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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 --SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 1779
A memorial from the officers of the 4th regiment of light dragoons was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of Conference.
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Ordered unanimously, That the committee be instructed to report speedily upon a further provision for the army of the United States.
A letter, of 7, from G. Clinton, governor of New York, was read:1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 67, II, folio 194.]
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three.
The members chosen, Mr. [Daniel of St. Thomas] Jenifer, Mr. [John] Armstrong, and Mr. [William] Sharpe.
The Board of War having reported a form of a commission for officers of the staff; the same was read, and agreed to as follows:
The United States of America in Congress assembled, to greeting: We, reposing especial trust and confidence in your patriotism,
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prudence and fidelity, do by these presents constitute and appoint you to be. You are therefore faithfully and diligently to discharge the duty ofby doing and performing all manner of things thereunto belonging. And you are to observe and follow such orders and directions, from time to time, as you shall receive from this or a future Congress of the United States, or committee of Congress for that purpose appointed, a committee of the states, or Commander in Chief for the time being of the army of the United States, or any other your superior officer, according to the rules and discipline of war, in pursuance of the trust reposed in you. This commission to continue in force until revoked by this or a future Congress, the Committee of Congress before mentioned, or a committee of the states.
Witnesspresident of the Congress of the United States of America, attheday ofand in theyear of our independence.
Entered in the War Office, and examined by the Board,secretary of the Board of War.1
[Note 1: 1 The letter of the Board of War, transmitting this form of commission, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, III, folio 443.]
The Committee on the Treasury brought in a report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Jeremiah Wadsworth, Esq. commissary general of purchases on the application of Messrs. Chaloner & White, his agents, for four millions dollars, for the use of his department; for which he is to be accountable.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Mr. Joseph Spencer, one of the delegates for the State of Connecticut, for two thousand dollars, on his application; for which the said State is to be accountable.
That upon the application of the Medical Committee, a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Doctor Isaac Forster, deputy director general of the eastern department, for one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, for the use of his department; for which he is to be accountable.
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A letter, of the 27th of May, from Benjamin Harrison, Jun. Esquire, Deputy Pay Master General, at Virginia, with his Return to the 1st of May last, being read, and, it appearing that there were then in the Military Chest 27,577 37/72 Dollars, the Board agreed to report the following Resolution:
Whereas the sudden departure of the enemy from the State of Virginia has rendered it unnecessary to send the whole of the money ordered the 31 of May last to that State:
Resolved, That the resolution of Congress of the date aforesaid for transmitting 300,000 dollars to Benjamin Harrison, Esq. deputy paymaster general in Virginia, be repealed, and that a warrant issue on the treasurer in favour of William Palfrey, Esq. paymaster general, for one hundred thousand dollars, to be by him transmitted to the said Benjamin Harrison, Esq. for the use of his department; for which the said William Palfrey is to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated June 8, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 871.]
The commissioners of accounts report,
That there is due to the officers and privates of Colonel Lewis Nicola's invalid regiment, their pay and subsistance for the month of April last, two thousand three hundred and seventy three dollars and 6/90ths.
That there is due to James Stevenson, for cash advanced by. him to defray the funeral expences of Moses Emerson, Esq. deceased, late one of the commissioners of accounts for the eastern department, three hundred and eighty two dollars and 30/90, which is to be charged to the estate of the said Mr. Emerson, deceased.
That there is due to Ensign Jacob Barnitz, late of Colonel Swoope's batallion of the Pensylvania flying camp, for pay and rations during his captivity, a ballance of two hundred and seventy one dollars and 88/90ths.
That there is due to the Reverend Mr. Lotbinier, his pay and subsistence as chaplain to Colonel James Livingston's
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regiment, from the 11 May, to the 10th of June instant, sixty dollars.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated June 8, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 375.]
Ordered, That the said accounts be paid.2
[Note 2: 2 From this point the entries were made by George Bond.]
Congress took into consideration the report of the committee to whom was referred the memorial of Doctor John Morgan, late director general and physician in chief in the general hospitals of the United States, and thereupon came to the following resolution:
Whereas by the report of the Medical Committee, confirmed by Congress on the 9th of August, 1777, it appeared that Dr. John Morgan, late director general and chief physician of the general hospitals of the United States, had been removed from office on the 9th of January, 1777, by reason of the general complaint of persons of all ranks in the army, and the critical state of affairs at that time; and that the said Dr. John Morgan requesting an inquiry into his conduct, it was thought proper that a committee of Congress should be appointed for that purpose: and, whereas, on the 18th day of September last, such a committee was appointed, before whom the said Dr. John Morgan hath in the most satisfactory manner vindicated his conduct in every respect as director general and physician in chief, upon the testimony of the Commander in Chief, general officers, officers in the general hospital department, and other officers in the army, shewing that the said director general did conduct himself ably and faithfully in the discharge of the duties of his office: therefore,
Resolved, That Congress are satisfied with the conduct of Dr. John Morgan while acting as director general and physician in chief in the general hospitals of the United States; and that this resolution be published.3
[Note 3: 3 This report, in the writing of William Henry Drayton, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, IV, folio 185. It was presented March 13 1779. Morgan's "Vindication," dated February 1, 1779, is in No. 63, folio 184.]
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Treasury OfficeJune 11th. 1779
The Committee on the Treasury beg leave to report,
That it be recommended to the several States to instruct their respective Treasurers appointed to receive Continental12 June Postponed Taxes to make returns to Congress of the sums collected that the Secretary once in every month enter such returns on the Journals of Congress.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 377.]
Adjourned to 10 oClock on Monday.
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