| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |
A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --MONDAY, MAY 31, 1779
An appeal from the judgment of a court of admiralty for the State of Maryland, on the libel David Posset,v. the sloopJane, was lodged with the Secretary, and referred to the Committee on Appeals.
A letter, of 20th, from Brigadier S. H. Parsons, was read, accompanied with an appeal from a court of admiralty for the State of Connecticut, on a libel of William Smith Scudder:1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 161, folio 335.]
Ordered, That the appeal be referred to the Committee on Appeals, and the letter to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. [William] Floyd, Mr. [John] Witherspoon, and Mr. [Samuel] Huntington.
A letter, of 28, from G. Morgan, agent for Indian affairs in the western district, with sundry papers enclosed, was read, desiring leave to resign his agency, and also requesting that a person may be appointed in his place to act as deputy commissary general of purchases in the western department; and that he, Colonel Morgan, may be directed to account for the money he has received.2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 166, folio 457.]
Ordered, That the same be referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
A letter, of 21, from Major General Heath, was read.
A letter, of 26, from the Board of War, was read, enclosing a letter, 30 April, from P. Dickinson, relative to the rent for the ensuing year for the house wherein the Minister Plenipotentiary of France resides:3
[Note 3: 3 Heath's letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 157, folio 265; that of Dickinson, in No. 147, III, folio 349.]
Ordered, To lie on the table.
A letter, of this day, from W. S. Livingston, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Marine Committee.
The commissioners report,
Page 670 | Page image
That there is due to Jonathan Skinner, for attending, boarding, &c. twenty three wounded British prisoners in January and February, 1777, ninety six dollars and 72/90, to be paid to Mr. James Caldwell for his use.
That there is due to Cornelius Comegys, Jun. for services as clerk in the chamber of accounts, from the 1 to 25 instant, one hundred and fifty dollars:
Ordered, That the same be paid.
Ordered, That so much of the commissioners report as relates to Brigadier McIntosh's accounts be referred to the Board of Treasury.
The Auditor General reports, That in pursuance of the order of the Board of Treasury, of 23 April, last "to settle the accounts of the salaries and contingent expences of the commissioners of accounts for the middle department", he hath examined the accounts adduced by James Stevenson and Samuel Downe, Esq. Moses Emmerson, Esq. being since deceased, and finds,
That there is a ballance due to James Stevenson, on account of pay, from January 4, to the 22 instant, and contingent charges, including an allowance of his board, from 6th February last, when the price of board became extravagantly high, as per his account stated, twelve hundred and forty nine dollars and 84/90ths.
That there is a balance due to Samuel Downe, on account of pay, from 4 January last, to the 22d instant, including an allowance of his board, from the 6th February, when the price of board became extravagantly high, as per his account, three dollars and 27/90ths.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated May 22, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 337.]
Ordered, That the said accounts be paid.
The Committee on the Treasury brought in a report; Whereupon,
Page 671 | Page image
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Joseph Carleton, paymaster to the Board of War, for three hundred thousand dollars, to be by him transmitted to Benjamin Harrison, Esq. deputy paymaster general in Virginia, for the use of his department, for which he is to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 See note under May 29, p. 667,ante.]
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Joseph Carleton, paymaster to the Board of War and Ordnance, for one hundred and fifty two dollars in specie to be by him transmitted to the commissioners of Indian affairs for the northern department, to replace a like sum paid to four guides procured for the troops on the expedition to Onondaga by General Schuyler, the said commissioners to be accountable.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of the Marine Committee, on their application, for one hundred thousand dollars, for the use of the navy board of the middle department, the said Marine Committee to be accountable.
Ordered, That so much of the report as relates to Brigadier Mcintosh be re-committed.
The committee, to whom was referred the letter of February last from Timothy Penny, brought in a report; Whereupon, Congress came to the following resolution:
Whereas Timothy Penny now an inhabitant of Massachusetts bay, but formerly of the island of Jamaica, where his estate lies, has represented the necessity he is under of sending a person to purchase a vessel in that island and load her with produce for the support of his numerous family; and whereas it appears, that the character and circumstances of the said T. Penny render such indulgence proper:
Resolved, That letters of safe conduct be granted Timothy Penny for any one vessel which may be purchased and loaded as above mentioned and sent to any port or place of the United States not in possession of the enemy, and for the
Page 672 | Page image
person of Captain Joseph Deane who is to be employed by the said Penny on this business.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of James Lovell, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, V, folio 75. A copy of the passport issued is to be found in No. 177, folio 1.]
Congress proceeded to the consideration of the report of the Committee on the Treasury relative to finance, and particularly that part wherein they recommend,
Thatmillion of dollars, or such a part thereof as shall be brought into the continental loan offices, on or before the 1st ofnext, be borrowed on the faith of the United States of America, &c.
On the question,
Resolved, That the first blank be filled with the word "twenty," and the second with the word "October."
A motion was made by Mr. [John] Witherspoon, seconded by Mr. [Gouverneur] Morris, to strike out the word "offices," in order to insert in lieu thereof the words "office where Congress shall sit;" and, on the question, shall the word offices stand? The yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry,
{table}
Page 673 | Page image
So it was resolved in the affirmative.
Adjourned to 10 oClock to Morrow.
PREVIOUS SECTION .. NEXT SECTION .. NAVIGATOR
| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |