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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 12, 1778
Congress resumed the consideration of the motion respecting the declaration; Whereupon,
Resolved, That a copy of the declaration passed yesterday be signed by Mr. President, and sent by a flag to the commissioners of the king of Great Britain at New York.
A letter, of 8, from Brigadier Maxwell, and a letter of the 7th, from Adam Ferguson, enclosing a remonstrance on the subject of the detention of the troops lately serving under Lieutenant General Burgoyne, with a requisition for their immediate release:1
[Note 1: 1 Maxwell's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 57, folio 329; that of Ferguson is on folio 321; and the Remonstrance is on folio 325.]
Ordered, That the same be referred to a committee of five:
The members chosen, Mr. G[ouverneur] Morris, Mr. [Samuel] Chase, Mr. [William Henry] Drayton, Mr. S[amuel] Adams, and Mr. [John] Witherspoon.
A petition from Henry Baron Essich, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three, and that the committee be empowered and directed to enquire into the facts therein set forth, and to grant such relief as they may think expedient; and farther, that the said committee be directed to enquire into the state of the legion commanded by Count Pulaski, and report thereon:
The members chosen, Mr. [John] Penn, Mr. [Henry] Marchant, and Mr. [Samuel] Chase.
A letter, of the 11, from General Mifflin, was read.2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 161, folio 44.]
Ordered, To lie on the table.
Ordered, That Tuesdays and Thursdays in every week be set apart for regulating the affairs of the treasury and finances; and that no other business, excepting the reading
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and disposing of public letters, be taken up on those days without the unanimous consent of the house, until the business aforesaid is gone through and finished.
A motion was made that Congress meet twice a day:
Question put, passed in the negative.
A letter, of the 11, from General Nelson, was read:
Ordered, That the vote of thanks to General Nelson, and the officers and gentlemen of the corps of volunteers under his command, together with the foregoing letter, be published.
The Committee on the Treasury brought in a report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on Thomas Smith, Esq. commissioner of the continental loan office in the State of Pensylvania, for forty thousand dollars, in favour of Major Lee, for the use of the corps of light dragoons under his command; for which sum he is to be accountable:1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 445.]
That, on the application of the Board of War and Ordnance, a warrant issue on the treasurer in favour of Mr. Joseph Nourse, pay master to the said Board, for ten thousand dollars, to be by him transmitted to Colonel David Kennedy, of Winchester, in Virginia, to complete the barracks ordered to be built in the said place; the said David Kennedy to be accountable.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 443.]
A report from the Board of War was laid before Congress and read; Whereupon,
Resolved, That every officer in the army of the United States, whose duty requires his being on horseback in time of action, be allowed a sum not exceeding five hundred dollars, as a compensation for any horse he shall have killed in battle; this resolution to have retrospect as far as the first day of May, 1777; and that the quarter master
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general be, and he is hereby, authorized to pay the value of such horses, not exceeding the said sum, to the respective sufferers, on the facts being properly authenticated.
Resolved, That the expences incurred by Colonel John Green, for keeping two horses during the time his wounds rendered his removal last campaign out of New Jersey necessary, be allowed him, and that the same be referred to the commissioners of claims for settlement.1
[Note 1: 1 This report was based upon a report of the Board dated December 20, 1777, in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, II, folio 169.]
Congress proceeded to the election of an additional number of signers of continental bills of credit, and the ballots being taken, Mr. William Rush, Mr. Robert Roberts, and Mr. Gunning Bedford, were elected.
A petition from Patrick M'Mullen was read:
Ordered, To lie on the table.
The committee on the memorial of Lieutenant Colonel Knoblauch, brought in a report, wherein they represent that, having examined his several commissions and recommendations, it appears that Colonel de Knoblauch is an experienced officer, and hath served in the several countries mentioned in his memorial; that the subjects in the memorial being various, ought to be referred to the boards to whom they may more particularly belong; Whereupon,
Resolved, That so much of the said memorial as relates to contracts for frigates, be referred to the Marine Committee:
That so much as relates to arms, linen, cloth, &c. be referred to the Board of War:
That the propriety of employing Colonel Knoblauch be referred to the Board of War, to report thereon upon such information as they may now or hereafter receive:
That, in the interim, Colonel Knoblauch be permitted to repair, as a volunteer, to the American camp, and
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directed to submit to the consideration of the General, such improvements and information in discipline and the art of war as he may be possessed of, and that he be allowed the sum of 125 dollars per month.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Gouverneur Morris, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, III, folio 367.]
Adjourned to 9 o'Clock to Morrow.
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