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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 --THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 1779
The President laid before Congress a card from Major General Phillips, accompanied with two packets from him to General Clinton relative to the settlement of accounts of the convention troops:
Ordered, That the same be referred to the Board of Treasury, and that they take order thereon.
The Committee on the Treasury, to whom were referred the reports of the Board of War and committee of Congress, respecting Colonel Knoblauch, together with his memorials
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and papers, report, that Colonel Knoblauch is not possessed of vouchers to shew any contract with the commissioners of these states in Europe, to induce him to come to America; but, as the Committee entertain a high sense of his merit as an officer, and his zeal to serve these states, they submit to Congress the granting him a sum to defray his expences in coming to America, and to enable him to return to Europe; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favor of Colonel Knoblauch, for five thousand dollars, in order to defray his expences in coming to America, and to enable him to return to Europe.
The Committee on the Treasury, to whom was referred an application from the delegates of Virginia for a loan of continental money, brought in a report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of John Morse, Esq. agent for the State of Virginia, for four hundred thousand dollars, for the purpose of purchasing supplies of cloathing and other necessaries for the immediate use of the Virginia troops in the continental army, for which the said State is to be accountable, with interest, agreeable to the application of the delegates of the said State.
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Mr. [John] Witherspoon, one of the delegates for the State of New Jersey, on his application, for two thousand dollars; for which the said State is to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated August 25, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 581.]
The Committee on the Treasury, in obedience to the order of Congress to report a reasonable allowance for the time and expences of Silas Deane, Esq. from the expiration of three months after the notice of his recall from Europe, finding the said three months to expire on the 4th of June, 1778, report,
That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favor of Silas
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Deane, Esq. late commissioner of the United States at the court of France, for ten thousand dollars, in full consideration of his time and expences during his attendance on Congress, from the 4th of June, 1778, until the 6th day of August instant:1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated August 25, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 585.]
A motion was made by Mr. [John] Dickinson, seconded by Mr. [Cyrus] Griffin, to strike out "ten thousand:"
On the question, shall the words moved to be struck out stand, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Henry] Marchant,
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So the states being equally divided, the words were struck out.
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A motion was then made by Mr. [Joseph] Spencer, seconded by Mr. [John] Dickinson, to fill the blank with "fifteen thousand."
On which the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Henry] Laurens,
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So it passed in the negative.
A motion was Ellen made by Mr. [Meriwether] Smith, seconded by Mr. [James] Searle, to fill the blank with "twelve thousand:"
On which the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Nathaniel] Peabody,
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So it passed in the negative.
A motion was then made by Mr. [Meriwether] Smith, seconded by Mr. [William] Sharpe, to fill the blank with "ten thousand five hundred."
On which the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Nathaniel] Scudder,
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So it was resolved in the affirmative.
On the question to agree to the resolution as amended, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Henry] Laurens,
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So it was resolved in the affirmative.
The committee, to whom was referred the petition of Hezekiah Stokes, pay master of the 8th Virginia regiment, of the 8 August, 1778, brought in a report; Whereupon,
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Ordered, That the petition be filed in the secretary's office until the petitioner shall appear to support, the same.
A letter, of this day, from J. Gibson, auditor general, was read;1 Whereupon,
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, X, folio 163.]
Ordered, That to morrow be assigned for considering farther the affairs of the treasury.
On motion of Mr. [Thomas] McKean, seconded by Mr. [John] Dickinson,
Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to report a plan for establishing one or more supreme courts of appeal in all maritime causes within these United States:
The members chosen, Mr. [Samuel] Huntington, Mr. [William] Paca, and Mr. [John] Dickinson.
Resolved, That three members be added to the committee appointed to superintend the printing the journal:
The members chosen, Mr. [William Churchill] Houston, Mr. [Nathaniel] Peabody, and Mr. [George] Partridge.
Resolved, That three members be added to the committee on Mr. Bingham's letters:
The members chosen, Mr. [William] Paca, Mr. [Jesse] Root, and Mr. [Samuel] Huntington.
Resolved, That one member be added to the committee for ascertaining the power of consuls in foreign ports:
The member chosen, Mr. [Thomas] McKean.
On motion of Mr. [Henry] Laurens, seconded by Mr. [Meriwether] Smith,
Ordered, That the Board of Treasury be directed to lay before Congress, on or before the 10th day of September next, an account of the whole amount of money received on loan at the several loan offices in the United States, to the 28th of February, 1778, inclusive; also of the amount received from the 1st of March, 1778, to the said 10th of September, so fax as returns shall have been made to that day, and that in each
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case the amount received on loan at each office be distinguished:1
[Note 1: 1 These two paragraphs are in the writing of George Bond. The returns made are in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 647.]
That the Board of Treasury do likewise lay before Congress a true account of the whole amount of money issued, and to be issued, by virtue of resolves of Congress already passed or which shall pass before the said 10th September next, distinguishing the dates and amounts of each emission.1
Adjourned to 10 oClock to Morrow.2
[Note 2: 2 A letter from Jonas Fay and Paul Spooner, dated August 26, 1779, was read on this day. It is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, I, folio 257.]
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