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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, APRIL 28, 1779
Mr. William Fleming, a delegate from Virginia, attended and produced the credentials of his appointment, which were read, as follows:
Virginia, To wit,
In General Assembly.
Monday December 14th. 1778
Resolved, that William Fleming, of Powhatan, Esquire, be elected a Delegate to represent this Commonwealth in Congress, in the room of John Banister, Esquire, who hath resigned.
Teste.
Archibald Cary,S. S.
Benja. Harrison,Sp. H. D.1
[Note 1: 1 The original is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, Virginia,Credentials of Delegates.]
A petition of Captain John Baptist Allin was read,2 with sundry papers enclosed:
[Note 2: 2 This petition is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, I, folio 41.]
Ordered, That the same be referred to the Board of War.
A letter, of 27, from N. Greene, Q. M. G., was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the committee appointed to superintend the departments of the quarter master and commissary general.
A petition of Gideon Olmstead, Artemas White and Aquilla Ramsdill, claimants of the sloopActive, was read,3 praying that the whole amount of the said sloop and cargo may be advanced to them out of the public treasury, upon their tendering sufficient security to refund the same with interest, if Congress shall so determine, or one half thereof upon their own security.
[Note 3: 3 This petition is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, VI folio 25.]
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A motion was made by Mr. [Thomas] Burke, seconded by Mr. S[amuel] Adams, that it be referred to the Board of Treasury, on which the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Henry] Laurens,
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So it passed in the negative.
A motion was made by Mr. [Meriwether] Smith, seconded by Mr. [Henry] Laurens,
That the prayer of the petition be rejected. After debate,
A motion was made by Mr. [William Henry] Drayton, seconded by Mr. [John] Witherspoon, that the consideration
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thereof be postponed until the 15 of September, on which the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Henry] Laurens,
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So it was resolved in the affirmative.
A letter, of 27, from J. Reed, president of the State of Pensylvania, was read;1 Whereupon,
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 69, II, folio 57.]
A motion was made by Mr. [William Henry] Drayton, seconded by Mr. [Gouverneur] Morris,
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That the president make application to the president of the State of Pensylvania, to desire that he will specify those "transactions respecting General Arnold," which "are likely again to become the subject of discussions between Congress and the authority of the State," alluded to in his letter of the 27, as information received through the delegates of that State; Congress not being acquainted with any such transactions on their part, and to assure the president that Congress, being disposed to preserve the most perfect harmony with the State of Pensylvania, wish to avoid every transaction likely to become the subject of discussion with the State.
A motion was made by Mr. [William] Paca, seconded by Mr. [John] Armstrong, that the letter from Mr. President Reed be referred to the committee to whom was referred the letter from Major General Arnold.
On the motion for commitment, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [William Henry] Drayton,
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So it was resolved in the affirmative.
A motion was then made by Mr. [William Henry] Drayton, seconded by Mr. [Cyrus] Griffin,
That the committee be instructed to make application to the president of the State of Pensylvania, to desire that he will specify those "transactions respecting General Arnold," which "are likely again to become the subject of discussions between Congress and the authority of the State," alluded to in the president's letter of the 27, as information received through the delegates of this State; Congress not being acquainted with any such transactions on their part, and to assure the president that Congress, being disposed to preserve the most perfect harmony with the State of Pensylvania, wish to avoid every transaction likely to become the subject of discussion with the State.
When the question was about to be put, the previous question was moved by Mr. R[ichard] H[enry] Lee, seconded by Mr. [Roger] Sherman; and on the previous question, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [William Henry] Drayton,
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So it was resolved in the affirmative, and the motion set aside.
A motion was made by Mr. [William] Paca, seconded by Mr. [John] Armstrong that three members be added to the committee.
Question put, passed in the negative.
On motion of Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry, seconded by
Resolved, That the Committee of Commerce be directed to instruct the continental agent at Boston to obtain a division of the prize goods lately taken by the shipsWarren, Queen of France andRanger, and to retain such part as belongs to the United States for the disposition of the said committee.
On motion of Mr. [Henry] Laurens, seconded by
Resolved, That on Friday next, immediately after reading the journal, the House proceed to the consideration of the report of the committee on foreign affairs, &c.
Adjourned to 10 oClock to Morrow.
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