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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 --WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1778
A letter, of 26 August, from Count d'Estaing, was read:1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 164, folio 555.]
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of four, who are directed to prepare the draught of an answer:
The members chosen, Mr. R[ichard] H[enry] Lee, Mr. S[amuel] Adams, Mr. G[ouverneur] Morris, and Mr. [James] Lovell.
A letter, of this day, from John and Alexander Wilcox, was read:2 Whereupon,
[Note 2: 2 This letter is printed in thePennsylvania Archives, VI, 740.]
Ordered, That the report of the committee appointed, in conjunction with the committee of the council of Pen sylvania, to ascertain the property of goods, wares, and merchandise, ∥in possession of the inhabitants of the city of Philadelphia, at the time it was evacuated by the enemy,∥ be taken into consideration on Friday next.
The Committee on the Treasury brought in a report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on Thomas Smith, Esq. commissioner of the loan office in the State of Pennsylvania, for 7,000 dollars, and another warrant on the treasurer for 23,000 dollars, in favour of William Henry, Esq. employed in the business of the armory, and to purchase leather, accoutrements, and shoes; to enable him to carry on his purchases; which sums are advanced on a certificate of the Board of War, to be charged to the account of the said William Henry:
That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favour of the Marine Committee, for 20,000 dollars, to be by them transmitted
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to Messrs. Maxwell and Loyal, agents for building of frigates in Virginia, to enable them to go on with the building of one of the frigates, and pay off debts already contracted on account of the said frigates: the said committee to be accountable:
That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favour of Mr. J[osiah] Bartlett, one of the delegates from the State of New Hampshire, for 1500 dollars, advanced on his application; for which the said State is to be accountable.
The Board of Treasury, to whom was referred the letter of 29 of August, from the Board of War, enclosing a letter and sundry papers from Lieutenant Colonel Mullens, relative to the settlement of his accounts, report,
That, upon revising Colonel Mullens' account, they find it was settled upon just principles; that he can have no claim of right to receive, in a bill of exchange on France, the sum there reported to be paid by a warrant on the treasurer; and that he apply for the payment of a horse shot under him, agreeable to a resolution of Congress of the 12th day of August last:1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated September 7, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 531.]
Resolved, That Congress agree to the said report.
In consequence of an adjustment by the commissioners of claims, the auditor general reports,
That there is due to William Kinnan, for printing bills of exchange and loan office certificates, his pay and boarding, from 9 March to 31 August, 1778, inclusive, the sum of 628 58/90 dollars:
That there is due to Henry Miller, for printing in German 6100 copies of proposals intended to be conveyed to the foreign officers and soldiers in the British service in the year 1776, twenty dollars:
That there is due to Belcher P. Smith, his pay as clerk in the secretary's office, from the 6 February to the 5th
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September, 1778, 595 dollars, and for blank books and other contingencies of the office, 63 30/90 dollars, making in the whole, 658 30/90 dollars:1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 535.]
Ordered, That the said accounts be paid.
∥On motion,∥Resolved, That the retreat made by Major General Sullivan, with the troops under his command, from Rhode Island, was prudent, timely, and well conducted, and that Congress highly approve of the same.
Resolved, That the thanks of Congress be given to Major General Sullivan, and to the officers and troops under his command, for their fortitude and bravery, displayed in the action of the 29th August, in which they repulsed the British forces and maintained the field.
Resolved, That Congress have a high sense of the patriotic exertions made by the four eastern states on the late expedition against Rhode Island.
Resolved, That Mr. President be requested to inform the Marquis de la Fayette, that Congress have a due sense of the sacrifice he made of his personal feelings in undertaking a journey to Boston, with a view of promoting the interest of these states, at a time when an occasion was daily expected of his acquiring glory in the field, and that his gallantry in going on Rhode Island when the greatest part of the army had retreated, and his good conduct in bringing off the pickets and out-sentries, deserves their particular approbation.
Resolved, That Major Morris, aid de camp to Major General Sullivan, who brought forward to Congress the account of the repulse of the British forces on Rhode Island, on the 29 August, and who, on the late expedition as well as on several other occasions, behaved with great spirit and good conduct, be promoted to the rank of a lieutenant colonel by brevet.
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A motion was made to reconsider the resolution, approving the retreat from Rhode Island: and the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [William] Duer,
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So it passed in the negative.
The motion was then made, "That an enquiry be made into the causes of the failure of the late expedition against Rhode Island, agreeably to the resolution of Congress of November 28, 1777, and that General Washington be directed to cause this inquiry to be made as soon as the same can be conveniently done, and transmit the proceedings of the court to Congress:" Whereupon,
The previous question was moved, and the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [William] Duer,
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So it was resolved in the affirmative, and the main question set aside.
Adjourned to 9 o'Clock to Morrow.
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