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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 --FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1778
A letter, of 22, from Brigadier Stark, was read.1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 162, folio 213.]
A letter from le Chevalier de Mauduit du Plessis, lieutenant colonel of artillery; also a letter, of 14, from Major General Baron de Kalb, and one of 21, from General Washington, and a recommendation of the chevalier by the General, were read:
Ordered, That they be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. S[amuel] Adams, Mr. G[ouverneur] Morris and Mr. [William Henry] Drayton.
Ordered, That the letter of 27, from the Marquis de la Fayette, be referred to the said committee.
The Committee on the Treasury laid before Congress a letter from the commissioners of accounts in the northern department, which was read:2
[Note 2: 2 This letter, dated September 30, and signed by John Welles, Eleazar Wales and Edward Chinn, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 58, folio 293.]
Ordered, To lie on the table.
The Committee on the Treasury brought in a report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favour of Mr. James Lovell, a delegate from the State of Massachusetts bay, advanced upon his application, for the sum of fifteen hundred dollars to be charged to the said State:
That a warrant [issue] on the treasurer in favour of the pay master of the Board of War and Ordnance, for five hundred thousand dollars, to be by him transmitted to William Palfrey, Esq. pay master general, for the use of his department; who is to be accountable:3
[Note 3: 3 This report, dated October 29, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 651.]
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That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favour of the Hon. Henry Laurens, for three thousand five hundred dollars, to answer three sets of exchange, No. 3, for 2000 dollars, No. 13, for 1000, and No. 29, for 500 dollars: drawn by William Kennon, deceased, in favour of David Flowers, and bearing date the 14 April 1777; and that the same be charged to the said William Kennon, deceased:
That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favour of Mr. Cornelius Harnett, for three thousand and five hundred dollars, to answer five sets of exchange, Nos. 25 and 26, for 1000 dollars each, Nos. 33, 34, and 35, for 500 dollars each; drawn by the late William Kennon, deceased, in favour of David Flowers, and bearing date the 14 April 1777; and that the said sum of 3,500 dollars be charged to the account of the said William Kennon, deceased.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favour of Samuel Hillegas, for one hundred and sixty dollars, in full for his signing of loan office certificates.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated October 29, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 659.]
In consequence of an adjustment by the commissioners ∥of claims,∥ the auditor general reports,
That there is due to the officers and privates of Colonel Lewis Nicola's regiment of invalids, for rations and parts of rations retained from their first establishment to the 31 of May, 1778, a balance of six hundred and eighty-eight 50/90 dollars, as more fully appears by a particular state filed with the accounts:
∥That there is due∥ to the following gentlemen, to, at, and from camp, when sent as a committee of Congress in the past summer, viz.
To Mr. J[oseph] Reed, including the expence of entertaining some officers, 201 12/90 dollars; to Mr. J[ohn] Banister, 148 72/90 dollars; to Mr. R[oger] Sherman, 101 30/90 dollars; making in the whole, 451 24/90 dollars:
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That there is due to Francis Hopkinson, Esq. his pay as treasurer of loans, from the 27 July to 26 September, 1778, inclusive, five hundred dollars:
∥That there is due∥ to Patrick M'Closky, for his pay as express rider, from the first day of January to the 31 October, 1777, a balance of four hundred and eighteen dollars:1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated October 29, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 655.]
Ordered, That the said accounts be paid.
A letter, of 24, from Nicholas Depui, John Chambers, Benjamin Van Camp, &c., directed to his honour George Bryan, and enclosing copies of two affidavits, was laid before Congress, ∥and read∥:
Ordered, That the same be referred to General Washington, who is directed to take order thereon.
By the Congress of the United States of America.
MANIFESTO.
These United States having been driven to hostilities by the oppressive and tyrannous measures of Great Britain; having been compelled to commit the essential rights of man to the decision of arms; and having been at length forced to shake off a yoke which had grown too burthensome to bear; they declared themselves free and independent.
Confiding in the justice of their cause; confiding in Him, who disposes of human events; although weak and unprovided, they set the power of their enemies at defiance.
In this confidence they have continued through the various fortunes of three bloody campaigns, unawed by the power, unsubdued by the barbarity of their foes.
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Their virtuous citizens have borne, without repining, the loss of many things which make life desirable. Their brave troops have patiently endured the hardships and dangers of a situation fruitful in both, beyond former example.
The Congress considering themselves bound to love their enemies, as children of that Being who is equally the Father of All; and desirous, since they could not prevent, at least to alleviate the calamities of war, have studied to spare those who were in arms against them, and to lighten the chains of captivity.
The conduct of those serving under the king of Great Britain hath, with some few exceptions, been diametrically opposite. They have laid waste the open country, burned the defenceless villages, and butchered the citizens of America.
Their prisons have been the slaughter-houses of her soldiers, their ships of her seamen; and the severest injuries have been aggravated by the grossest insult.
Foiled in their vain attempt to subjugate the unconquerable spirit of freedom, they have meanly assailed the representatives of America with bribes, with deceit, and the servility of adulation. They have made a mock of humanity by the wanton destruction of men. They have made a mock of religion by impious appeals to God, whilst in the violation of his sacred commands: They have made a mock even of reason itself, by endeavouring to prove that the liberty and happiness of America could safely be entrusted to those who have sold their own, unawed by the sense of virtue or of shame.
Treated with the contempt which such conduct deserved, they have applied to individuals. They have solicited them to break the bonds of allegiance, and imbue their souls with the blackest of crimes. But fearing that
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none could be found through these United States equal to the wickedness of their purpose, to influence weak minds they have threatened more wide devastation.
While the shadow of hope remained that our enemies could be taught by our example, to respect those laws which are held sacred among civilized nations, and to comply with the dictates of a religion which they pretend in common with us to believe and revere, they have been left to the influence of that religion and that example. But since their incorrigible dispositions cannot be touched by kindness and compassion, it becomes our duty by other means to vindicate the rights of humanity.
We, therefore, the Congress of the United States of America, do solemnly declare and proclaim, that if our enemies presume to execute their threats, or persist in their present career of barbarity, we will take such exemplary vengeance, as shall deter others from a like conduct. We appeal to that God who searcheth the hearts of men, for the rectitude of our intentions: and in his holy presence we declare, that as we are not moved by any light and hasty suggestions of anger or revenge, so, through every possible change of fortune, we will adhere to this our determination.
Done in Congress, by unanimous consent, the thirtieth day of October, 1778.
H. L.President.
Attest. ∥C. T.Secretary.∥
A letter, of this day, from Major General Lee, was read:1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 158, folio 125.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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