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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 --WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 1778
A memorial from Samuel H. Sullivan, deputy quarter master general under General Mifflin, late quarter master general, was read:1
[Note 1: 1 This memorial, dated July 31, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, IX, folio 52.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War.
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Brigadier Maxwell having recommended the Rev. Andrew Hunter to be appointed chaplain to his brigade,
Resolved, That the said Rev. Andrew Hunter be, and he is hereby appointed chaplain to the brigade commanded by Brigadier Maxwell.
Motion was made, that the pay of the Rev. Mr. Hunter commence from the date of the resolution for appointing brigade chaplains: Question put,
Passed in the negative.
According to order, the Committee on the Treasury laid before Congress an account of the sums of money granted to the quarter master general, to the commissary general of purchases, to the commissary general of military stores, and to the cloathier general, severally, for the use of their respective departments.
The proceedings of a court martial on the trial of Captain Manly, late captain of the continental ship Hancock, and the proceedings of a court on the trial of Thomas Thompson, late captain and commander of the ship Raleigh, in the service of the United States, ∥were laid before Congress:∥
Ordered, That the proceedings on the trial of Captain Manly be returned to the Marine Committee, to be filed among their papers; and that the proceedings on the trial of Captain Thompson lie on the table.
The Committee on the Treasury brought in a report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favour of Joseph Nourse, Esq. pay master to the Board of War and Ordnance, for six thousand dollars, to answer the draughts of the Board for the use of the baking department; the said Joseph Nourse to be accountable.
That the following persons be nominated as signers of Bills of Credit [no names are given].
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Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favour of Joseph Nourse, pay master to the Board of War and Ordnance, for three hundred dollars, to reimburse him a like sum advanced to Cornelius Sweers, deputy commissary general of military stores, the said Cornelius Sweer's is to be accountable:
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer, on the application of the Board of War, in favour of Joseph Nourse, pay master of the Board of War and Ordnance, for six thousand dollars, to be by him paid over to Colonel John Beatty, commissary general of prisoners, for the use of his department, who is to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 435.]
Congress resumed the consideration of the report of the Board of Treasury, dated 22 July; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the Treasurer of the State of Massachusetts bay, for three hundred thousand dollars, in favour of the president and council of the said State, to be paid out of the money assessed by the State, agreeably to a resolution of Congress of the 22d November last, the said State to be accountable.
A letter, of this day, from Major General Arnold, was read, informing, that in pursuance of the resolution of Congress, relative to the arrest of Colonel B. Flower, he has arrested him in the usual manner, and desiring an explanation of the resolution with respect to the safe keeping of Colonel Flower;2 Whereupon,
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 162, folio 136.]
Resolved, That Mr. President be requested to inform Major General Arnold, that it is the intention of Congress that Colonel B[enjamin] Flower should be securely kept in a convenient room under a sufficient guard.
A member from New Jersey laid before Congress an extract of a letter from James Caldwell:
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Ordered, That so much thereof as relates to prisoners, inhabitants of these states, taken by the French fleet, be referred to Mr. [William] Duer; and so much as relates to vessels captured by the said fleet, be referred to the Marine Committee.
Adjourned to 5 o'Clock.
Five o'Clock, p. m.
On motion, Resolved, That the door of the Congress chamber be open during the audience to be given to the minister plenipotentiary of his most Christian Majesty.
Resolved, That the delegates of the State of Pensylvania be requested to inform the vice president, supreme executive council, speaker and assembly of the said State, that the Minister Plenipotentiary of his most Christian Majesty the King of France, will receive his audience of Congress at 12 o'Clock to Morrow, when the doors of the Congress chamber will be opened.
That each member of Congress may give two tickets for the admittance of other persons to the audience of the Minister, and that no persons, except those specified in the foregoing resolution, be admitted without such a ticket, or a ticket signed by the members appointed to introduce the Minister to Congress.
A letter, of this day, from Colonel Benjamin Flower, was read:1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, IX, folio 171.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the committee appointed to report the mode of trying Cornelius Sweers.
Some doubts arising respecting the ceremonial to be observed at the public audience of the Minister Plenipotentiary, Congress took the same into consideration: and thereupon,
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Resolved, That when the Minister is introduced to his chair by the two members, he shall sit down. While he is sitting, the member first named shall announce him to the President and the house.
The President and the house shall remain sitting until the Minister is announced.
His secretary shall then deliver to the President the letter of his sovereign, which shall be read and translated by the secretary of Congress. Then the Minister shall be announced, at which time the President, the house, and the Minister, shall rise together.
The Minister shall then bow to the President and the house, and they to him.
The Minister and the President shall then bow to each other, and be seated; after which the house shall sit down.
The Minister shall deliver his speech standing.
The President and the house shall sit while the Minister is delivering his speech.
The President shall rise house shall rise, and the President shall deliver the answer standing, but the house shall remain sitting.
The Minister shall stand while the President delivers the answer.
Having spoken, and being answered, the Minister and the President shall bow to each other, at which time the house shall bow, and then the Minister shall be conducted home in the manner in which he was brought to the house.
Adjourned to 9 o'Clock to Morrow.
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