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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, MAY 15, 1778
A letter, of 5 May, from Governor Trumbull, was read.
One, of the 30th April, from Jonathan Trumbull, Jun. pay master in the northern department;
One, of the 29 of same month, from Joseph Trumbull, late commissary general, were read:1
[Note 1: 1 The letter of Governor Trumbull is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 66, I, folio 390.]
Ordered, That the same be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A letter, of the 9th, from William Denning, Esq. was read.2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, VII, folio 195.]
A paragraph of a letter of 27 April, from Governor Livingston, was laid before Congress, and read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
Congress having received information, that divers infractions have been made by officers in the service of the king of Great Britain, upon the convention of Saratoga, particularly by compelling some of the prisoners to bear arms against these United States, since their return to Canada;
Resolved, That his excellency Governor Clinton, of New York, be requested to take such measures as he shall deem most prudent and effectual for ascertaining the truth of this information, and to transmit to Congress the evidence which he may obtain.
Resolved, That the sum of two thousand dollars in specie, and ten thousand dollars in continental money, be advanced to Governor Clinton, for defraying the necessary expences
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of executing the foregoing resolution; and that the Board of Treasury be authorized to pay the said sums.1
[Note 1: 1 These resolutions, in the writing of Charles Thomson, are in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 57, folio 267. There is a note on the same sheet: "Wait for 1,000 Dollars in Specie, d'd 2d Dec'r. in favor of Abraham B. Bancker."]
Congress resumed the consideration of the report of the whole, on an allowance to be made to officers after the war, and an amendment being by general consent admitted, a question was put on the whole report as amended; and
Resolved, unanimously, That all military officers commissioned by Congress, who now are, or hereafter may be, in the service of the United States, and shall continue therein during the war, and shall not hold any office of profit under these states, or any of them, shall, after the conclusion of the war, be entitled to receive annually, for the term of seven years, if they live so long, one half of the present pay of such officers; provided, that no general officer of the cavalry, artillery or infantry shall be entitled to receive more than the one half part of the pay of a colonel of such corps respectively; and provided, that this resolution shall not extend to any officer in the service of the United States, unless he shall have taken an oath of allegiance to, and shall actually reside within some one of the United States.
Resolved, unanimously, That every non-commissioned military officer and soldier, who hath inlisted, or shall inlist, into the service of these states, for and during the war, and shall continue therein to the end thereof, shall be entitled to receive the further reward of eighty dollars at the expiration of the war.
The two foregoing resolutions containing the whole report as amended, being put together, and the yeas and nays taken,
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So it was resolved in the affirmative.
A letter of this day, from General Mifflin, was read:1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 161, folio 36.]
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three;
The members chosen, Mr. G[ouverneur] Morris, Mr. [Charles] Carroll, and Mr. [Francis] Dana.
The committee to whom was referred the letter from John Penn and Benjamin Chew, Esqrs. dated 10th instant, and directed to the Board of War, brought in a report; Whereupon,
Resolved, That John Penn and Benjamin Chew, Esqrs. be conveyed, without delay, into the State of Pensylvania, and there discharged from their parole, and that their excellencies the president of Pensylvania and the governor of New Jersey be severally furnished immediately with a copy of this act.
Adjourned to 9 o'Clock to Morrow.
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