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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, SEPTEMBER 26, 1778
Ordered, That Mr. W. Carmichael be directed to attend at the bar of this house on Monday afternoon at three o'clock, to be examined, touching the matters set forth in the resolutions of 22d.
Ordered, That Tuesday afternoon be assigned for hearing the hon. Silas Deane, and that he be notified to attend on that day at three o'clock.
A letter, of 26, from Colonel George Morgan, was read.
Ordered, That the consideration thereof be postponed to Monday next.
A letter, of 25, from Messrs. John and Alexander Wilcox, was read;1 Whereupon,
[Note 1: 1 The letter of Morgan is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 163, folio 305; that of Wilcocks is printed inPennsylvania Archives, VI, 754.]
Congress resumed the consideration of the report of the committee appointed, in conjunction with a committee of the executive council of Pensylvania, to determine the property of goods, wares and merchandise, &c. ∥after debate,∥2
[Note 2: 2 From this point, to the end of the day, the entries were made by Belcher P. Smith.]
Resolved, That the state of facts reported by the committee of Congress, in conjunction with the committee
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appointed by the Supreme Executive Council of the State of Pennsylvania, be submitted to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. [Joseph] Reed, Mr. G[ouverneur] Morris, and Mr. [James] Smith.
A letter, of the 24, from Mr. John Wharton, requesting leave to resign his office as member of the navy board for the middle district was read:1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XXIII, folio 565.]
Resolved, That his resignation be accepted.
Ordered, That the resolution of yesterday, relative to pensions, be published.
Congress resumed the consideration of the report of the committee on the arrangement of the treasury; Whereupon Congress entered into the following resolutions:
Resolved, That a house be provided, at the city or place where Congress shall sit, wherein shall be held the several offices of the treasury:
That there be the following offices, viz., the comptroller's, auditor's, treasurer's, and two chambers of accounts:
That each chamber of accounts consist of three commissioners and two clerks, to be appointed by Congress:
That in the treasurer's office there be a treasurer annually2 appointed by Congress, and one clerk appointed by the treasurer:
[Note 2: 2 The word "annually" was added in Congress.]
That in the auditor's office there be an auditor annually2 appointed by Congress, and two clerks appointed by the auditor:
That in the comptroller's office there be a comptroller annually2 appointed by Congress, and two clerks appointed by the comptroller:
That the auditor, treasurer, and comptroller shall not be appointed unless by the voice of nine states, and that that they be accountable for the conduct of their clerks respectively:
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That the auditor shall receive all accounts brought against the United States for money lent, expended, or advanced; goods sold or purchased; services performed or work done, with the vouchers, and shall refer them to one of the chambers of accounts, endorsing them in the manner marked A:
That the commissioners of the chamber to whom an account shall be referred shall deliver the same to their clerks, to be properly stated:
That the clerks shall state the accounts referred to them by the commissioners, number and arrange the vouchers, examine the castings, and make necessary copies:
That the clerks, to whom an account shall be delivered, after they have compleated the same, shall endorse it in the manner marked B:
That the commissioners to whom an account is referred as aforesaid, shall carefully examine the authenticity of the vouchers, (rejecting such as shall not appear good,) compare them with the articles to which they relate, and determine whether they support the charges; that they shall reduce such articles as are overcharged, and reject such as are improper, and shall endorse the accounts in the manner marked C, and transmit them, with the vouchers, to the auditor, and cause an entry to be made of the balances passed:
That the auditor shall receive the vouchers and accounts from the commissioners to whom he referred them, and cause them to be examined by his clerks. He shall compare the several articles with the vouchers, and if the parties concerned shall appeal from the judgment of the commissioners, he shall call before him the commissioners and the party, and hear them, and then make determination, from whence no appeal shall lie, unless to Congress. That after a careful examination of the account as aforesaid
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said, he shall endorse it in the manner marked D, of which endorsement he shall send a duplicate, to be filed in the same chamber of accounts, and shall transmit the account and vouchers to the comptroller:
That the comptroller shall keep the treasury books and seal, and shall file all the accounts and vouchers on which the accounts in the said books are founded, and shall direct the manner of stating and keeping the public accounts. He shall draw bills under the said seal, on the treasurer, for such sums as shall be due by the United States, on accounts audited,[which, previous to the payment, shall be countersigned by the auditor,]1 and also for such sums as may, from time to time, be ordered by resolutions of Congress, [which previous to the payment, shall be countersigned by the Secretary of Congress,]1 in the form marked E. That when monies are due to the United States, on accounts audited, he shall notify the debtor, and, (after hearing him, if he shall desire to be heard,) fix a day, for payment, [according to the circumstances of the case, not exceeding ninety days,]1 of which he shall give notice to the auditor, in writing, in the form marked F.
That it shall be the duty of the treasurer to receive and keep the moneys of the United States, and to issue them on bills drawn by the comptroller as aforesaid, filing duplicates thereof with the auditor, day by day, as he shall make payment: that, on receipt of monies, he shall give a receipt therefor, and transmit the same to the comptroller; and that he shall draw out and settle his accounts quarterly, giving the same in to the auditor for examination, by one of the chambers of accounts, to be from thence transmitted, through the auditor, to the comptroller, who shall compare the same with the treasury books, ascertain the balance, and return a copy of the same to Congress;that they may know what monies are in the Treasury.
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That the comptroller shall receive from the treasurer all receipts by him signed, and after making due entry thereof, by charging the treasurer and crediting the proper accounts, he shall endorse the same in the manner marked G, and deliver them to the party who made payment: that he shall, every quarter of a year, cause a list of the balances on the treasury books to be made out by his clerks, and lay it before Congress. That, where any person hath received public monies, which remain unaccounted for, or shall be otherwise indebted to the United States, or have an unsettled account with them, he shall issue a summons in the form marked H, in which a reasonable time shall be given for the appearance of the party, according to the distance of his place of residence from the treasury, of which he shall notify the auditor:
That, in case a party summoned to account shall not appear, nor make good essoign, the auditor, on proof made of service in due time or other sufficient notice, shall make out a requisition in the form marked I, which he shall send to the comptroller's office where the same shall be sealed, and then it shall be sent to the executive authority of the State in which the party shall reside:
That it be recommended to the several states to enact laws for the taking of such persons, and also to seize the property of persons who, being indebted to the United States, shall neglect or refuse to pay the same; notice whereof shall be given by the auditor to the executive authority of the respective states, in the form marked K, under the treasury seal:
That the several officers of the treasury do, before they take upon them the execution of their offices respectively, before the President of Congress for the time being, make and subscribe the following oath, viz.
I, A. B., in the treasury of the United States, solemnly and sincerely swear, promise and declare, in the presence of Almighty
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God, that I will, diligently and faithfully, according to the best of my skill and understanding, in all things do my duty as a, as aforesaid, without fear, favor, affection, or partiality.
A. B.Auditor.
A. B.Auditor.
(L. S.) You are required to pay the sum of ... to ... or his order, according to (say either account audited, &c. &c. or a resolution of Congress, &c.) whereof entry is made the ... day of ... in the year &c.
N. O.Comptroller.
N. O.Comptroller.
N. O.Comptroller.
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the United States, at ... , then and there to adjust and settle your accounts, whereof take notice. Given the ... day of ... in the year &c.
N. O.Comptroller.
(L. S.) The United States having summoned ... to account, the which he hath neglected to do, it is their request that you cause to be taken and sent the said ... to be before them, on the ... day of ... next, before the auditor in their treasury, at ... , then and there to account; that justice may in this behalf be done. Given the ... day of ... &c.
Witness, ... A. B.Auditor.
(L. S.) Whereas ... hath been, before us in our treasury, found to be indebted in the sum of ... , the which sum was by his assent to be paid before the ... day of ... in the year &c, but is not yet paid, or in any manner satisfied. These therefore are thereof to notify you, to the end that you, according to the powers and authorities unto you given, may of the estate of the said ... cause to be made the sum aforesaid, with the costs and charges which may accrue: and of your proceedings in the premises you are desired to certify us in our said treasury, with all convenient speed. Given at ... on the ... day of ... , &c.
Witness, ... A. B.Auditor.
That in the blanks of the forms above written, no figures be used either for dates or sums; but that the same be distinctly and plainly set in words at length, and without erazures or interlineations.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Gouverneur Morris, is in the Papers of the Continenta Congress, No. 26, folio 15. It is endorsed: "Laid on the table by Mr. R. Morris, Saturday, 26 September."]
Resolved, That a committee be appointed to prepare a seal for the treasury and for the navy:
That the committee consist of three.
The members chosen, Mr. [John] Witherspoon, Mr. G[ouverneur] Morris, and Mr. [Richard Henry] Lee.
The committee to whom were referred the letters of the Board of War, of the 2[1 and 29 ultimo], relative to the
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cannon imported into North Carolina, having brought ina report:
Resolved, That the consideration thereof be postponed to Monday next.
The Board of Treasury brought in a report; Whereupon,
Resolved, That ten million one hundred dollars be emitted in bills of credit ∥on the faith∥ of the United States, under the direction of the Board of Treasury:
That two new cuts be used in striking the said bills, one of the denomination of sixty, the other of fifty dollars, in place of the four and six dollar cuts of the former emissions:
That the form of the bills be as follows:
No.dollars.
This bill entitles the bearer to receiveSpanish milled dollars, or the value thereof in gold or silver, according to a resolution passed by Congress, at Philadelphia, September 26, 1778:
That each denomination or class of bills be numbered from the number one progressively:
That the thirteen United States be pledged for the redemption of the bills of credit now ordered to be emitted.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated September 25, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 573.]
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Resolved, That Charles Alexander, Richard Eyres and Samuel Lyon, be appointed signers of the bills of credit, in addition to those already appointed.
Adjourned to Monday, 9 o'Clock.
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