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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 --MONDAY, JUNE 7, 1779
A letter, of May 27th, from P. Henry, governor of Virginia, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of Intelligence.
A letter, of 4, from Amos Wilkinson, captain of artillery, was read, requesting leave to resign his commission:
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Resolved, That his resignation be accepted.1
[Note 1: 1 Henry's letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 71, II, folio 223; that of Wilkinson, in No. 78, XXIV. folio 33.]
A letter, of this day, from S. Deane, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A letter, of 5, from J. Wadsworth, commissary general of purchases, was read;2Whereupon,
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XXIV, folio 41.]
Resolved unanimously, That Congress have full confidence in the integrity and abilities of the quarter master general and commissary general; and although there is reason to believe that abuses have been committed by inferior officers in their respective departments, yet Congress are persuaded that many of them deserve well of their country; and that measures will speedily be taken to distinguish such of them as have been faithful from such as have been otherwise, and thereby cause justice to be done to all:
That Colonel J. Wadsworth be informed that at so critical a season as the opening of a campaign, sudden changes in the appointment of principal officers in his department would be inexpedient and dangerous, and therefore that they cannot accept his resignation; and farther, that Congress expect his deputies and agents will not expose themselves to the resentment of their country, or embarrass the service, by quitting it at so critical a period, but, by exerting their utmost efforts in their several places, manifest their ability and public spirit.
A petition of Archibald McConnel, and a petition from Samuel Hart, and a letter from Brigadier Smallwood, were read, respecting bills of credit of the emissions of May 20, 1777, and April 11, 1778, which by means of unavoidable accidents could not be brought in before the 1st June, 1779; Whereupon,
A motion was made by Mr. [William] Sharpe, seconded by Mr. [Thomas] Burke, for receiving bills under such circumstances upon certain conditions therein mentioned.
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Ordered, That the said petitions, letter and motion be referred to the Board of Treasury.
The Committee on the Treasury having nominated John Peirce to the office of deputy pay master general to the army under the immediate command of General Washington, Congress proceeded to an election; and, the ballots being taken, Mr. John Peirce was chosen.
The Marine Committee, to whom was referred a resolution of the council of Massachusetts Bay, dated 23 February, 1779, respecting the powers of foreign consuls, report,
"That as by the 31 article of the treaty of commerce, it is provided, that the two contracting parties grant mutually the liberty of having each in the ports of the other, consuls, vice-consuls, agents and commissaries, whose functions shall be regulated by a particular agreement, it seems necessary that persons be appointed by Congress to adjust and settle with the Minister Plenipotentiary of France the powers and privileges of consuls in the ports of either nation;" Whereupon,
Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed for the purpose aforesaid:
The members chosen, Mr. [Henry] Laurens, Mr. S[amuel] Adams and Mr. [John] Dickinson.
On motion made by Mr. [John] Dickinson, seconded by Mr. S[amuel] Adams,
Resolved, That every despatch received by the House, and on which no other order shall be made, shall be of course considered as ordered to lie on the table for farther consideration:
That on every day upon which it has been resolved to proceed on the order of the day after reading the journals and despatches, the House will proceed accordingly; and no other order than is above mentioned shall be made on any
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despatch, unless it be by unanimous consent: that this rule continue in force until Congress shall have gone through the reports of the board of treasury relative to finance, and the report of the committee of thirteen on foreign affairs, and of that on the communications from the minister plenipotentiary of France, and no longer.
The Committee on the Treasury brought in a report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Mr. J[ohn] Fell, one of the delegates of the State of New Jersey, on his application, for one thousand dollars, for which the said State is to be accountable.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Mr. G[ouverneur] Morris, one of the delegates of New York, on his application, for two thousand dollars, for which the said State is to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated June 3, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 361.]
Whereas it has been judged proper to abolish the office of commissioners of accounts for the middle department, and therefore the services of the said commissioners are not further required,
Ordered, That the sum of one thousand dollars be paid to James Stevenson and to Samuel Downes, respectively, two of the said commissioners as a full compensation for their claims.
The Board of Treasury having reported,
That they have considered the memorial of Major James Quarles, of the 2d Virginia State regiment, dated at Philadelphia, June 4, 1779, referred to them, and finding the three dollars per day allowed by a resolution of 4 September last to officers ordered on business not incidental to their office, were not intended as an allowance for their whole expences,
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but as an addition to their pay and subsistence whilst on such business, and that all the accounts of the army since the date of that resolution have been settled agreeable thereto, they are of opinion, that the prayer of the said petition cannot be granted:1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated June 4, P. M., is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 365.]
On the question,Resolved, That Congress agree to the said report.
Resolved, That the commissary general of prisoners be authorized, from time to time, to pay to the order of officers and soldiers in captivity, any sums not exceeding the amount of their pay and subsistence, in order to enable them to assist their families; and that he make monthly returns to the pay master general of their accounts respectively.
Resolved, That the secretary of the Board of War and Ordnance be hereafter allowed the same salary as is granted to a commissioner of the chamber of accounts.
Resolved, That the report of the Board of Treasury relative to the pay of deputy paymasters general be postponed till the first of October next.
The Committee on the Treasury having nominated Thomas Reed to the office of deputy paymaster general at Albany, Congress proceeded to the election and the ballots being taken,
Mr. Thomas Reed was chosen.
Treasury Office,June 4th. 1779
The Committee on the Treasury, to whom was referred the report of a Committee of Congress on the petition of John Donnell relative to a quantity of clothing delivered to Captains Beale, Dickinson and Avery by order of General Varnum, the 7th. day of November, 1777, for the use of the Continental Army, having referred the said Report and petition to James Mease, Clothier General, and received his remarks thereon, and duly considered the said petition, report and remarks, beg leave to submit the following resolution:
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Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of John Donnell, for one thousand four hundred and thirty four dollars and 76/90ths, in full for articles of cloathing furnished by him for the troops of these United States under the command of Brigadier General Varnum, on the 7th day of November, 1777, and delivered to the Captains Beall, Dickinson, and Avery; and that Mr. Mease charge the same to the accounts of the said officers.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 367.]
Resolved, That the report of the committee on the letter of 10 September, 1778, from Major General Heath, respecting General Philip's objections to the accounts against the convention troops; and also the report of the committee on the letters from General Washington and Major General Schuyler, relative to damage done by the convention troops, be referred to the Board of Treasury, and that they take order thereon.
An appeal from the judgment of a court of admiralty for the State of Connecticut, on the libel Edward Conklin, &c.v. the sloopEagle, was lodged with the Secretary and referred to the Committee on Appeals.
On motion of the Committee of Commerce,
Ordered, That the Committee of Commerce be empowered and directed to draw bills of exchange at ninety days sight on the Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States at the Court of France, for any sum not exceeding fifteen thousand Louis d'ors, to be negotiated in the purchase of military stores in case the measures taken by Mr. Gérard to obtain them from Martinique should not succeed, but not otherwise.
On the question to agree to this, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Meriwether] Smith:
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{table}
So it was resolved in the affirmative.1
[Note 1: 1 This motion and vote were entered only in the Manuscript Secret Journal.]
Adjourned to 10 oClock to Morrow.
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