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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, AUGUST 20, 1779
Mr. George Partridge, a delegate for the State of Massachusetts bay, attended, and produced the credentials of his appointment, which were read, as follows:
State Of Massachusetts Bay
Council Chamber,June 29, 1779.
Agreeable to the assignment of this day the General Assembly of the State aforesaid came to the choice of a gentleman to represent
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this State in Congress, and it appeared upon counting and sorting the votes that the honorable George Partridge, Esquire was unanimously chosen.
True extract from the minutes of the general court.
Attest,
John Avery,deputy secretary.
A letter, of 27 May last, from Lieutenant Colonel Lewis Tousard, at Paris, was read:1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XXII, folio 637.]
A letter from J. Adams, Esq. late one of the commissioners of the United States at the court of Versailles, dated Passy, February 13, 1779; also one, of 3, and one, of 4th August instant, from the same, dated at Braintree, were read:2
[Note 2: 2 The letters of Adams are printed in theDiplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution (Wharton), pp. 44, 276, 278.]
Ordered, That the letter of 3d, be referred to the Board of Treasury, and that they take order thereon.
The commissioners of accounts report,
That they have examined an account presented to them by John Cox, Esq. the same having been recommitted, and find there is due to him, for fourteen hundred three quarters and fourteen pounds of bar shot, with six hundred two quarters and twenty six pounds of bar iron in the same and nineteen four pound howitzers, the sum of one thousand and forty eight dollars and 8/903.
[Note 3: 3 This report, dated August 18, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136 III, folio 565.]
Ordered, That the said account be paid.
The Committee on the Treasury brought in a report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Charles Thomson, Esq. secretary to Congress, on his application, for five thousand dollars; for which he is to be accountable.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of John Biddle, Isaac Howell, Peter Thomson, Isaac Snowden and
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Nathaniel Falconer, inspectors of the continental press, on their application, for ten thousand dollars; for which they are to be accountable.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of John Biddle, Isaac Howell, Peter Thomson, Isaac Snowden and Nathaniel Falconer, inspectors of the continental press, for five hundred dollars to defray the contingent expences of their department; and for which they are to be accountable.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Major General Greene, quarter master general, on the application of Charles Pettit, Esq. assistant quarter master general, for five million dollars, for the use of his department; for which the said quarter master general is to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated August 18, p. m., is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 561.]
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Robert Troup, for one thousand and fifty five dollars and 2/3 of a dollar, for so much advanced by him to Captain Traversie, employed in the public service by Major General Gates, who is to be furnished with a copy of this order, and charged with the said sum.
Sundry applications being read from the officers of the Board and other officers attending Congress, on the Insufficiency of their pay:
Resolved, That, the several members of the Board and other officers attending Congress be established on salaries to be from time to time encreased or diminished, according to the increase or decrease of the money in circulation after the first of January, 1777.
Resolved, That the accounts of the officers aforesaid to the present time be adjusted by the Auditor General, and that such additional allowances be made to them respectively as the Board of Treasury shall judge expedient.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, dated August 17, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 557. It also contained the paragraph on Rittenhouse, printed p. 984,post.]
Ordered, That the remainder of the report relative to the pay of the officers of the boards, and other officers attending
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Congress, be postponed till Monday next, and that it be then taken into consideration.
A letter, of 19, from the Board of War, relative to the memorial of Colonel Harrison, was read:1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, III, folio 575.]
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. [Samuel] Holten, Mr. [Meriwether] Smith, and Mr. [Samuel] Atlee.
The Committee on the Treasury brought in a report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Mr. [Joseph] Spencer, one of the delegates for the State of Connecticut, for two thousand dollars, on his application; for which the said State is to be accountable.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Mr. H[enry] Wynkoop, one of the delegates for the State of Pensylvania, on his application, for twelve hundred dollars; for which the said State is to be accountable.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of James Wilkinson, cloathier general, upon his application and agreeable to his estimate, countersigned by the Board of War, for three hundred thousand dollars, to be applied by the commissaries of hides to the purchase of leather, shoes, &c. for the army; the said James Wilkinson to be accountable.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of the Board of War, on their application, for twenty thousand dollars, to be applied by William Henry, Esq. of Lancaster, to the repair of arms and purchasing accoutrements for the army; the said Board of War to be accountable.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Thomas Edison and George Bond, assistants in the Secretary's office, and John Nicholson, an assistant in the chamber of accounts, for two thousand dollars each; the said assistants, respectively, to be accountable.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, dated August 20, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 567.]
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The commissioners of accounts report, that they have examined an account presented to them by Gifford Daily, for a public entertainment, the 5 July last, and find that there is due to him the sum of six thousand six hundred and sixty six dollars and 60/90.
That there is due to William Kinnan, copper plate printer to the United States, his salary and board, from the 8th June, until 29 July, inclusive, four hundred and fifty five dollars.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated August 20, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 571.]
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of David Rittenhouse, Esq. for seven thousand five hundred and fifty seven dollars and 45/90, in full compensation for his trouble and expences in repairing sundry forms for printing the bills of credit of these United States, and making the two last forms for printing in black and red the bills of the late emissions.2
[Note 2: 2 See note on p. 982,ante.]
The committee, to whom was referred the report of the committee on the resolution of the supreme executive council of Pensylvania respecting an embargo, brought in a report, which was read:
Ordered, That it be re-committed.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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