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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, AUGUST 15, 1778
A motion was made to resolve,
That the members of this house keep secret from all but the members of this house, under like obligation of secrecy, such information as maybe derived from an
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inspection of the papers of the Committee of Secret Correspondence, or from hearing the same read: after debate,
The previous question was moved, and the yeas and nays required by Mr. [William] Duer,
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So it was carried in the affirmative, and the original motion set aside.
A motion was then made to resolve,
That no matter contained in the letters laid before Congress by the Committee of Foreign Affairs, be communicated to any persons out of Congress without permission of the house: after debate,
The previous question was moved, and the yeas and nays required by Mr. [William Henry] Drayton,
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So it was carried in the affirmative, and the original motion set aside.
Mr. [Thomas] M'Kean, ∥a delegate from Delaware,∥ attended, and resumed his seat in Congress.
A motion was then made, "That the contents of the letters laid upon the table by the Committee of Foreign Affairs, be kept secret till the enquiry into the state of our foreign affairs, and the conduct of our commissioners be finished:"
To which an amendment was moved, to add, "excepting such parts thereof, as having been already communicated to the house without an injunction of secrecy, or having been read by private members or others, may have been divulged."
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Question being put, and the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [William Henry] Drayton,
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So it passed in the negative.
The question was then put on the original motion; and the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Samuel] Chase,
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So it was resolved in the affirmative.
A letter, of this day, from Major General Arnold, was read,1 which letter was accompanied with the proceedings and sentence of a general court martial on Frederick Verner, charged with acting as a spy and guide to the British Army; and sets forth, "that as the evidences do not appear sufficiently full and clear to touch the life of a citizen, he has suspended the sentence until the pleasure of Congress is known." The letter also was accompanied with the proceedings of a general court martial with their sentences against Adjutant Wallace, Patrick M'Mullen, and Henry Love, with sundry certificates, &c. relative to the matter; and sets forth, that "as the evidence against the two former is in his (General Arnold's) opinion, insufficient to touch their lives, and as there are several circumstances in favour of the latter, he begs leave to
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 162, folio 142.]
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recommend them to Congress as proper objects of mercy;" Whereupon,
Ordered, That so much of the said letter as relates to Frederick Verner, together with the proceedings and sentence of the general court martial on him, and the papers relative to the matter, be referred to the supreme executive council of Pennsylvania, and that they be requested to report their opinion thereon to Congress.
That so much of the said letter as relates to Adjutant Wallace, Patrick M'Mullen, and Henry Love, with the proceedings and sentence of the court martial on them, and the certificates, &c. relative to the matter, be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. [Henry] Marchant, Mr. James Smith, and Mr. [John] Harvie.
In consequence of an adjustment by the commissioners of claims, the assistant auditor general reports,
That there is due, to Bryan Lefferty, for his subsistence as a prisoner (agreeable to the articles of capitulation with Major General Schuyler, the 18 January, 1776,) from the 2 August, 1777, to the 29 July, 1778, both days inclusive, is 51 weeks and four days, at 28 shillings per week, the sum allowed by Congress, 192 40/90 dollars:1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated August 13, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 463. The report also contained the paragraph on Cist, passed August 177 post.]
Ordered, That the said account be paid.
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 Pennsylvania, in favour of the Committee of Commerce, for ten thousand six hundred and forty six and sixty ninetieths dollars, to enable them to pay Samuel and Isaac Penrose, on account of a balance due to them by the Secret
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Committee for freight of a cargo by the ship Sally, delivered at Cadiz, and for demurrage of the said ship; the Committee of Commerce to be accountable.
Ordered, That the farther consideration of the report be postponed.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 451. postponed paragraphs were passed August 17, post.]
Ordered, That Mr. Deane be introduced, and that a seat be prepared for him at the end of the lower table, on the President's right hand.
Mr. Deane was accordingly introduced, and delivered two letters, one from Dr. Franklin, dated Passy, March 31, 1778, and one from Mons. de Beaumarchais, dated Paris, 24 March, 1778; which were read.
Mr. Deane was then proceeding to give the information required;
A motion was made, that the information be given in writing:
Ordered, That Mr. Deane withdraw.
Accordingly he withdrew.
A motion was then made, that the narrative Mr. Deane shall give to this house, of his transactions in France, be in writing.
After debate the previous question was moved, and the yeas and nays required by Mr. S[amuel] Adams,
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So it passed in the negative; Whereupon,
The question was puts on the original motion, and the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Samuel] Chase,
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So it passed in the negative.
Resolved, That Mr. Deane be called in, and informed that Congress desire his attendance again on Monday morning, at ten o'clock, to give, from his memory, a general account of his whole transactions in France, from the time of his first arrival, as well as a particular state of the funds of Congress, and the commercial transactions in Europe, especially with Mr. Beaumarchais, and to answer such questions as may be asked.
Mr. Deane being called in, and informed of the desire of Congress, withdrew.
A letter, of 13, from General Washington, at White Plains, and one, of the 10, from General Sullivan, at Portsmouth, Rhode Island, were read.
A letter, of 12, from W. Palfrey, Esq. at White Plains, was read:1
[Note 1: 1 The letter of Washington is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, VI folio 247; that of Sullivan is in No. 160, folio 139; that of Palfrey is in No. 165, folio 486.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock on Monday.
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