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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 22, 1778
The Board of War brought in a report; Whereupon,
Resolved, That it be recommended to the legislatures of the respective states, to enact laws for exempting from militia duty, all persons who have deserted or shall hereafter desert from the British army or navy during the present war.
That it be further recommended to the legislatures of the respective states, to disqualify by law, all prisoners and deserters from acting as substitutes in the militia during the present war, to render all such contracts void,
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and to authorize any prisoner or deserter, who may be engaged as a substitute, to appropriate to his own use all monies by him received on such agreement.
On the recommendation of Brigadier General Muhlenburg,
Resolved, That the Rev. Mr. Alexander Balmain be, and he is hereby appointed chaplain to the brigade commanded by Brigadier General Muhlenburg.
The committee to whom were referred the letters of the 24 and 27 April, from Major General Heath, enclosing a letter from John Morrison, a commissary in the British service, brought in a report; Whereupon,
Resolved, That Congress approve of Major General Heath's conduct relative to the proposals made by Major General Pigot, for supplying with provisions the troops who surrendered prisoners under the convention of Saratoga;
That the president be directed to inform Major General Heath, that Congress expect that all assistance afforded to the enemy, in unloading, storing or transporting provision for the support of the convention prisoners, be paid for in solid coin, agreeably to the spirit of their resolution of the 19th December last.
Congress took into consideration the report of the committee on the rules for the better conducting the business of Congress; and some progress being made therein,
Ordered, That the farther consideration thereof be postponed.
The Committee on the Treasury brought in a report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on John Lawrence, Esqr. commissioner of the loan office in the State of Connecticut, in favour of James Stevenson, Esqr. one of the commissioners of accounts for the middle department,
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for one thousand and eighty one dollars, it being the balance of his pay, from 26 July, 1776, to the 4th instant.
Ordered, That so much of the report as relates to Messrs. Otis and Andrews, be recommitted.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 305. The paragraph on Otis and Andrews is printed under May 25.]
Resolved, That five million of dollars be emitted under the direction of the Board of Treasury, and upon the faith of the United States;
That the bills shall, excepting the numbers, be of the same tenor and date as the emission directed on the eleventh day of April last, and be numbered from the last number of each respective denomination progressively, and consist of the following denominations, viz.
That all the powers and duties of Michael Hillegas, Esq. and of the inspectors of the press, signers and printers of the emission on the 20th day of May, 1777, shall extend to the said five millions of dollars now to be emitted, subject, however, to such directions and instructions as the Board of Treasury may judge expedient.
Ordered, That two hundred and forty thousand dollars be advanced to William Buchanan, late commissary general of purchases, for the use of the middle district; for which he is to be accountable.
A letter, of the 2d, from Governor Caswell, of North Carolina, with sundry papers enclosed, was read:2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 72, folio 47.]
Ordered, That the same be referred to the committee on the letter from Captain Cottineau.
Adjourned to 9 o'Clock to Morrow.
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