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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 --THURSDAY, JULY 1, 1779
The Committee of Commerce laid before Congress three letters from O. Pollock at New Orleans, one of 17 February, one, of 10 April, and one, 2d May, which were read:
Ordered, That they be returned to the Committee of Commerce, and that the Committee be directed to take the most speedy and convenient measures for making remittances for such sums as may be justly due to Mr. Oliver Pollock, the continental agent at New Orleans.
Ordered, That the said Committee furnish the Marine Committee with an extract of the said letters and other papers in their possession, relative to the shipMorris, and that the Marine Committee take order thereon.
Ordered, That the Committee of Commerce also furnish the Board of War with an extract of so much of the said letter as relates to troops sent to Pensacola.
Three letters, of 22 June, from J. Trumbull, governor of Connecticut, were read:
Ordered, That they be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A letter, of 24, from N. Greene, quarter master general, was read:1
[Note 1: 1 Trumbull's letters are in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 66, II, folios 15, 19, and 23; that of Greene is in No. 155, I, folio 139.]
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. [James] Duane, Mr. [Thomas] McKean, and Mr. [Thomas] Burke.
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A letter, of 30th June, from Daniel Roberdeau, was read:1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XIX, folio 285. A letter from the Board of War, dated July 3, upon the subject is on folio 293.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War.
A letter, of 30 June, from Benjamin Randolph, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the committee on the departments of the quarter master and commissary general.
A petition from Jeremiah Baker, a soldier of Captain Spaulding's company, was read, praying to be discharged on account of the distresses of his family:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War, and that they take order thereon.
A petition of John Codman, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A letter and petition of John Brown, were read:2
[Note 2: 2 Baker's petition, dated May 17, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, I, folio 173; that of Codman, in No. 42, II, folio 58; that of Brown, in No. 42, I, folios 179, 181.]
Ordered, To lie on the table.
The Board of War, to whom was referred the memorial of Major Burkhart requesting leave to resign, having reported thereon, Congress took their report into consideration; and thereupon,
At a Board of War,June 30th, 1779.
Present, Col. Pickering and Mr Peters.
The Board having considered the Memorial of Major Burkhart of the German regiment, beg leave to report:
That the regiment is one of the largest in the Army, and has no other Field Officer capable of duty in it but the Major. That the terms of enlistment of many of the men will expire this summer, and some of whom may perhaps if near the enemy be prevailed on, if not to re-enlist at least to stay some time beyond their enlistments, if they perceive their officers remain with them. That the regiment is now on its march with General Sullivan on a service not the most agreeable to many of the officers, who would probably rather quit than stay in the service if encouragement was given them by forming a precedent of an acceptance of a resignation of an officer in
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similar circumstances. That in consideration of Major Burkhart's private affairs, the Board during the last winter would not have objected to his resignation, as no immediate service then demanded his continuance in Office, and the arrangement being then on the Carpet, the regiment might easily have been provided with another Field Officer. For the like reason they would readily recommend an acceptance of his resignation at the close of the present Campaign: but in the present state of the matter are of Opinion,
Resolved, That it is inexpedient at this time to accept Major Burkhart's resignation.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, III, folio 493.]
The committee to whom was referred the report of the Board of War on the construction of the resolution of March 15th, 1779, brought in a report, which was read:
The Committee, to whom was referred a report of the Board of War, on the construction of a resolution of Congress of the 15th of March last, report as their opinion:
That for removing all doubts concerning the construction of the resolution of the 15th of March last, respecting the corps of Light Dragoons, Artillery &c, being credited to the States to which they belong as parts of their Quotas, it be
Resolved, That for the present, no greater number of men be required of any of the States for the Continental Army, than a number equal to their respective Quotas of the eighty Battalions of Infantry, as apportioned by a resolution of the 9th. of March last; and that the Men serving in the additional battalions of Infantry, corps of Light Dragoons and Artillery, and Artillery Artificers, belonging to the respective States be considered as part of the Quotas of the 80 Battalions.
That if each State's Quota of Men were completed agreeable to the foregoing resolution, the deficiencies in the other corps might be supplied by drafts from the Infantry, without reducing any regiment of Infantry to a less number than five hundred Men, exclusive of Commissioned Officers.
That the Officers and men serving in the other Corps aforesaid ought to be considered by the States, to which they belong, equally under their care, as those belonging to their battalions of Infantry, in every provision they make for their troops.
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That a proper compensation shall be made to such States, as shall have furnished more than their respective Quotas of the whole number of men kept up in the Continental Army, for any extra expences necessarily incurred thereby.
And whereas the keeping up and recruiting battalions of Infantry not under the immediate care of any of the States, is attended with many difficulties and inconveniencies,
Resolved, that the Commander in chief by and with the concurrence and assistance of the authority of the respective States, be authorized to incorporate said additional battalions, except (Col. Hazen's) with the battalions of the States to which the Officers and Men respectively belong, without increasing the number of battalions already assigned to any State; that the officers of the said additional Battalions, have an equal chance with the Officers of the Battalions with which they shall be incorporated (according to their rank and Merit) of being retained in the service. But those who shall be discharged as Supernumeraries, shall have the same allowance as is provided by the resolution of the 24th of November, 1778.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Roger Sherman, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 27, folio 87.]
Ordered, That the consideration thereof be postponed.
Congress proceeded to the consideration of the report of the committee on the letters from A. Lee, Esq. and the communications of the Minister Plenipotentiary of France, and some time being spent thereon,
Congress proceeded to the consideration of the second proposition moved by Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry.
A motion was made by Mr. [Thomas] Burke, seconded by Mr. [William Henry] Drayton, to strike out the words "explanatory," "more," "than it already is by the "treaties aforesaid." And a division being called for by Mr. [Henry] Laurens,
On the question, Shall the word "explanatory" stand, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Thomas] Burke,
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{table}
So it was resolved in the affirmative.
On the question, Shall the words "more," "than it "already is by the treaties aforesaid", stand, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [William Henry] Drayton,
{table}
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So it was resolved in the affirmative.
On the question to agree to the proposition, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry,
{table}
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So it was
Resolved, That an explanatory article be prepared and sent to our minister plenipotentiary at the court of Versailles, to be by him presented to his most Christian Majesty, whereby the said common right to the fisheries shall be more explicitly guarantied to the inhabitants of these states, than it already is by the treaties aforesaid.
The third proposition being read,
A motion was made by Mr. [Thomas] Burke, seconded by Mr. [William Henry] Drayton, to amend the same by adding, "Provided that if Great Britain will acknowledge "and ratify the liberty, sovereignty and independence, "absolute and unlimited, as well in matters of government "as of commerce, of these United States, and "agree to the other articles in the ultimatum resolved "upon by Congress, the present war shall not be continued, "notwithstanding Great Britain shall decline to "make an express and particular acknowledgment of "the right aforesaid."
Adjourned to 10 oClock to Morrow.1
[Note 1: 1 In thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, V, folio 208, is a memorial of Jean Laugeay, "fire-worker" offering his services to celebrate the anniversary of Independence.]
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