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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, JANUARY 1, 1779
A letter, of 31 December, from General Washington, was read, respecting Brigadier du Portail, and the engineers of his corps:1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, VII, folio 35.]
Whereupon, the report from the Board of War to whom was referred a letter of 16 November last from General Washington on the same subject, was called for, and the same being taken into consideration, Congress came to the following resolutions:
Whereas General Washington has expressed his opinion of the merit and abilities of Brigadier General du Portail, as being well acquainted with the branch which he professes, and a gentleman of real knowledge in military science in general, and has a very favourable opinion of Messrs. la Radière, Laumoy, and de Gouvion, who have served with reputation as engineers in the army of the United States; and has represented that in his judgment they will be necessary and useful in future operations:
Resolved, That Brigadier du Portail, and Messrs. la Radière, Laumoy, and de Gouvion, be retained in the service of the United States as engineers for another
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campaign, if agreeable to their inclinations, and permission can be obtained therefor from his most Christian Majesty or his minister plenipotentiary.
Resolved, That the Board of War be directed to confer with Mons. Gérard on the subject, and in case Brigadier du Portail, and the other engineers shall conclude to remain in the service of the United States, that the Board report to Congress a proper arrangement and appointments for a corps of engineers:1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated December --, 1778, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, II, folio 431. The members present were Roger Sherman, Francis Lightfoot Lee and Richard Peters.]
A letter, of 5 December, from Major General Gates was read, with sundry papers enclosed.
Ordered, That the same be referred to the Board of War.
A letter, of 27 August last, from Honorable John Adams, at Passy, was read.
A letter, of 6 December, from Stephen Ward was read:2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XXIII, folio 579.]
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three.
The members chosen: Mr. [William Henry] Drayton, Mr. [Thomas] Burke, and Mr. [John] Fell.
A letter from Governor Trumbull, of Connecticut, to the delegates of that State, and enclosing a copy of a memorial from officers of the line of that State, was laid before Congress, and read:3
[Note 3: 3 Trumbull's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 66, I, folio 438. The memorial is on folio 443. There are no signatures, and it is dated, Camp Fredricksburg, October 3, 1778.]
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen: Mr. M[eriwether] Smith, Mr. [Jesse] Root and Mr. [Samuel John] Atlee.
A memorial from Captain Labadie was read.
The order of the day was called for; whereupon,
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A motion was made to re-consider the 9th proposition passed yesterday ∥relative to finance: ∥ viz. That any of the bills of credit emitted by order of Congress prior to the year 1780, and no others, be received in payment of the said quotas.
On which the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Thomas] Burke.1
[Note 1: 1 Here followed the names of the members, but the votes were not recorded.]
After debate the determination of the question was postponed till to morrow, by the State of North Carolina.
Resolved, That the Committee of the Treasury be directed to give to the several states, the necessary information respecting the new emissions of bills for such as have been counterfeited, and to the commissioners of the loan offices, proper instructions relative to the indented certificates to be given for bills to be exchanged, and to the mode of transmitting such bills to the treasurer of loans:
That one-eighth per cent. be allowed to the commissioners of the loan offices on the amount of bills to be exchanged by them respectively, in lieu of all other expences attending the said business:
That it be recommended to the several states forthwith to adopt such measures as may be effectual for detecting persons employed in making counterfeit bills, or passing the same, knowing them to be such.
The committee appointed to confer with the Commander in Chief brought in a report, which was agreed to.
That the plan proposed by Congress for the emancipation of Canada, in co-operation with an armament from France, was the principal subject of the said conference.
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That impressed with a strong sense of the injury and disgrace which must attend an infraction of the proposed stipulations on the part of these states, your committee have taken a general review of our finances; of the circumstances of our army; of the magazines of clothing, artillery, arms and ammunition; and of the provisions in store, and which can be collected in season. Your committee have also attentively considered the intelligence and observations communicated to them by the Commander in Chief, respecting the number of troops and strong holds of the enemy in Canada, their naval force, and entire command of the water communication with that country; the difficulties, while they possess so signal an advantage, of penetrating it with an army by land; the obstacles which are to be surmounted in acquiring a naval superiority; the hostile temper of many of the surrounding Indian tribes towards these states; and, above all, the uncertainty whether the enemy will not persevere in their system of harassing and distressing our seacoast and frontiers by a predatory war.
That, upon the most mature deliberation, your committee cannot find room for a well grounded presumption, that these states will be able to perform their part of the proposed stipulations. That, in a measure of such moment, and calculated to call forth, and divert to a single object, a considerable proportion of the force of our ally, which may otherwise be essentially employed, nothing less than the highest probability of its success could justify Congress in making the proposition.
Your committee are therefore of opinion, that the negotiation in question, however desirable and interesting,
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should be deferred till circumstances shall render the co-operation of these states more certain, practicable, and effectual.
That the Minister Plenipotentiary of these states at the Court of Versailles, the Minister of France in Philadelphia, and the Marquis de la Fayette, be respectively informed, that the operations of the next campaign must depend on such a variety of contingencies, to arise as well from our own internal circumstances and distant resources as the projects and motions of the enemy, that time alone can mature and point out the plan which ought to be pursued That Congress, therefore, cannot, with a degree of confidence answerable to the magnitude of the object, decide on the practicability of their co-operating the next campaign in an enterprise for the emancipation of Canada.
That every preparation in our power will nevertheless be made for acting with vigour against the common enemy, and every favourable incident be embraced with alacrity to facilitate and hasten the freedom and independence of Canada and her union with these states; events which Congress, from motives of policy with respect to the United States, as well as of affection to their Canadian brethren, have greatly at heart.
Your committee subjoin the draft of a letter to the above purpose to the Marquis de la Fayette; and not having completed the whole of the business committed to them, beg leave to sit again.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of James Duane, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 33, folio 265.]
Resolved, That Congress agree to the said report.
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The letter to the marquis de la Fayette being read, was agreed to as follows:
Sir,
The Congress have directed me to inform you, that although the emancipation of Canada is a very desirable object, yet considering the exhausted state of their resources, and the derangement of their finances, they conceive it very problematical whether they could make any solid impression in that quarter, even on the uncertain contingency that the troops of Great Britain should evacuate the posts they now hold. More extensive and more accurate information than they formerly possessed have induced a conviction, that some capital movements meditated against that province are utterly impracticable from the nature of the country, the defect of supplies, and the impossibility of transporting them thither; to say nothing of the obstacles which a prudent enemy might throw in the way of an assailing army. Under such circumstances, to enter into engagements with their allies appears not only imprudent but unjust.
In any case, a perfect co-operation must depend upon a variety of incidents which human prudence can neither foresee nor provide for. Under the present circumstances it cannot be expected. The consequence then would certainly be, a misapplication, and possibly the destruction, of a part of the force of France; and that every force employed on a less hazardous expedition would equally call forth the attention of Great Britain, equally become the object of her efforts, and consequently give equal aid to the United States. Considering these, and other reasons of the like kind, Congress have determined, however flattering the object, not to risk a breach of the publick faith, or the injury of an ally, to whom they are bound by principles of honour, gratitude, and affection.
I am, &c.
H. L. President.1
[Note 1: 1 A letter, dated January 3, 1779, of the same purport, but quite different in language, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 14, folio 8. These proceedings were entered only in the manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs.]
The Board of War having reported specially on the case of Colonel Hogan's regiment, the same was taken into consideration; Whereupon,
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That the said regiment (a very few excepted) is composed of drafts from the militia of North Carolina, whose times of service expire the begining of April next.
That there is no provision made for the supply of soldiers under the above description.
That as to the articles wanted by the regiment, some may be spared without inconvenience and others cannot without depriving the men enlisted during the war of them. Of coats vests and breeches there are more than are wanted; of hose a few may be spared, but shoes are scarce and not to be had but at most extravagant rates; and of blankets there is not nearly a supply for the troops at camp. The following resolution is however submitted to Congress.
Resolved, That the Board of War be directed to supply, on application of the delegates of North Carolina, to the men of Colonel Hogan's regiment, which chiefly consists of draughts from the militia of that State, such articles of cloathing as in the opinion of the Board may be spared from the continental stock, without detriment to the service; the articles received by the regiment by order of the Board to be charged to the said State.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated December 26, 1778, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, II, folio 429.]
An appeal from the judgment of a Court of Admiralty for the State of Delaware on the libel Lieutenant Colonel Charles Pope &c. vs sloop Sally, formerly called Betsy, was lodged with the Secretary.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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