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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, OCTOBER 15, 1778
A letter, of 16 September, from the navy board in the eastern district; one, of 6th instant from Jonathan Trumbull, Jun. Esq. and one of 25 September, from Meshech Weare, Esq. ∥president of New Hampshire,∥ were read.
A letter, of 6, from Governor Trumbull, with a memorial and petition of William Hoskins enclosed,1 was read:2
[Note 1: 1 The letter of the Navy Board is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 37, folio 125.]
[Note 2: 2 The letter of Jonathan Trumbull, Jr., is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XXII, folio 601; that of Weare, in No. 64, folio 45; that of Governor Trumbull, in No. 66, I, folio 414; and that of Hoskins, on folio 418.]
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of four:
The members chosen, Mr. R[ichard Henry] Lee, Mr. [Josiah] Bartlett, Mr. [Oliver] Ellsworth, and Mr. S [amuel] Adams.
An invoice of the cargo of theDuchess de Gramont, which arrived some time ago, was laid before Congress:
Ordered, That it be referred to the committee on cloathing.
The president addressed Congress as follows:
"Gentlemen: I informed you yesterday that I had received a letter from Mr. Izard. I have since perused it and find in it traits reflecting highly on Doct. Franklin in his public character; I have observed in this, the rule which guided me in the late case of Mr. Izard's letters. I have communicated the contents of the letter and papers accompanying it to no body. I have consulted no body, I act according to my own judgment unbiassed and impartial. Mr. Izard's wish that these papers may be communicated
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to Congress appears to me to preclude option on my part. I therefore offer the letter and papers; if the house is pleased to receive and have them read, I will deliver them to the secretary for that purpose. I have delayed offering these papers earlier in hopes of seeing a full house, and had directed the absent members to be summoned. I have not read any of the papers, the letter excepted.
Ordered, That the letter from Mr. Izard and the papers accompanying it be received and read.
A letter of 28 June, last, from Mr. R. Izard at Paris with sundry papers accompanying the same was then read.
Ordered to lie on the table for the perusal of the members.
At aBoard of War,October 2, 1778.
Present, Mr. Duer, Colonel Pickering and Mr. Peters.
The Board having taken into Consideration the Petition of Capt. Francis Tartanson, referred to them by Congress have examined into the Facts therein sett forth and find, That Captain Tartanson being a supernumerary Officer was sent to North Carolina to recruit, and on being appointed in the New Arrangement, came back with Col. Hazen's Regiment to Camp. That he incurred considerable Expence in his Journey to North Carolina, beside the Loss of an Horse, and whether Congress will think him entitled to the Expences of his Journey to N. Carolina as an Officer sent on Command or not, the Board are in Doubt, as no Allowance has heretofore been made to Officers in like Circumstances. His Baggage appears to be lost thro' a Want of Care, and the Board cannot ascertain its Value but from his own Account. It appears that he has conducted himself well while in our Service, that he is a brave Man and has been wounded at Germantown Battle. He is in Distress, and the Board can only recommend him as an Object of the Generosity of Congress, if they think it prudent to extend it. But as the Board have not discovered any Precedent for reimbursing Officers, however they may be Objects of private Concern, who have lost Baggage or Horses not in Battle, and are of Opinion ill Consequences
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would flow from establishing a Precedent, we therefore beg Leave to report to Congress,
That the Petition of Captain Francis Tartanson, late of the 3d N. Carolina Regiment, praying a Compensation for Baggage and an Horse lost by Accident and not in Battle, be dismissed.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, II, folio 293. It is indorsed: "Received in Congress, 12 o'Clock, 15th October, when Mr. I[zard]'s letters were in reading." No mention of it appears in the Journals.]
Three o'Clock p. m.
Congress having received intelligence that a number of vessels are engaged in New York by the commissioners of his Britannic majesty, to go with flags to the several states in this union, for the purpose of spreading among the inhabitants a manifesto and proclamation, published by the said commissioners at New York, on the third day of October inst. for the purposes of sedition, &c.
Ordered, That the said paper of intelligence be committed to a committee of five:
The members chosen, Mr. G[ouverneur] Morris, Mr. [William] Duel Mr. [John] Mathews, Mr. [Richard Henry] Lee, and Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry.
Adjourned to 9 o'Clock to Morrow.
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