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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, JANUARY 5, 1779
A letter, of 3, from the Marquis of Brétigny, was read.
Ordered, That tomorrow be assigned for taking into consideration the report of the committee on the memorial of the Marquis de Britigny.
A letter, of 2, from Mr. R. Bache, postmaster general was read: Whereupon,2
[Note 2: 2 The letter of Brétigny is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, III, folio 229; that of Bache, in No. 61, folio 15.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the committee for superintending and regulating the post office, and,
That three members be added to the said committee:
The members chosen: Mr. [William] Paca, Mr. [William] Ellery, and Mr. [Henry] Laurens.
A letter from Lieutenant Colonel Fleury, was read: Whereupon,
Resolved, That Mons. Fleury be informed that Congress do not think it proper to apply to the minister of France in his behalf, though they should be pleased with his continuance in the service of the United States, if he can himself obtain leave for that purpose.
A memorial from Mons. [Alexander] O'Neil was read, tendering his service, and desiring to be employed in General Pulaski's corps: Whereupon,
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Resolved, That Congress have a grateful sense of the offer of Mr. O'Neil's services, but that they cannot accept of the said offer.
A letter, of 27 December, from Major General Schuyler, was read,1 representing, that "the attention which the duties of his office required whilst he was in command, left him no leisure to pay any to his private affairs; that the derangement which this has occasioned was greatly augmented by the devastation the enemy committed on his estate, and that his losses have been so very capital, that it is a duty he owes to his family to devote most of his future time to attempt a re-establishment; that to accomplish this would be impossible if he continued in public life, that he therefore wishes to retire, and most respectfully entreats Congress to accept of his resignation." Whereupon,
[Note 1: 1 The memorial of O'Neil is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, VII, folio 216; the letter of Schuyler is in No. 153, III, folio 396.]
A motion being made, that his resignation be accepted; after debate,
Resolved, That the farther consideration thereof be postponed. To which it was moved to add,
That the President confer with the Commander in Chief on the expediency of accepting Major General Schuyler's resignation, and report his written answer: on which the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [James] Lovell,
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So it passed in the negative.
The order of the day was called for: Whereupon,
The committee to whom was referred the proportioning of the quotas which the several states are to pay of the 15,000,000 of dollars recommended to be raised by taxes in the year 1779, brought in a report: Whereupon,
Resolved, That the several states raise by taxes respectively as follows, for their quotas of the 15,000,000 of dollars for the year 1779:
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Resolved, That the said several sums, or any greater sums which shall be paid by any of the states, into the continental treasury, shall be placed to their respective credits on interest, on the same terms as are set forth in the resolution of Congress, passed November 22, 1777.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Thomas Burke, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, V, folio 85.]
A memorial from the honble. Sr. Gérard, minister of France, respecting an offer he has made in regard to the payment of a sum of Money to Mr. de Beaumarchais, in compensation for the supplies furnished by the United States to the fleet of his most Christian Majesty.2
[Note 2: 2 This memorial is printed in the Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution (Wharton), III, 9.]
Ordered, To lie on the table for the perusal of the members.
Another memorial from the Minister of France, was read, respecting sundry passages in two newspapers annexed, of the 2 and 5 of this month.3
[Note 3: 3 This memorial is printed in the Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution (Wharton), III, 11.]
Ordered, That the consideration thereof be postponed till to-morrow.
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