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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 --TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1778
Mr. [Nathaniel] Scudder, a delegate for New Jersey, attended, and took his seat.
A letter, of this day, from Dr. J. Morgan, was read;1 Whereupon,
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 63, folio 121.]
Resolved, That a member in the place of Mr. [John] Harvie be added to the committee on the memorial from Dr. Morgan:
The member chosen, Mr. M[eriwether] Smith.
The President informed Congress that the Minister of France had requested him to communicate the following information to Congress, namely, That the Minister was assured by good intelligence that the enemy's fleet at Rhode island were greatly distressed for want of masts and spars; that a mast had been taken from a Merchant Man of 600 tons and put into a man of war of the line; That others of their ships of war had been rigged with jury masts, and that they had little prospect of a supply from Halifax or any other of their ports: That there was in New Hampshire a number of masts fit for ships of the line ready to be exported from thence to St. Domingo. That the enemy have been advised of this and are preparing to intercept them: That it is his opinion it would be of great consequence to prevent the enemy from obtaining such an important supply, and therefore he proposed that the masts should be sunk during the winter, and as an inducement thereto he would himself pay the expence of sinking and raising them, and also the interest of whatever sums may have been expended in procuring the said masts, until the next spring. Whereupon,
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Resolved, That it be most earnestly recommended to the States of Massachusetts bay and New Hampshire to take the most effectual measures to prevent any masts or spars from being exported from or laden on board of any ships or vessels within the ports of the said States.
Ordered, That the President enclose the foregoing information and resolution, and write fully on the subject to the executive authorities of those States.
A letter, of 17th, from Governor G. Clinton, ∥of New York,∥ was read:1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 67, II, folio 144.]
A letter, of 15, from Colonel Malcolm, was read, enclosing a return of the military stores and garrison of Forts Clinton and Constitution:
Ordered, That the same be referred to the Board of War.
Resolved, That two brigadiers be appointed for the troops of North Carolina.
Colonels Jethro Sumner and Thomas Clarke are nominated by the delegates of North Carolina for brigadiers.
Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to enquire into the state of the Pensylvania troops, and report whether an additional brigadier is wanting for the troops of that State:
The members chosen, Mr. [Thomas] M'Kean, Mr. [Thomas] Burke, and Mr. [Samuel] Atlee.
Resolved, That an additional brigadier be appointed for the troops of South Carolina.
Colonel Isaac Huger [was] nominated by the delegates of South Carolina.
The order of the day was called for, whereupon a set of resolutions which were laid upon the table on Saturday, relative to finance were read.
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After debate,
Resolved, That the farther consideration thereof be postponed ∥till to morrow.∥
A motion was made as follows:
Whereas a report hath circulated in divers parts of America, that Congress would not redeem the bills of credit issued by them to defray the expences of the war, but would suffer them to sink in the hands of the holder, whereby the value of the said bills hath, in the opinion of many of the good people of these states, depreciated; and lest the silence of Congress might give strength to the said report;
Resolved, That the said report is false and derogatory to the honor of Congress.
A motion was made that the consideration thereof be postponed;
On which the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [William Henry] Drayton,
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So it passed in the negative.
After debate the previous question was moved;
On which the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [William Henry] Drayton,
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So the states were equally divided.
The question being then put on the resolution,
And the yeas and nays required by Mr. [William Henry] Drayton,
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So it was resolved in the affirmative.
A question was then put to agree to the preamble,
On which the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [William] Ellery,
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So it passed in the affirmative.
On motion, Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to select from the journal the resolutions respecting the calling in certain emissions, and to prepare a proper preamble, in order for publication, and that the committee report to morrow.
Previous to the balloting so many members withdrew that there were not a sufficient number of States to proceed. Whereupon
Adjourned to 9 o'Clock to Morrow.
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