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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, FEBRUARY 19, 1779
A petition from Major [Joseph, Count] Des Isnard and Captain [Victor, Chevalier] de Truisson, was read, praying, as they cannot find an immediate passage to France, to be admitted to serve the ensuing campaign in Count Pulaski's corps, the former with the pay of captain and the latter of lieutenant:1
[Note 1: 1 This petition is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, IV, folio 13.]
Resolved, That they be informed that the present arrangement and state of the army do not admit the granting the prayer of their petition.
A letter from J. Reed, president of the council of Pensylvania, was read,2 requesting that Congress would favor the council of Pensylvania, with copies of their proceedings against Captain Nicholson, on the complaint of Governor Johnson of Maryland; upon a like complaint made by Governor Henry, of Virginia, against an officer of the United States; and lately on a complaint made by New Jersey, or the governor thereof, against General Maxwell:
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 69, I, folio 613.]
Resolved, That the president be furnished with the copies desired.
A motion was made, that the president be informed, that the several states have a right to copies of public resolutions of Congress, upon applications being made to the secretary therefor by their delegates.
On this the previous question was moved, and the yeas and nays thereon being required by Mr. M[eriwether] Smith,
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So it passed in the affirmative, and the main question was set aside.
A letter, of 18th, from Sarah Kennedy, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A memorial from eleven officers of the North Carolina prisoners, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War.
A letter, of 18, from the Board of War was read:1
[Note 1: 1 The Kennedy letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XIII, folio 501; the officers' memorial is in No. 41, VII, folio 231. It is signed by Lachlan Mackinnon and Donald Macleod. The letter of the Board of War is in No. 147, III, folio 71.]
Ordered, That so much thereof as relates to the department of the commissary of hides be referred to the Board of War, and that the Board prepare and report a plan for conducting the business of that department, and that the
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remainder be referred to the committee lately appointed to confer with the Commander in Chief.
The Committee on the Treasury brought in a report: Whereupon,
Resolved, That 5,000,160 dollars in bills of credit of the United States, be emitted under the direction of the Board of Treasury, and on the faith of the United States:
That the bills, excepting the numbers, be of the same tenor and date as the emission directed on the 3d of February instant and be numbered from the last number in each denomination progressively, and consist of the following denominations, viz.
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated February 19, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 111.]
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Mr. O[liver] Ellsworth, for 200 dollars, to discharge two bills drawn by John Ashe, treasurer of the State of North Carolina, on the continental treasurer, dated 10 May, 1777, in favour of Francis Child, for 100 dollars each, and expressed to be for the service of the United States, for which sum the State of North Carolina is to be accountable.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Mr. O[liver] Ellsworth, delegate from the State of Connecticut, for 1200 dollars advanced upon his application; for which the said State is to be accountable.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of the delegates for the State of Virginia, for twenty thousand dollars advanced upon their application, for the use of, and for which the said State is to be accountable.
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That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Mr. H[enry] Laurens, for 3394 15/90 dollars, being the ballance of his accounts, of payments made by him to express riders and to his two secretaries, to the 15 December last.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of the Marine Committee, on their application, for 500,000 dollars for the use of the Navy Board of the eastern district, the said Marine Committee to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated February 19, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 113.]
That agreeable to an order of Congress of May 15, 1777, in pursuance of which no warrant issued, a warrant issue on Nathaniel Appleton Esq. commissioner of the continental loan office in Massachusetts bay, in favour of himself, for 35,100 dollars, it being in full of two orders drawn by Abraham Livingston and William Turnbull on Robert Morris, Esq. in favour of the said Nathaniel Appleton, one dated at Boston, March 5, 1777, for 20,100 dollars, and the other dated at the same place March 17th, 1777, for 15,000 dollars; and that the same be charged to James Mease, Esq. who is to be furnished with a copy of this order.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, dated February 12, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 99. On the same sheet, under date of February 13, the committee nominate Peter Fell to the office of Secretary to the Board of Treasury.]
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Mr. T[homas] Burke, in discharge of a bill of the 10 May, 1777, drawn by John Ashe, treasurer of the State of North Carolina, on the continental treasurer, in favor of Ensign John Raiford, for two hundred and fifty dollars, expressed to be for pay and subsistance of the continental troops in their State, which sum is to be charged to the State of North Carolina, being part of the sum heretofore granted to the said State.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favour of William Henry, of Lancaster, for eighty thousand dollars,
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advanced upon the application of the Board of War and Ordnance, for the payment of leather, accoutrements and shoes for the army, and the repairing of arms; for which he is to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated February 17, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 109.]
Whereas by the deposition of Samuel Inglis, it appears to the Committee of the Treasury, that the facts set forth in his petition to Congress of the 9th December last, are truly stated; and that about the 9th October last, having in his possession five sets of bills of exchange, dated 21 September last, and issued by Thomas Smith, Esq. commissioner of the continental loan office in Pensylvania, on the commissioner or commissioners of the United States in Paris, in favour of Robert Bridges, to the amount of 5130 livres tournois, for payment of interest due on loan office certificates, he the said Samuel Inglis, to prevent the enemy from getting possession of the said bills, did destroy them, and that they consisted of the following denominations, viz.
One thousand twenty-six dollars at five livres tournois per dollar, is 5130 livres tournois:
Resolved, That the treasurer of loans be directed to sign and deliver to the said Thomas Smith, Esq. to be by him issued to the said Robert Bridges, five sets of exchange, amounting to 5130 livres tournois, of the tenor and date aforesaid, excepting that each set is to consist of the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th bills, and to specify in the body of each bill that one only of the eight is to be paid: provided that the said Samuel Inglis shall, previous to the issuing of the said bills, give to the said treasurer of loans a bond in the penalty of 20,000 dollars, with sufficient sureties, payable
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to the President of Congress, or his successor in office, for the benefit of the United States, for indemnifying the public or any person or persons who may be interested therein, from the payment of any of the original bills of exchange aforesaid:
Resolved, That the treasurer of loans furnish the said Robert Bridges, with quadruplicate letters of advice, each containing an attested copy of the preceding resolution, to the commissioner or commissioners of the United States at Paris.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated February 15, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 107.]
The Committee of the Treasury, having received proper recommendations of Peter Fell, beg leave to nominate him to the orifice of secretary to the Board of Treasury.
Ordered, That Mr. [Oliver] Ellsworth have leave of absence.
The Delegates of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations having, in pursuance of an act of said State passed January Session, 1779, represented to Congress, that, from the loss of its trade, from the necessary decrease of husbandry, owing to the enemy's being in its bowels, on account of the great number of inhabitants who have left Rhode island destitute of the necessaries of life, the said State is rendered unable to pay so large a proportion of the fifteen million dollars which the United States are called on to pay in the current year as is assigned to it by the Resolution of the [fifth of January], Therefore,
Resolved, That the Quota for said State be reduced to two hundred thousand dollars.2
[Note 2: 2 This motion, in the writing of William Ellery, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, IV, folio 31.]
Ordered, That the Marine Committee give directions to have one of the continental frigates prepared for sea with all expedition.
Adjourned to 10 oClock to Morrow.
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