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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, MAY 4, 1779
A petition, from Cornelius P. Low, was read:1
[Note 1: 1 This petition is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, IV, folio 186.]
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three.
The members chosen: Mr. [Henry] Wynkoop, Mr. [Nathaniel] Scudder, [and] Mr. [James] Duane.
A letter from his most Christian Majesty, undersigned de Vergennes, was read, informing Congress of the birth of a princess; Whereupon,
Resolved, That, the President, with a committee consisting of a member from each State, wait on the Minister Plenipotentiary of France and congratulate him on this event.
The members chosen, Mr. [William] Whipple, Mr. S[amuel] Adams, Mr. [William] Ellery, Mr. [Roger] Sherman, Mr. [James] Duane, Mr. [John] Witherspoon, Mr. [John] Armstrong, Mr. [John] Dickinson, Mr. [George] Plater, Mr. [Meriwether] Smith, Mr. [John] Penn, and Mr. [Henry] Laurens.
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Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to prepare the draught of a letter in answer to that from his Most Christian Majesty:
The members chosen, Mr. [John] Jay, Mr. [Gouverneur] Morris, [and] Mr. [John] Witherspoon.
A letter, of April 30, from General Washington, was read, enclosing an extract of a letter, of 12 of the same month, from Major General Gates:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A memorial from Lieutenant Colonel Knobelauch, was read:1
[Note 1: 1 This memorial is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XIII, folio 507.]
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. [Henry] Laurens, Mr. [John] Armstrong, [and] Mr. [Thomas] Burke.
A memorial from William Story was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A letter, of April 29, from Colonel A. Spotswood, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the delegates of Virginia.
A memorial from Captain Jacobus Wynkoop, was read; Whereupon,
Congress took into consideration a report of the Marine Committee on a former memorial of Captain J. Wynkoop; and thereupon,
Resolved, That the memorialist be paid sixty dollars per month during the time he was in actual service.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, X, folio 355. This was the pay of a captain of a continental frigate.]
A letter, of 1st, from J. Trumbull, Jun. was read:
A letter, of 3, from the Board of War was read,3 informing that fourteen Indians, most of them chiefs of the Delaware nation, who have manifested an uniform and strong attachment to the United States, are about four miles from town
[Note 3: 3 Trumbull's letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XXII, folio 629; that of the Board of War, in No. 147, III, folio 303.]
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and will arrive this morning on a visit to Congress and the Commander in Chief:
Resolved, That a committee for Indian Affairs be appointed, to consist of five:
The members chosen, Mr. [James] Duane, Mr. [John] Armstrong, Mr. [Thomas] Burke, Mr. [Henry] Laurens, [and] Mr. [Roger] Sherman.
Ordered, That the letter, of the 3, from the Board of War, be referred to the foregoing committee.
A memorial from the honble Sr. Gérard, minister plenipotentiary of France, was read.
A letter, of 3, from Leonard Albouy was read:1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, I, folio 245.]
Ordered, To lie on the table.
A petition from John Say was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Marine Committee.
A motion was made by Mr. [William] Ellery, seconded by Mr. [Henry] Laurens,
That the reports of the Board of Treasury and Board of War be postponed; on which the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [William] Ellery,
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So it was resolved in the affirmative.
The order of the day was called for, respecting the raising a brigade by the State of Rhode Island, and the amendment as amended being read, viz. "that Congress approve the raising of a brigade of 1500 men by the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, for the common defence of that and the United States, for the space of one year, to be entitled to continental pay, cloathing and subsistence, and a bounty not exceeding one hundred and fifty dollars for every non-commissioned officer and soldier; upon condition that no farther or other wages be allowed to the said men by the said State than what is paid to other continental troops."
A motion was made by Mr. [William] Ellery, seconded by Mr. [John] Collins, to re-consider the latter part of the amendment, viz. "upon condition," &c.
On which the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Gouverneur] Morris,1
[Note 1: 1 This and the following vote are in the writing of George Bond.]
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So it passed in the negative.
On the question to agree to the amendment, so as that it pass into a resolution; the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Gouverneur] Morris,
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So it was resolved in the affirmative.
Adjourned to 10 oClock to Morrow.
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