| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |
A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1778
Mr. E. [Thomas] Burke and Mr. Whitmill Hill, two delegates from North Carolina, attended and took their seats.
A letter, of 4, from Count Pulaski, was read.
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War.
A letter, of 29 November, from Brigadier Varnum, was read, requesting leave to resign:2
[Note 2: 2 The letter of Pulaski is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 164, folio 80; that of Varnum is in No. 78, XXIII, folio 153.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War.
A letter, of 8, from Samuel Curson, was read, praying for a settlement of his account and discharge of the debt due to him ∥by the United States.∥
Ordered, That it be referred to the Commercial Committee, and that they settle Mr. Curson's accounts, and report the balance due thereon.
Page 1216 | Page image
A memorial from Hon. Sieur Gérard, minister plenipotentiary of France, enclosing a declaration, was laid before Congress:
Ordered, That the declaration be translated and delivered to the Marine Committee, and that they take order thereon.
A paper of information, signed Edward Leger, and dated December 14, 1778, was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a committee of three be appointed to confer with his excellency the president of the State of Pensylvania, and to take proper measures for detecting and securing persons of suspicious characters in Philadelphia:
The members chosen, Mr. [Thomas] M'Kean, Mr. [William Henry] Drayton, and Mr. [James] Duane.
Ordered, That the paper of information be referred to the foregoing committee.
A letter, of 14 November, from Governor Johnson, of Maryland, was read:1
[Note 1: 1 The letter of Governor Johnson is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 70, folio 301.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Marine Committee.
A letter, of 5, from R[ichard] H[enry] Lee, Esq. was read, enclosing a letter of the 12 November, from W. Cabell, with sundry depositions relative to the purchase of tobacco by Mr. C[arter] Braxton and Mr. Gabriel Penn.
Resolved, That a new Committee of Commerce be appointed, to consist of five members:
That any three of the members be empowered to transact business:
That the said committee be empowered to employ clerks and book keepers, and that they take charge of all the books and papers of the Secret Committee, and the late
Page 1217 | Page image
Committee of Commerce; and that they be empowered to call to account the said committees, and all other persons entrusted with public moneys for commercial purposes; and in general to conduct the commercial affairs of the United States:
The members chosen, Mr. [Henry] Laurens, Mr. M[eriwether] Smith, Mr. [Francis] Lewis, Mr. [James] Searle, and Mr. [John] Fell.
Ordered, That the letter from Mr. R[ichard] H[enry] Lee, and the papers accompanying it, be referred to the foregoing committee.
The Committee on the Treasury brought in a report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That there be advanced to Colonel Isaac Melcher, barrack master general, fifty thousand dollars, for the use of his department, and for which he is to be accountable:
That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favor of Jeremiah Wadsworth, Esq. commissary general of purchases, for two millions of dollars:
Another warrant in his favor on Thomas Harwood, Esq. commissioner of the continental loan office in the State of Maryland, for two hundred thousand dollars; and that another warrant issue in his favor on Thomas Smith, Esq. commissioner of the continental loan office in the State of Pensylvania, for two hundred thousand dollars; all which sums, amounting to two million four hundred thousand dollars, are for the use of the said commissary general's department, and for which he is to be accountable:
That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favor of John Baynton, Esq. pay master in the western district, for fifty thousand dollars, for the use of his department, and for which he is to be accountable:
Page 1218 | Page image
Resolved, That ten million one hundred dollars, in bills of credit, be emitted under the direction of the Board of Treasury, and on the faith of the United States:
That the bills shall, excepting the numbers, be of the same tenor and date as the emission directed on the 26 day of September last, and be numbered from the last number in each denomination progressively, and to consist of the following denominations,
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated December 12, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 761]
In consequence of an adjustment by the commissioners of claims, the auditor general reports,
That there is due to three companies of volunteers, raised in Bedford County, Pensylvania, for the defence of the forntiers, commanded by Captains Thomas Cluggage, Henry Black and John McDonald, their bounty and pay from their first enlistment to the 31 July, 1778, inclusive, two thousand five hundred and twenty six dollars and 68/90.2
[Note 2: 2 In the margin is written: "The warrant not drawn, because not mentioned to whom. See February 9, 1779."]
That there is due to Captain Henry Antis, and Captain Stephen Chambers, for their own and Mr. Moffet's expences from Northumberland county, Pensylvania, to Philadelphia, and while detained in this city, having been sent on public service to the Board of War, one hundred and fifty three and 30/90 dollars:
Page 1219 | Page image
That there is due to Andrew Paul, his pay as corporal in Captain James Willing's company at New Orleans, up to the 12 of December, 1778, and for his expences from New Orleans to Philadelphia, with despatches for Congress, four hundred and twenty six and 73/90 dollars:
That there is due to the Rev. Mr. Lotbinier, his pay and subsistence as chaplain to Colonel James Livingston's regiment, from 11 November, to 10 December, inclusive, 60 dollars:1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated December 12, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 757.]
Ordered, That the said accounts be paid.
A motion being made for cloathes for the battalion of North Carolina forces, commanded by Colonel Hogan;
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War, and that they report specially thereon.
Adjourned to 6, and from thence to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
PREVIOUS SECTION .. NEXT SECTION .. NAVIGATOR
| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |