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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, JUNE 4, 1778
A letter, of the 1, from General Pulaski; one, of the 23 May, from Captain Touzard, were read:
Ordered, That they be referred to the Board of War.
A letter, of 2d, from General Washington, was read.
A letter, of the 1st, from Mr. R[esolve] Smith, were read.1
Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to examine the journal, and extract from thence, in order for publication, all the resolutions relative to the government of the army, the regulations of the quarter master's, commissary's, and cloathier's department, and to the pay and settlement of the accounts of the army:
The members chosen, Mr. [Charles] Carroll, Mr. [John] Mathews, and Mr. [John] Wentworth [Jun2.].
[Note 2: 2 The letter of Pulaski is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 164, folio 9; that of Touzard in No. 78, IX, folio 157; that of Washington in No. 152, VI, folio 63.]
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A letter, of 1, from General Greene, Q. M. G., was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War, who are directed to report thereon with all convenient despatch.
A letter of the 2, from W. Atlee, Esqr. deputy commissary of prisoners, at Lancaster, was read:1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, I, folio 173.]
Ordered, That the consideration thereof be postponed.
A letter, of 6 May, from Governor Caswell, enclosing a resolution of the general assembly of North Carolina, in favour of Monsr. de Cambray, ∥was read:∥
Ordered, That the same be referred to the Board of War.
A memorial from [Thomas] Conway, late major general in the service of the United States, was read:2
[Note 2: 2 This memorial, dated June 4, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No 41, II,]
Ordered, To lie on the table.
The Committee on the Treasury brought in a report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That 8,583 30/90 dollars be advanced to the Committee of Commerce, to pay Cumberland Dugan the valuation of his brigantine Abigail, chartered and insured on public account, and which was captured by the enemy, as appears by the captain's protest; the said Committee to be accountable:
That 4,704 dollars be advanced to the Committee of Commerce, to pay a bill drawn on them by Mr. Stephen Ceronio, commercial agent at Cape François, dated the 24 March, 1777, in favour of Adam Badcock [Babcock]; the said Committee to be accountable:3
[Note 3: 3 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 341.]
That 12,000 dollars be advanced to Joseph Nourse, pay master to the Board of War and Ordnance, to enable the
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Board of War and Ordnance to pay the sums due to the troops ordered to march to Fort Pitt; the said Board to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 343.]
Ordered, That the resolutions passed May 2, for paying the prizes in the first class of the lottery, and for drawing the second class, be published, changing the word "November" into "January."
A letter, of 20 April, from Dr. Rush to Messrs. [William Henry] Drayton, [Samuel] Huntington, and [John] Banister, committee appointed on 3d of that month to inquire into Dr. Rush's charges against Dr. Shippen, ∥was read:∥2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XIX, folio 233.]
Ordered, To lie on the table.
Three o'Clock, p. m.
The Board of War having represented the expediency of appointing commissioners to meet the Indians at Fort Pitt, and to attend the treaty proposed by the late commissioners,
Resolved, That three commissioners be appointed for tbe purpose of holding a treaty with the Delawares, Shawanese, and other Indians, who may assemble at Fort Pitt, on the twenty third of July next.
Resolved, That the governor and council of the State of Virginia be requested and authorized to appoint two gentlemen, and the executive power of the State of Pensylvania, to appoint one gentleman, of suitable characters, for the purpose aforesaid.
Resolved, That Congress will make an adequate allowance for the services and expences of the said commissioners.3
[Note 3: 3 This report, in the writing of Timothy Pickering, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, II, folio 69.]
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The committee to whom was referred the letter of the 27, from J. Wadsworth, with the papers enclosed, brought in a report, which was taken into consideration: Whereupon, Congress came to the following resolution:
Whereas, it hath been found by Experience that Limitations upon the Prices of Commodities are not only ineffectual for the Purposes proposed, but likewise productive of very evil Consequences to the great Detriment of the public Service and greivous Oppression of Individuals;
Resolved, That it be recommended to the several States to repeal or suspend all Laws or Resolutions within the said States respectively limiting, regulating, or restraining the Price of any Article, Manufacture or Commodity.
Whereas, the Practice of exporting Wheat, Rice, Rye, Indian Corn, Flour, Bread, Beef, Pork, Bacon, live Stock, and other Provisions hath been attended with the pernicious Consequences not only of raising the Price of such Articles and streigthening the Agreed, that an embargo shall be laid.1 Armies of these States for Subsistence, but also of affording Supplies to their Enemies, thereby enabling them more effectually to prosecute the present unjust War,
[Note 1: 1 The marginal entry is in the writing of Henry Laurens.]
Resolved, That it be recommended to the several States to take effectual Measures for preventing the Exportation of the said Articles, or any of them, excepting so much as may be necessary for the Crews of Ships or Vessels of War, or of such as may be laden with other Merchandizes untill theDay ofnext, and for punishing all Persons who under Color thereof may
Resolved, That the Governors of Virginia and Maryland be requested to forward immediately by Water to the Head of Elk, the Provisions purchased for the Use of the continental Army, within those States, and which lie contiguous, or convenient to Navigation, and to take such Measures for that Purpose as they shall deem most expedient.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, in the writing of Gouverneur Morris, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, VI, folio 123.]
Whereas, by a change of circumstances in the commerce of these states, the regulation of prices lately
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recommended by Congress may be unnecessary; and the measure not being yet adopted by all the states: therefore,
Resolved, That it be recommended to the legislatures of the several states that have adopted it, to suspend or repeal their laws made for that purpose.
Ordered, That the farther consideration of the report be postponed till to morrow.
Ordered, That the letter of 2d, from W. Atlee, with the papers enclosed, be referred to the Board of War.
A memorial from Ephraim Blaine, Esqr. deputy commissary general of purchases, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury, who are directed to report specially thereon.
Resolved, That the resolutions of Congress for the arrangement of the army be transmitted to the Commander in Chief, who, with the advice and assistance of the honble. Joseph Reed and Francis Dana, Esqs. or either of them, is hereby directed and empowered to proceed in arranging the same according to the said resolutions, and the resolutions of the tenth day of January last; and, for this purpose, that the committee appointed according to the resolutions last mentioned, do transmit to the Commander in Chief all such materials as may be in their possession relative to such arrangement; and further,
Resolved, That the Commander in Chief transmit to the Board of War lists of the officers of the several regiments on the new arrangement, that new commissions be made out for such officers.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Gouverneur Morris, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 21, I, folio 207. The names were inserted by Henry Laurens. See also under June 9, 1778, post.]
A petition from Henry Watts, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War.
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The committee to whom was re-committed the report on the letter of 31 May, from General Washington, brought in a report, which was taken into consideration: Whereupon,
Resolved, That should the city of Philadelphia be evacuated by the enemy, it will be expedient and proper for the Commander in Chief to take effectual care that no insult, plunder, or injury of any kind, may be offered to the inhabitants of the said city:
That, in order to prevent public or private injury from the operations of ill disposed persons, the General be directed to take early and proper care to prevent the removal, transfer, or sale of any goods, wares, or merchandise in possession of the inhabitants of the said city, until the property of the same shall be ascertained by a joint committee, consisting of persons appointed by Congress, and of persons appointed by the supreme executive council of the State of Pensylvania, to wit, so far as to determine, whether any, or what part thereof may belong to the king of Great Britain or to any of his subjects.1
[Note 1: 1 These resolutions were quoted in a proclamation issued as a handbill, by Major General Arnold, June 19, 1778. See Pennsylvania Archives, VI, 606.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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