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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 --TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 1779
The Committee on the Treasury brought in a report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Joseph Carleton, paymaster to the Board of War and Ordnance, on their application for one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, for the use of that department, and for which the said J. Carleton is to be accountable.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Francis Hopkinson, Esq. treasurer of loans, for five thousand dollars, to be by him transmitted to Derick Ten Brock Esq. commissioner of the continental loan office in the State of New York, for payment of interest on loan office certificates, the said Derick Ten Brock to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated March 4, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 135. The second paragraph was based upon a letter, of February 20, from Ten Brock.]
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Isaac Melcher, barrack master general, on his application, for one hundred thousand dollars, for the use of his department, and for which he is to be accountable.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favour of the delegates for the State of New Hampshire, on their application,
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for three thousand dollars, for which the said State is to be accountable.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of the Marine Committee, on their application, for thirty thousand dollars, for the use of the navy board of the middle department, the said Committee to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated March 5, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 145.]
The Board of Treasury report,
That considering the services and sufferings of such of the non-commissioned officers and soldiers of the 3d Pensylvania regiment, as were taken prisoners at New York in the fall of the year 1776, there be no other stoppages than such as are already made for cloathing supplied previous and subsequent to their captivity:2
[Note 2: 2 This paragraph is based upon a letter of Colonel Lambert Cadwalader, dated January 23, 1779.]
Resolved, That Congress agree to the said report.
The Committee on the Treasury, to whom was referred the memorial of Lieutenant Colonel Eleazer Oswald and Captain John Brown, in behalf of themselves and 27 other persons, praying a compensation for the capture of two vessels on Lake Champlain in May, 1775, with brass cannon, ammunition, stores, provisions, &c. report,
That in their opinion the memorialists have no claim of justice to the compensation referred to, but that considering the utility of the enterprize, and the spirit with which it was conducted, a gratuity ought to be made to them; Whereupon,
Resolved, That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favor of Lieutenant Colonel Eleazer Oswald, for 4000 dollars, to be by him distributed to the officers and soldiers concerned in the said enterprize, agreeable to the proportions established in the case of captures of vessels made by Lieutenant Colonel Brown in the year aforesaid; and that
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Lieutenant Colonel Oswald be charged with the said sum, and produce receipts from the persons concerned for payment of their proportions of the said allowance.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated March 6, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 155.]
The commissioners report,
That there is due to three companies of volunteers raised in Bedford county, Pensylvania, their bounty for reinlisting, from 1 August to I December, 1778, which was not allowed on a settlement made with them and reported the 5 February last, for want of necessary information now obtained, 306 60/90 dollars, to be paid to George Wood, Esq.
That there is due to Frederick Bicking for one hundred and eighteen reams of paper for bills of credit, a ballance of 517 30/90 dollars.
That there is due to Peter Thomson, for engrossing on parchment the Act of Confederation, and for materials purchased to make red ink for signing money, one hundred and fifty four dollars.
That there is due to Gifford Daily, his account for a public entertainment on the 6 February last, 1086 dollars.
That there is due to Robert Erwin, for six cords of wood for the use of Congress, 234 60/90 dollars.
That there is due to William Trickett, for stationery for the Board of Claims in 1777, eight dollars and 18/90ths.
That there is due to Robert Aitken, for printing journals of Congress and sundry other contingencies, 3483 45/90 dollars:
That there appears to be due to John Dunlap by his account for printing &c., from September, 1777, to February, 1779, Eight thousand two hundred Twenty two and 60/90 Dollars.
We beg leave to observe that the charges for printing appear to us very enormous, especially that for printing General Lee's tryal, but
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as no terms has ever been made before the work was done, and it is a business we do not esteem ourselves competent judges of, especially in these unsettled times when it is difficult to ascertain the value of either labour, materials or money, We are under the necessity of recommending it to further consideration.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated March 3, and signed by James Milligan and R. Smith, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 129. It is endorsed; "Lies for Mr. Dunlap's [accounts?]. March 30. So much as relates to the account of J. Dunlap referred to the Board of Treasury."]
Ordered, That the said accounts be paid.
Ordered, That the remainder of the report respecting J. Dunlap, together with his account, lie on the table for consideration.
A memorial from Samuel Ensign, a soldier in Captain Spaulding's independent company, was read, praying, on account of his peculiar circumstances, to be discharged from the service:2
[Note 2: 2 This memorial is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, III, folio 43.]
Resolved, That the prayer of the memorial be granted.
A letter, of 7 September, from J. Adams, one of the Commissioners of the United States at Paris, was read.3
[Note 3: 3 This letter is printed in the Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution (Wharton), II, 703.]
On motion, Resolved, That John Brown, of Massachusetts bay, who is under sentence of death, by judgment of a court martial, and who is recommended to Congress for mercy, be pardoned.
A report from the Board of War was read: Whereupon,
At a Board of War, March 4th., 1779.
Present, Col Pickering and Mr Peters.
Agreed to Report to Congress:
Col Malmedy having applied to the Board, and desired to be sent to South Carolina, whither he would go at his own expence, and the Board having taken into consideration the Memorial of Colonel Malmedy praying to be employed in some particular regiment or place, and the Board not knowing how Congress can comply with his request, considering the circumstances of our Army, have thought it best to submit to Congress the following resolution:
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Resolved, That Colonel Francis de Malmedy have leave to join the southern army, there to be employed agreeably to his rank, either in the command of a regiment of light infantry, if light corps are formed out of the battalions, or in such other way as Major General Lincoln shall deem most conducive to the public interest.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, III, folio 111.]
Resolved, That two members be elected for the standing committee for hearing and finally determining on appeals brought to Congress, to be added to Mr. [William Henry] Drayton, Mr. [William] Ellery, and Mr. [John] Henry, the present members of the said committee:
The members chosen, Mr. [Jesse] Root, and Mr. [William] Paca.
Resolved, That a member be added to the committee on the letter of 6 October last from Governor Trumbull.
The Member chosen, Mr. Thomas Adams.
A motion was made,
That Congress be resolved into a Committee of the Whole to consider farther the report of the committee on the communications from the Minister of France, &c.
On which the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [William Henry] Drayton,
{table}
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So it passed in the negative.
Congress took into consideration the report of the committee appointed to confer with the Commander in Chief; Whereupon,
Resolved, That the infantry of these United States for the next campaign be composed of eighty battalions, viz.
3 of New-Hampshire; 15 of Massachusetts bay; 2 of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations; 8 of Connecticut; 5 of New York; 3 of New Jersey; 11 of Pennsylvania; 1 of Delaware; 8 of Maryland; 11 of Virginia; 6 of North Carolina; 6 of South Carolina; I of Georgia.
That each of the said battalions consist of the number of commissioned and non-commissioned officers and privates established by an act of Congress, passed on the 27 day of May last.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of James Duane, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 33, folio 303.]
Whereas Congress by an act of 23 January last, did, among other things, authorize the Commander in Chief to take the most effectual measures to inlist for the continuance of the war new recruits in the United States, to compleat the battalions to their proper complement; and for this purpose to grant to each new recruit who should inlist in any of the continental battalions during the war, such a bounty as the Commander in Chief should think
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fit, but not to exceed 200 dollars; and it being apprehended that the said provision will not answer the good purposes thereby intended:
Resolved, That the above recited clause of the said act of Congress be repealed; and that it be earnestly recommended to the several states to make up and compleat their respective battalions to their full complement by draughts, or in any other manner they shall think proper; and that they have their quotas of deficiencies ready to take the field, and to march to such place as the Commander in Chief shall direct, without delay:
That a bounty of 200 dollars, out of the continental treasury, shall be granted to each recruit, who, after the 23 day of January last, hath inlisted, or shall inlist during the war; [or in case the State shall have granted as great, or greater bounty, the said 200 dollars, for every such recruit, shall be passed to the credit of the State respectively for whose quota he shall be raised.]1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of James Duane (words in brackets by Thomas Burke), is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 33, folio 299.]
The Committee on the Treasury report,
Resolved, That John Helm be nominated to Congress as a signer of the Continental Bills of Credit of the United States.
That they have considered a petition of Joseph Philbrick, of the 24th of July, 1777; a letter from the Hon. Meshech Weare, president of the State of New Hampshire, dated November 6, 1778, enclosing affidavits of Samuel Davis and Ephraim Whitney; a memorial of John Hagerman and Matthew Hollenback, of the 10 November last; a petition of William Getteys, of 20 January; and another from Thomas Newark, of 22 February last, relative to their respective losses of continental money by fire and water; and are of opinion,
That the facts set forth in several of the petitions are not well supported; that it appears to the committee
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unnecessary to state the evidence adduced in support thereof, since admitting the facts respecting the destruction of the bills, there is not evidence to prove them not to have been counterfeit; that if this is not required, the public must be exposed to the greatest impositions and frauds, particularly from persons employed in making and passing counterfeit bills, and that for these, and many other reasons, the committee are clearly of opinion the prayers of the said memorials, and petitions, and letter, be not granted:1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated March 5, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 143.]
Resolved, That Congress agree to the said report.
Adjourned to 10 o Clock to Morrow.
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