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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 --THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1778.
A letter, of 15, from the Board of War, was read.
A letter, of 16, from Mr. J[oseph] Reed, one of the committee of arrangement, was read:1
[Note 1: 1 The letter of the Board of War is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, II, folio, 259.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War.
A letter, of 15, from Charles Bradish, and one of 16, from John Stoddard, officers of theMermaid, were read:
Ordered, That they be referred to the Marine Committee.
A letter, of 16, from James Caldwell, was read.
Ordered, That one million of dollars be advanced to General Mifflin, late quarter master general, for which he is to be accountable; and that he be directed to render an account of all such sums as are now due from the late quarter master general, in order to their being paid.
Congress resumed the consideration of the report of the committee on the arrangement of the treasury.
On motion,Resolved, That the resolution fixing the number of the chamber of accounts be re-considered.
Resolved, That the report, with the amendments made, be referred to a committee of five:
The members chosen, Mr. R[obert] Morris, Mr. [John] Witherspoon, Mr. G[ouverneur] Morris, Mr. [Samuel] Chase, and Mr. R[ichard H[enry] Lee.
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Three o'Clock, p. m.
A letter, of 17th, from Brigadier Count Pulaski, was read:1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 164, folio 13. It is endorsed: "Received in Congress when the treasury business was asked for."]
Ordered, That an extract of the letter of 12th, from General Washington, relative to sending forward to the army the confederal troops in Philadelphia be referred to the Board of War.
A report from the Board of War being brought in, the same was read; Whereupon,
At a Board of War,September 16, 1778.
General Washington, having desired that all the Troops in this City, should be forwarded to camp without delay, the Board beg leave to report,
Resolved, That Brigadier Count Pulaski be ordered to march with his legion to Trenton, without delay, there to receive the further orders of the Commander in Chief.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, in the writing of Duer, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, II, folio 263.]
Congress resumed the consideration of the report of the Committee on the Treasury, of the 10th; Whereupon,
Resolved, That forty eight thousand dollars, the residue of a warrant for 300,000 dollars, issued the 12th day of February last, in favour of the delegates of the State of Pensylvania, be now paid to the said delegates, to be by them transmitted to the president and council of the said State, and for which the State is to be accountable.3
[Note 3: 3 In the original report this sum was to be used for the purchase of "flour, &c." or clothing "in consequence of a requisition of the 5th instant made by the General Assembly of that State."]
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favour of the delegates of the State of Pensylvania, for fifty-two thousand dollars, to be by them transmitted to the president
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and council of that State; for which the said State is to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated September 10, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 547.]
In consequence of an adjustment by the commissioners of claims, the auditor general made a report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That there be paid to John Hartman, for intertaining four Indians at Reading, about six weeks, by order of the Hon. John Hancock, the sum of 307 3/90 dollars:
That there be paid to Francis Johnston, for translating a French letter into English, by order of the president of Congress, the sum of 20 dollars:
That there be paid to Isaac Vanest, for a log of lignum vitae, for two rollers for a rolling-press, the sum of 120 60/90 dollars:
That there be paid to Francis Hopkinson, Esq. for compiling an index to the first and second volumes of the Journals of Congress, 200 dollars.2
[Note 2: 2 In the last paragraph the grant was first put at 466 60/90 dollars, but on question, was reduced. The report, dated September 14, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 555.]
∥Ordered, That the said sums be paid.∥
The Committee on the Treasury brought in a report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favour of Thomas Franklin, for 2000 dollars, in discharge of a bill of his excellency Richard Caswell, governor of North Carolina, on the continental treasurer, for that sum, in favour of Andrew Blanchard, dated May 1, 1778, and expressed to be "on account of tanned leather, deer skin, and shoes, purchased in pursuance of a resolution of Congress of 25 November last;" for which the State of North Carolina is to be accountable:3
[Note 3: 3 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 367.]
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That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favour of Mr. John William, one of the delegates from the State of North Carolina, for five hundred dollars, advanced on his application; the said State to be accountable:
That, upon the application of the Board of War and Ordnance, a warrant issue on the treasurer in favour of Joseph Nourse, pay master to the said Board, for 100,000 dollars, to answer the contingent charges thereof; for which the said Joseph Nourse is to be accountable:1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated September 16, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 565.]
That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favour of Joseph Nourse, pay master to the Board of War and Ordnance, for 500,000 dollars, to be by him transmitted to Benjamin Stelle, deputy pay master at Rhode Island; and that a copy of this resolution be sent to Ebenezer Hancock, Esq. deputy pay master general at Boston; who is to be accountable:
Whereas it is represented by the auditors of the army, that many regimental pay masters have adopted the unwarrantable practice of paying to the commanding officers of companies, agreeable to the recommendations of the colonels or commanding officers of their regiments respectively, such sums of money as the said regimental pay masters have drawn for, but not paid to, prisoners, deserters, and men who have died in the service:
Resolved, That, until the sums of money so paid by the regimental pay masters, shall be reimbursed and paid into the hands of the pay master or deputy pay masters general, such commanding officers of regiments shall be accountable for the moneys which they have so ordered to be paid, the commanding officers of companies for the moneys so received, and the regimental pay masters for the money so paid by them respectively; and the auditors
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of the army are authorized and directed forthwith to oblige the said officers to account, agreeable to the mode prescribed by the resolution of Congress of the sixth February last.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated September 15, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 559.]
An account of the moneys expended by the cloathier general was laid before Congress:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
Resolved, That Wednesday next be assigned for taking into consideration the department of the cloathier general.
Resolved, That on Saturdays and Wednesdays Congress meet at ten, and sit till three o'clock, P. M.
Adjourned to 9 o'Clock to Morrow.
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