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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 --SATURDAY, JANUARY 16, 1779
A letter, of this day, from Mark Freeman and others,1 was read; Whereupon,
[Note 1: 1 The Freeman letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, IX, folio 233.]
Ordered, That the report of the committee, respecting goods taken for public service, after the evacuation of Philadelphia, be taken up and considered on Monday next.
The Committee on the Treasury brought in a report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer, for two thousand dollars, in favour of the delegates of the State of Connecticut, advanced upon their application; for which the said State is to be accountable.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of David Mosely, copper plate printer, for two hundred dollars, advanced him on account.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of William Kennon, copper plate printer, for four hundred dollars, advanced him on account.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Thomas Reed, Esq. deputy paymaster general, for one hundred thousand dollars, for the use of the northern department; and that William Palfrey, Esq. paymaster general, who is to be accountable, be furnished with a copy of this order.
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That a warrant issue on James Warren, Esq., in favour of the Marine Committee, to be by them transmitted to the Navy Board in the eastern district, for five hundred and seventy six dollars, being part of the deficiency allowed on settlement of his account, and returned by Colonel Laommi Baldwin, who received it by mistake.
The Board having considered a report of the Commercial Committee, of the 4th instant, referred to them by Congress, beg leave to report:
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of the Commercial Committee, for five thousand six hundred and sixty six dollars and 60/90, to enable them to make payment to John Pringle for the ship Mercury, condemned at Whitehaven and ensured by the said committee; who are to be accountable.
The Board ∥ of Treasury ∥ having considered a letter from the commissioners of accounts in the northern department of the 12 November, and another of the 29 December last, report,
That Eleazer Wales and Edward Chin, Esqrs. two of the commissioners of accounts in the northern department, continue their office at Albany until the 1st of April next, and then repair with their books and papers to the Board of Treasury; and that John Wells, Esq. be informed that his immediate attendance is necessary in the chamber of accounts:
Resolved, That Congress agree to the said report.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Major General Greene, quarter master general, for fifteen hundred thousand dollars, for the use of his department; for which he is to be accountable.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of the Marine Committee, on their application for fifty thousand dollars, and another warrant on John Lawrence, Esq. commissioner of the continental loan office, in the
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State of Connecticut, for one hundred thousand dollars, in their favor, which two sums, amounting to one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, are to be transmitted to the navy board in the eastern district, and for which the said committee is to be accountable.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Nathaniel Eustis, upon the application of Doctor Isaac Forster, deputy director general of the eastern district, agreeable to his letter of the 28 December last, for twenty five thousand dollars; and
That another warrant issue on Nathaniel Appleton, Esq. commissioner of the continental loan office, in the State of Massachusetts bay, in favour of the said Doctor Isaac Forster, for fifty thousand dollars; for which two sums, amounting to seventy five thousand dollars, the said deputy director general is to be accountable; it being for the use of his department.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favour of the delegates of the State of Massachusetts bay, for six thousand dollars, advanced on their application; for which the said State is to be accountable.
The Board of Treasury farther report,
That having given proper directions relative to that part of the letter from the board of war, in the State of Massachusetts bay, of December last, which relates to the brig Friendship and schooner, Laurens, they are of opinion, that the letter be now referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, that instructions may be given, relative to the snow, Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St. Antonio.
Resolved, That Congress agree to the said report.
The Board of Treasury farther report, That they having considered two reports from the Commercial Committee, of 6th and 13 instant, are of opinion, That the Commercial Committee be directed to ascertain the sums
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due in continental currency to Mr. Samuel Curson, and other persons mentioned in the said reports, and to transmit certificates thereof to the Board of Treasury.
Resolved, That Congress agree to the said report.
Resolved, That the commissioners of the treasury be authorized to direct the treasurer to exchange, for any officers entrusted with public money by the United States, such part thereof not having been expended by him as he shall declare on oath to be in his possession in bills of the emissions of May 20, 1777, and April 11, 1778.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated January 14 and 15, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 35.]
The delegates of Pensylvania laid before Congress a letter of 14, from the president of that State, in Council, instructing them to apply to Congress for an advance of sixty thousand pounds for the use of that State; Whereupon,2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 69, I. folio 563.]
On motion, Resolved, That the sum of one hundred and sixty thousand dollars be advanced to the State of Pensylvania; the said State to be accountable.
The committee appointed to regulate the affairs of the post office, to whom was referred the memorial of Richard Bache Esq., brought in a report; Whereupon
Resolved, That there be advanced out of the public treasury to Richard Bache, Esq., postmaster general, twenty thousand dollars, to enable him to pay the debts and charges of his department, to the fifth January, instant, and further to execute the duties thereof; he to be accountable.3
[Note 3: 3 This report, in the writing of Samuel Adams, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 61, folio 455.]
The committee on the treasury, who were directed to extract from the journals the several resolutions respecting finance, in order that they may be printed, report that they have executed that business, and are of opinion
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that the circular letter and the resolutions of the 2, and 5 instant be printed on one sheet; that the others be printed in a separate sheet; that 100 copies of each be struck off; and that the circular letter to the states be signed by the President, with such a direction or preface as he shall judge proper; that after the word Georgia in the apportionment of the 15,000,000 to be raised by the states agreeable to the resolution of the 5, be inserted the following words, "being invaded is hereafter to raise her proportion."
Resolved, That Congress agree to the said report.
Congress took into consideration the letters from Thomas Paine; Whereupon, a motion was made,
That Mr. Thomas Paine, secretary to the Committee of Foreign Affairs, be dismissed from office.1
[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of Meriwether Smith, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 55, folio 22.]
To which an amendment was offered as a substitute in the following words:
"That Thomas Paine be directed to attend at the bar of this House on Monday next, at 11 o'clock, to answer whether he had any direction or permission from the Committee of Foreign Affairs, for the publications of which, he confessed ∥ himself ∥ to be the author when he was before the House on the 6th day of January last."2
[Note 2: 2 This amendment, in the writing of Thomas Burke, is on folio 22.]
Another amendment was moved as a substitute to both the foregoing propositions in the words following:
"Whereas Congress were about to proceed against Thomas Paine, secretary to the Committee of Foreign Affairs, for certain publications and letters as being inconsistent with his official character and duty, when the said Thomas Paine resigned his office; thereupon,
Resolved, That the said Thomas Paine is dismissed from any farther service in the said office, and the Committee
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of Foreign Affairs are directed to call upon said Paine, and receive of him on oath all public letters, papers and documents in his possession."1
[Note 1: 1 This amendment, in the writing of Jesse Root, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 55, folio 19.]
A fourth amendment was moved as a substitute to the whole in the words following:
"Resolved, That the Committee of Foreign Affairs be directed to take out of the possession of Thomas Paine, all the public papers entrusted to him as secretary to that committee, and then discharge him from that office."2
[Note 2: 2 This amendment, endorsed "Mr. Paca's," but in the writing of Charles Thomson, is on folio 20.]
When the question was about to be put, a division was called for, and the question being put to adopt the first part: passed in the affirmative.
On the question to adopt the second part, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [James] Lovell:
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So it was resolved in the affirmative.
The question being then about to be put on the main question, a division was called for, and the yeas and nays being required on the first part by Mr. [Thomas] M'Kean,
Resolved, unanimously, in the affirmative.
On the question to agree to the second clause, namely, "and then discharge him from that office," the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [John] Penn,
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So the states being divided the clause was lost.
Adjourned to 10 oClock on Monday.
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