall at all times be subject to the regulations Congress, and hold themselves in readiness for, and be liable to be called into actual service. Provided always that no General Officer not in actual service of the said United States [of the Cavalry, Artillery, or Infantry]11 shall be entituled by Agreed virtue of this resolution to receive more than the one half part of the pay of a Colonel of the Corps, or like Corps of that to which be belonged then in such actual service [such Corps respectively.]1 Unless Congress shall think fit to give such General. Officer two Regiments in which case he shall be entitled to receive the one half part of a Colonel's pay for each Regiment to given him.
Resolved That all such military Commissioned Officers shall in time of Peace be authorized to dispose of their Commissions to Agreed such persons as shall be approved in such manner and under such regulations as Congress shall order and direct.
Provided, that no purchaser of any such Commissions shall be entitled to receive halfpay upon such Commissions longer Agreed than during the life of the original holder of such Commission.
Resolved that the Widows of all Commissioned Officers, who during the present war shall hereafter be killed in the service of the said United States, shall during their Widowhood be entitled Agreed to receive the onepart of the pay which her Husband was entitled to receive at the time of his death, by virtue of his commission, provided that such part of such pay shall not exceed the half pay which her Husband might have been entitled to receive by virtue of the foregoing resolution had he survived the War.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, in the writing of Francis Dana, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 21, folio 201. It is endorsed, "Read 26 March; postponed for 27."]
Ordered, That the consideration thereof be postponed till to morrow.
Adjourned to 9 o'Clock to Morrow.
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