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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 --SATURDAY, JULY 25, 1778
A letter, of the 6th, from Mr. President Lowndes, of South Carolina, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Medical Committee.
A letter, of 15, from Mons. Francey, at Williamsburgh, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of Commerce, and that they be directed to report specially thereon with all expedition.
The Committee of Foreign Affairs laid before Congress a copy of proceedings at the maritime court against the snow Our Lady of Mount Carmel:
Ordered, That it be referred to the committee on the letter of 1st June, from the board of war for the State of Massachusetts bay.
Congress resumed the consideration of the report of the Board of Treasury of the 22d; Whereupon,
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Ordered, That, upon application of the Board of War and Ordnance, a warrant issue on John Gibson, Esq. auditor general, for seventeen thousand eight hundred and forty nine and 45/90 dollars, in favour of Joseph Nourse, pay master of the said Board, to be issued by them for the purchase of cloathing; the said Joseph Nourse to be accountable:
That a Warrant issue on the Treasurer of the State of Massachusetts Bay for three hundred thousand Dollars in favor of the President and Council of said State; to be paid out of the Money assessed Agreed. by the State agreeable to a resolution of Congress of the 22d. November last, the said State to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 Passed August 5. See under that date, post.]
That a warrant issue on John Gibson, Esq. auditor general, for seventy nine thousand nine hundred and eighty and 30/90 dollars, in favour of James Mease, Esq. cloathier general, to enable him to pay the following draughts of Otis & Andrews, of Boston, viz. in favour of Lee & Jones, for 8,000 dollars; Codman & Smith, 1,035 dollars; Thomas Russel, 18,333 30/90 dollars; Mens. A. Cabott, 30,000 dollars; Mr. E. Gerry, 3,475 dollars; S. P. Savage, 10,000 dollars; and a draught of Joseph Pennell, of Virginia, for sundries furnished Major Lee's corps, 9,137 dollars; making in the whole, 79,980 30/90 dollars.
That Isaac Howell, Brewer, Rev. Mr. Marshall, Joseph Moulder [withdrawn], Peter Thomson, Isaac Snowden (by Mr. Sherman), John Biddle (by General Read), be nominated as Inspectors of the Presses for striking Bills of Credit, Bills of Exchange, and Loan Office Certificates.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, dated July 22, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 417. The last paragraph is in the writing of Elbridge Gerry. For election of the inspectors, see under July 27, post.]
The Board of Treasury having in their report recommended sundry persons, and among them one of an ecclesiastical character, to be nominated as inspectors of
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the presses for striking bills of credit, bills of exchange, and loan-office certificates,
A motion was made, that the sense of the house be taken, whether it is proper that Congress should appoint any person of an ecclesiastical character to any civil office under the United States?
Whereupon, the previous question was moved, and the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [William] Duer,
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So it was resolved that the question on the motion be not now put.
Resolved, That the remainder of the report, respecting a grant to the State of Massachusetts bay, be postponed.
The Committee on the Treasury brought in another report; Whereupon,
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Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer of the State of Connecticut, for one hundred thousand dollars, [to be paid out of the money assessed by the State, agreeably to the resolution of Congress of the 22d November last,] and another warrant on John Lawrence, Esq. commissioner of the continental loan office in the said State, for one hundred thousand dollars, in favour of Ebenezer Hancock, Esq. deputy pay master general of the eastern district, for the use of his department, he to be accountable.
That Mr. Jos. Prownal be nominated a superintendent of the making of Paper for Loan Office Certificates and Bills of Exchange.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 419. The words in brackets were added by Elbridge Gerry. Under the last paragraph Laurens noted "Nominated and postponed, 26th. George Bright." Bright was chosen August 8, post.]
In consequence of an adjustment by the commissioners of claims at the treasury office, the auditor general reports,
There is due to Lieut. Andrew McFarlain, of Captain Samuel Moorehead's independant Company his pay, from the 14 February, 1777, to the 13 July, 1778, inclusive, during which Time he was a Prisoner, is 17 months, at 27 Dollars per month, four hundred and fifty nine Dollars.
And for a Balance of Rations due him from the 14 February, to the 31 December, 1777, when he returned home on parole, thirty five and 60/90.
That there is due to Mr. Francis Dana, for his expences from camp to York town, his servant's expences going and returning, 61 60/90 dollars:
That there is due to William Widdifield, for 6 windsor chairs for the use of the treasury office, 42 dollars:
That there is due to John Pickerton, for 6 windsor chairs, for the use of the treasury office, 42 dollars.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, dated July 24, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 186, II, folio 421.]
Ordered, That the said accounts be paid.
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Resolved, That the remainder of the report, respecting the account of Lieutenant Andrew M'Farlain, be postponed.
The Board of War, to whom were referred the letters from his excellency Patrick Henry, Esq. governor of Virginia, dated 8 and 10 July, report,
That, "from various enquiries made by the Board, it appears that success in an expedition against Detroit cannot be reasonably expected, unless the force destined for that service be ready to march from Fort Pitt by the first of September:
"That from the letters received from Governor Henry, and Mr. Patrick Lockhart, appointed to act as commissary, &c. on the above expedition, it appears that the capital articles necessary for carrying on the expedition, viz. men, horses, flour, and beeves, cannot be procured by any means within the time limited, and probably not even during the course of the present year:
"That, from the extraordinary rise of articles, especially of horses, since the expedition was first determined on, the expence of it, if practicable, would exceed, in an enormous degree, the estimate formed by the late commissioners at Fort Pitt, and submitted by the Board to the consideration of Congress;" Whereupon,
Resolved, That the expedition against the fortress of Detroit be, for the present, deferred:
That Brigadier General M'Intosh be directed to assemble at Fort Pitt, as many continental troops and militia as will amount to fifteen hundred, and proceed, without delay, to destroy such towns of the hostile tribes of Indians as he, in his discretion, shall think will most effectually tend to chastise and terrify the savages, and to check their ravages on the frontiers of these states:
That such of the articles as have been already procured for the expedition against Detroit, and which are necessary
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for the incursion against the Indian towns, be appropriated for that purpose, and that the Board of War be directed to give the necessary orders on this point:
That Governor Henry be informed of the determination of Congress with respect to the intended expedition, and that he be desired to furnish General M'Intosh with such a number of militia as the general shall apply for, to make up the complement of men destined for an incursion into the towns of the hostile Indians:
That the president be directed to inform Governor Henry that Congress have a high sense of the zeal of the assembly of Virginia, in voting, at their late session, a reinforcement of infantry and cavalry for the main army, but that a change in circumstances renders the march and services of those troops at present inexpedient:
That Governor Henry be therefore requested to cease raising the troops voted, and to order such of the infantry as are already raised, and are in the vicinity of the frontiers, together with a troop of cavalry, not exceeding fifty men, under the command of an intelligent and active officer, forthwith to join General McIntosh at Fort Pitt:
That it appearing most evidently that the late incursion at Wyoming and the adjacent parts, has been made by the Senecas and some other tribes of the Six Nations, aided by tories and other banditti, from the frontiers of New York, New Jersey, and Pensylvania, the expedition meditated against them from the northward be forwarded with all possible despatch, and that the Board of War take the necessary steps for that purpose:
That, in respect to the harvest, and the deplorable situation of the frontiers, in consequence of the late irruption of the enemy, Colonel Hartley's regiment be continued there till the retreat of the enemy be fully
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ascertained, the harvest secured, and the apprehensions of the inhabitants quieted.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, II, folio 143.]
The committee to whom was referred the Sieur Gérard's intended speech at the public audience, brought in a draught of an answer, which was taken into consideration: and, after debate,
Resolved, That the farther consideration thereof be postponed to Monday.
Adjourned to 9 o'Clock on Monday.
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