| 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 --WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, 1779
A letter, of the 30th, from T. Paine was read.3
[Note 3: 3 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 55, folio 43.]
On motion by Mr. [William Henry] Drayton, seconded
Page 395 | Page image
by Mr. M[eriwether] Smith, Congress came to the following resolution:
Whereas it is essential to the interests and security of every free state, that the conduct of the public servants should be known to their constituents:
Resolved, That, from the first of January last, the journals of this house, except such parts as have been or shall be ordered to be kept secret, be printed immediately; and that, for the future, the journal, except as above, be printed weekly and sent to the executive powers of the several states, to be by them laid before their respective legislatures; and that a printer be engaged to print for Congress; and also a printer or printers be employed to bring up the journals from the time of their present publication to the said first of January.
Resolved, That three members be added to the committee appointed to superintend the publication of the journals:
The members chosen, Mr. [Whitmill] Hill, Mr. [William] Floyd, and Mr. [Frederick A.] Muhlenberg.
Ordered, That the letter of T. Paine lie on the table.
A letter, of 30th, from Jonathan Trumbull, Jun. was read, respecting the settlement of the accounts of his brother, Joseph Trumbull, late commissary general:1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XXII, folio 617.]
Whereupon, the committee to whom was re-committed the report on the letter of Governor Trumbull, of 8th October, and the memorial of William Hoskins, reported,
That it appears to your committee, that the late commissary general Joseph Trumbull, coming into office in the earliest stage of the American contest, found himself without a system by which to trace the plan of his duty; that, with great care, industry, labor, and attention, he instituted a plan by which the army, during his continuance
Page 396 | Page image
in office, was amply supplied, with much oeconomy, and to general satisfaction: that, during his commissariate, he was obliged to act not only in capacity of, commisary general of purchases, but to direct all the issues of provisions, and, for near two campaigns, had the additional duty of purveyor of the hospitals and quarter master general, the three last of which employments greatly increased his care and trouble, but not so much his expenditure of moneys: it appears also to your committee, that the said commissary general made great savings to the public by his large and seasonable purchases and contracts, outrunning and anticipating, in many instances, the orders of Congress, by which means he kept up large supplies, thereby moderating the demands of the seller, intercepting monopolies, and keeping down prices, which are now greatly augmented: that your committee have been shewn a state of the commissary general's cash accounts for moneys received and issued by him, from which it appears that little, if any public moneys have been taken to his private use; and that a compensation for services done by the commissary general still remains to be made, at a time, too, when the value of our currency is greatly altered from what it was when the services were performed; whereupon, your committee report the following resolutions:
That for the services of the late Commissary General Trumbull, executed with great fidelity, prudence, care, and oeconomy, the following allowances be made for the benefit of the legal representatives of the deceased, viz. a commission of one half per cent. on the gross sum of all moneys received and issued by him for public service; also a commission of two and an half per cent. on such sums as appear to have been laid out in purchases made by himself; and also a further commission of one half
Page 397 | Page image
per cent. on the gross sum received, as a compensation for his extra services in issuing, purveying, quarter master's duties, and various contingencies of office, extra expences, &c. &c.
That the amount arising from such allowances be immediately paid into the hands of the administrator on the deceased's estate, upon settlement of the cash account for moneys received and issued by the late Commissary General Trumbull:
That the administrator be directed, as soon as may be, to exhibit for final settlement before the treasury, the cash accounts above mentioned; and that said accounts being closed, the administrator be thereupon exonerated from further burthens of settlements, holding himself accountable, however, for any balance which, upon settlement made with the several purchasers employed by Commissary Trumbull, may hereafter appear to be justly due to the public from the said Commissary General Trumbull's estate:
That William Hoskins be appointed and empowered to call to account and make settlements with all persons who have been employed under the late Commissary Trumbull, as purchasers of stores and provisions, whose accounts are still unclosed, and prepare, as soon as possible, all the accounts of the said commissary general remaining unsettled, and lay them before the treasury for final settlement, the said William Hoskins being authorized to receive and pay balances which appear to be due, and to account:
That for his services he be allowed1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 20, I, folio 255. See under November 2, 1778, vol. XII, p. 1091.]
Congress took into consideration the said report, and, on the question to agree to the first commission of one
Page 398 | Page image
half per cent. the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Thomas] Burke,
{table}
So it was resolved in the affirmative.
On the question to agree to the commission of two and [an] half per cent. the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Thomas] Burke,
{table}
Page 399 | Page image
So it was resolved in the affirmative.
On the question to agree to the last commission of half per cent. the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Thomas] Burke,
{table}
Page 400 | Page image
So the states were equally divided and the question lost.
On the second resolution proposed, a motion was made by Mr. [Thomas] Burke, seconded by Mr. [John] Penn, to strike out the word "cash;" and on the question shall the word "cash" stand; the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Meriwether] Smith,
{table}
Page 401 | Page image
So it was resolved in the affirmative.
On the question to agree to the resolution as reported by the committee, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Thomas] Burke,
{table}
So it was resolved in the affirmative.
Resolved, That the farther consideration of the report be postponed.
Adjourned to 10 oClock to Morrow.
PREVIOUS SECTION .. NEXT SECTION .. NAVIGATOR
| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |