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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 --WEDNESDAY MAY 5, 1779
Mr. [John] Dickinson and Mr. N[icholas] Vandyke, two of the delegates of the State of Delaware, pursuant to the powers and instructions to them given, signed the Articles of Confederation in behalf of the said State.
A letter, of 4, from the Board of War, was read.1
[Note 1: 1 This letter, touching the cannon contract of Hughes, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, III, folio 307.]
The Committee on the Treasury brought in a report; Whereupon,
Resolved, That ten million one hundred dollars, in bills of credit of the United States, be emitted under the direction of the Board of Treasury and on the faith of the United States: that the bills shall, excepting the numbers, be of the same tenor and date as the emission directed on the first April last, and be numbered from the last number in each denomination progressively, and to consist of the following denominations, viz.
[Note 2: 2 This report, dated May 1, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 215.]
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Ordered, That a warrant issue on Thomas Smith, Esq. commissioner of the continental loan office in Pensylvania, for eighty eight thousand dollars, payable in loan office certificates, and another warrant on the treasurer for thirty two thousand dollars, in favour of Joseph Carleton, paymaster to the Board of War and Ordnance, to be by them advanced on a contract for cannon and shot to Mr. Hughes, iron master of the works at Maryland, the said Joseph Carleton to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated May 4, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 289.]
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Doctor George Smith, for the sum of thirteen hundred seventy six dollars 22/90, equal to five hundred and fifty pounds ten shillings, New York currency, reported by John Welles and Edward Chinn, Esquires, commissioners of accounts, at Albany, to be due to him for cattle and forage taken by order of General Schuyler for the immediate subsistance of the militia and other troops assembled at Fort Edwards on the evacuation of Ticonderoga, his demand of recompence for the loss of fencing being rejected.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, dated May 3, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 287.]
The commissioners report,
That there is due to Felix Donnelly for victualling soldiers of the Pensylvania troops at Lancaster in May, 1776, and January, 1777, one hundred and ten dollars and 64/90 to be paid to Mr. Francis Bailey for his use.3
[Note 3: 3 This report, dated May 1, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 285.]
That there is due to the officers and privates of Colonel Henry Geiger's battalion from Northampton county, Pensylvania, for their pay in January, February and March, 1777, a ballance of seven hundred and ninety eight dollars and 34/90, to be paid to Joseph Dean, and by him transmitted to Colonel Geiger.
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That there is due to Francis Hopkinson, his pay as treasurer of loans, from 28 January, to the 27 April, 1779, eight hundred and seventy five dollars, and for office rent, fire wood, postage, and stationary, during the same time, one hundred and fifty eight dollars and 14/90, making in the whole 1033 14/90 dollars.
That there is due to William Trickett for stationary, for the use of the Board of Treasury, one hundred and seven dollars and 54/90ths.
That there is due to the estate of William Baxter, deceased, his pay as colonel of a battalion of the Pensylvania flying camp, from October 23d, to November 16, 1776, inclusive, fifty dollars, to be paid to Joseph Hart, Esq., and by him transmitted to the widow, Elizabeth Baxter.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated April 28, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 283.]
Ordered, That the said accounts be paid.
A report of the commissioners of accounts was read, representing that they have discovered a mistake in the account of Steiner and Cist, for which a warrant issued on the 5th of April last, and have therefore stopped and returned the said warrant:
Ordered, That the said report be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. G[ouverneur] Morris, Mr. [William Henry] Drayton, and Mr. S[amuel] Adams.
The Committee on the Treasury, to whom were referred the letters from Jonathan Trumbull, Jun. administrator of the late Commissary General Joseph Trumbull, respecting the manner of settling the said account, report,
That during the life time of the said late Commissary General Trumbull, the commissioners of accounts for the middle department of accounts had orders from the Board of Treasury to settle all the accounts of the said late commissary:
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That it was represented by the commissioners that the said accounts were not collected and ready for settlement:
That the commissary general's death put an end to the prospect of such settlement, and the said commissioners of accounts have been directed to repair to the Board of Treasury:
That there has been no want of care or attention in the Board of Treasury to get the said accounts settled, as appears by an official report of the commissioners' accounts for the middle department of accounts, a copy of which is annexed:1
[Note 1: 1 The copy of this report of the commissioners of accounts, dated Hartford, August 30, 1778, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 277.]
That the committee are of opinion, that under the present circumstances it will be advisable to grant full power to Jonathan Trumbull, Jun. Esq. to settle and adjust, at the public expence, all the accounts of the several deputy commissaries and purchasers employed by or under the late Commissary Trumbull: Whereupon, Congress came to the following resolutions:
Whereas the accounts of the deputy purchasing and issuing commissaries, under the late Commissary General Joseph Trumbull, deceased, were unsettled at the time of his death, and still remain to be adjusted, and it is necessary that those accounts should be closed without delay:
Resolved, That Jonathan Trumbull, Jun. Esq. be, and he is hereby fully authorized and empowered to settle and adjust the said accounts, under the direction of the Board of Treasury.
On the question to agree to this, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [John] Jay,
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So it was resolved in the affirmative.
Resolved, That the said Jonathan Trumbull be allowed a clerk to assist him, and be paid his expences and a reasonable compensation for his time and trouble, to be adjusted when the nature and extent of the services can be ascertained.
On this the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Thomas] Burke,
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So it was resolved in the affirmative.
Resolved, That the said Jonathan Trumbull shall take an oath for the faithful execution of this duty, to be administered by the Board of Treasury:
And it is recommended to the legislatures of the several states whom it may concern, to enact proper laws for facilitating the settlement of the said accounts, and compelling accountants and defaulters within their respective jurisdiction to settle their accounts and do justice to the public.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated April 26, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 273.]
Resolved, That Monday next be assigned for taking into consideration the subject of appointing an officer to relieve Major General Lincoln in the southern department.
The committee to whom was recommitted the report on the memorial from the inhabitants of Bermudas, brought in another report, which was read, and after some debate thereon
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock on Friday.
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