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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 --MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1778
A letter, of 25 September, from Major General Sullivan, and one of 23d, of the same month, from Major General the Marquis de la Fayette, and one of the 18 of the same month, from Jonathan Trumbull, Esq. late pay master in the northern department, were read.
A letter, of 29 September, from General Washington, was read:
Ordered, That so much thereof as relates to the army, be referred to the Board of War.
A letter, of 29 September, from Major John Clark, one of the auditors in the army; a memorial of Captains Gilbert and Holmes; and a letter from John Beatty, commissary general of prisoners; were read;1 Whereupon,
[Note 1: 1 The letter of Sullivan is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 160, folio 193; that of Lafayette, in No. 156, folio 27; that of Trumbull, in No. 78, XXII, folio 595; that of Washington, in No. 152, VI, folio 387; that of Clark, in No. 78, V, folio 237; that of Gilbert, Holmes, and Beatty, in No. 41, III, folio 391.]
Ordered, That fifty thousand dollars in specie be advanced to Colonel John Beatty, commissary general of prisoners, for the use of the prisoners in the hands of the enemy, and to discharge the debts of those exchanged; and that the commissary general make monthly returns of his expenditures to the Board of Treasury.
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On application of the delegates of North Carolina, in pursuance of a resolve of the general assembly of that State, passed 30 April, 1778:
Ordered, That ten thousand dollars be advanced to the delegates of the State of North Carolina, for the use of that State, and for which the said State is to be accountable.
Resolved, That commissions be made out for the officers in Count Pulaski's legion, and despatched to them by express by the Board of War.1
[Note 1: 1 A list of commissions issued under this resolution, in the writing of Richard Peters, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 59, II, folio 123. The original list submitted by Pulaski is on folio 131, and a copy is on folio 127.]
A letter, of this day, from the Board of War, with a letter enclosed, relative to the enemy's appearance off Egg Harbour, was read: Whereupon,
Resolved, That a committee ofthree four be appointed to confer with the supreme executive council of the State of Pennsylvania, on the best means of repelling the enemy:
The members chosen, Mr. R[obert] Morris, Mr. [William] Duer, Mr. [Richard Henry] Lee, and Mr. [Joseph] Reed.
A letter, of 18 September, from Meshech Weare, president of the State of New Hampshire, was read;2 Whereupon,
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 64, folio 41.]
Congress took into consideration a report of the Board of Treasury of the 25 July, and thereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favour of the delegates of the State of New Hampshire, for one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, for the use of the said State, being advanced on the requisition of the same:
That another warrant issue on Nicholas Gilman, Esq. commissioner of the continental loan office in New Hampshire, for fifty thousand dollars, for the use of the said
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State, advanced upon the same application; for which sums, amounting to two hundred thousand dollars, the said State of New Hampshire is to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 423. It is endorsed "postponed."]
The Committee on the Treasury brought in a report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on John Gibson, Esq. auditor general, in favour of Mr. J[ohn] Banister, one of the delegates from the State of Virginia, for fifteen hundred dollars, advanced upon his application; for which the said State is to be accountable.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favour of Mr. C[ornelius] Harnett, one of the delegates of the State of North Carolina, for one thousand dollars, advanced upon his application; for which the said State is to be accountable:
The Committee on the Treasury having considered a Letter from Jonathan Brewer, Captain Lieutenant of Artillery of the 24th ulto. referred to them by Congress, beg leave to report:
That a report of the Board of War relative to the mode of paying prisoners the wages arising during the time of their captivityAgreed being now before Congress, Captain Brewer should receive his Pay according to the General Plan which may be adopted by Congress in Consequence of the said Report.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 597.]
That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favour of James Mease, Esq. cloathier general, for thirty thousand dollars, to be by him advanced to William Gardner, agent in New Hampshire, for compleating his purchases of cloathing and making up the same; the said cloathier general to be accountable.
Whereas, it is represented by several commissioners of the continental loan offices, that they have received for loan office certificates and lottery tickets of the United
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States, considerable sums in bills of credit emitted by states, who, by acts of their respective legislatures, have stopped the circulation of such bills:
Resolved, That it be recommended to the said states to direct their treasurers to receive such bills of credit from the said commissioners respectively, and deliver in exchange continental currency to the amount thereof; the said commissioners declaring, on oath, if required, that such bills were received by them in virtue of their office.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 603.]
In consequence of an adjustment by the commissioners of claims, the auditor general reports,
That there is due to Thomas Paine, secretary to the Committee for Foreign Affairs, his pay from the 17 of February, to the 17 September, 1778, being seven months, at 70 dollars per month, 490 dollars:2
[Note 2: 2 This report, dated October 3, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 601.]
Ordered, That the said account be paid.
According to order, the Board of War, having made return of the cloathing on hand, as far as has come to their knowledge, &c:
Ordered, That the same, together with the report of the committee on General Washington's letter of 4 August, be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. [Roger] Sherman, Mr. G[ouverneur] Morris and Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry.
Ordered, That the secretary purchase an atlas ∥for the use of Congress.∥
Ordered, That Mr. Carmichael attend this afternoon, at 4 o'clock, to be further examined.
∥Three o'Clock, p. m.∥
Resolved, That the legion, under command of Count Pulaski, be ordered to proceed immediately to assist in
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the defence of Little Egg Harbour against the attack now made by the enemy on that port:
That the Board of War be directed to take immediate measures for communicating this order to the Count.
Mr. Carmichael attending according to order, was called in, and being further examined, ∥was ordered to withdraw.∥
Information being given ∥to Congress∥ of a report that some of the officers belonging to the troops of the convention of Saratoga, have been permitted to go into New York on parole, and that such permission and paroles have been granted by the deputy commissary of prisoners in the eastern department:
Ordered, That the president write to Major General Heath on this subject, and direct him to enquire into this matter, and take order therein.
Adjourned to 9 o'Clock to Morrow.
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