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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 --MONDAY, JUNE 22, 1778
Mr. Samuel Holten, a delegate from Massachusetts bay, attended, and took his seat.3
[Note 3: 3 His credentials were presented and read on this day. The original is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, Massachusetts, credentials of Delegates, and reads:
"State of Massachusetts Bay
"Council, Chamber, Boston, February, 10, 1778.
"The general Assembly having this Day come to the choice of a Gentleman to represent this State in the Hon'ble Continental Congress by Joint Ballot of both Houses to serve for the ensueing year in the room of the Hon'ble John Adams, Esqr.; It appeared after counting and sorting the votes that the Hon'ble Samuel Holten, Esq., was chosen.
"Attest.John Avery, Deputy Secretary"]
A letter, of 15, from Colonel Forman, and directed to N[athaniel] Scudder, Esq. one of the delegates of New Jersey, was laid before Congress and read:4
[Note 4: 4 The letter of Forman is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, IX, folio 161.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War and Board of Treasury.
A letter, of the 6, and one of the 9th, from General Heath, were read:
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Ordered, That the letter of the 9th be referred to the Board of War, who are directed to confer with the committee lately sent to camp, and give the necessary orders.
A letter, of 13, from General Sullivan, enclosing letters of 5, from Governor Trumbull, and one of 13, from Governor Greene, was read:
Ordered, That the same be referred to a committee of five:
The members chosen, Mr. S[amuel] Adams, Mr. [John] Wentworth, [Jun.] Mr. [William] Ellery, Mr. [Roger] Sherman, and Mr. [John] Hancock.
A letter, of 25 May, from Governor Caswell, was read.
A letter, of 10, from W. Aylett, Esqr. deputy commissary of purchases, with sundry papers enclosed, was read:1
[Note 1: 1 The letters of Heath are in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 157, folios 152 and 162; that of Greene in No. 64, folio 410; that of Caswell in No. 72, folio 55; that of Aylett in No. 78, I, folio 195.]
Ordered, That the same be referred to the Board of War.
A letter, of 19, from Governor Johnson, of Maryland, with sundry papers enclosed, relative to instructions given to Major Lee was read:2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 70, folio 261.]
Ordered, To lie on the table till the afternoon.
The Committee on the Treasury brought in a report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That 100,000 dollars be advanced to the delegates of New York, for the use of that State, which is to be accountable:
That 500 dollars be advanced to Mr. E[dward] Langworthy, one of the delegates of Georgia, to enable him to pay a bill drawn by James Whitefield, Esq. speaker of the house of assembly, expressed to be for paying an express from Georgia; the said State to be accountable:
That 2,000 dollars be paid to Robert Coughran, in discharge of three bills of exchange drawn by John Ashe,
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treasurer of the State of North Carolina, two of which are dated the 18 of March, 1777, in favour of Peter Mallet, for 375 dollars each; the other dated May 20, 1777, in favour of Peter and Daniel Mallet, for 1,250 dollars; all expressed to be for the purchase of provisions; the said State of North Carolina to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 377.]
Congress proceeded to consider the objections of the states to the articles of confederation; whereupon, the delegates of Maryland read to Congress instructions they had just received from their constituents; and moved,
"That the objections of the State of Maryland to the confederation be immediately taken up and considered by Congress, that the delegates of Maryland may transmit to that State, with all possible despatch, the determination of Congress on those objections:" question put, resolved in the affirmative.
A motion was then made in behalf of Maryland,
In article 4, strike out the word "paupers," and after the words "or either of them," insert, That one State shall not be burthened with the maintenance of the poor who may remove into it from any of the others in this union:
Question put, passed in the negative, one State only answering ay.
Another amendment was moved in behalf of Maryland,
Article 8, after the words "granted to or surveyed for," to insert "or which shall hereafter be granted to, or surveyed for any person:"
Question put, passed in the negative, 4 states answering aye, 8 answering no.
A third amendment was moved in behalf of Maryland,
Article 9, after the words "shall be deprived of territory for the benefit of the United States," insert, "the
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United States in Congress assembled, shall have the power to appoint commissioners, who shall be fully authorized and empowered to ascertain and restrict the boundaries of such of the confederated states which claim to extend to the river Mississippi, or South Sea:"
After debate,
Resolved, That the consideration thereof be postponed till to morrow.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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