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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, SEPTEMBER 29, 1779
Mr. [Roger] Sherman, one of the delegates for Connecticut, attended and took his seat.
A letter, of 10, from Mr. J[ohn] Adams; and one, of 28, from the Board of War, were read.
A memorial from W. Palfrey, pay master general, was read:1
[Note 1: 1 This memorial is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, VIII, folio 82.]
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. [John] Mathews, Mr. [Henry] Marchant, and Mr. [William] Paca.
A petition of Joseph Jewell, and a petition of Bartholomew Treviss, were read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War.
A letter, of this day, from Gideon Olmstead, was read:2
[Note 2: 2 Jewell's petition, dated September 27, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, IV, folio 17; that of Treviss, dated the 28th, in No. 42, VII, folio 354; Olmstead's letter, in No. 78, XVII, folio 293.]
Resolved, That a committee be appointed on the memorial of Gideon Olmstead, and to confer with a committee of the general assembly of the State of Pennsylvania, relative to carrying into execution the decree of the court of appeals concerning the sloop Active:
The members chosen, Mr. [Jesse] Root, Mr. [William] Paca, and Mr. [Henry] Laurens.
Ordered, That a copy of the above resolution be transmitted to the speaker of the general assembly of the State of Pennsylvania; and that he be requested to procure a committee of that house to be appointed to confer with the above committee.3
[Note 3: 3 On the 30th the General Assembly appointed a committee of Thomas Smith, Joseph Gardner, and John Smilie.]
The committee on the treasury brought in a report: Whereupon,
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Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Mr. H[enry] Laurens, for the amount of two bills of exchange drawn by John Lewis Gervais, late deputy pay master general in the southern district, one of the said bills bearing date the 20th of August last, for thirteen thousand three hundred and thirty dollars and 60/90; and the other, for four thousand one hundred and fifty three dollars and 30/90; both of which sums amount to 17,484 dollars; for which the said John Lewis Gervais is to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 Based upon a letter of September 6, from John Lewis Gervais.]
That a warrant issue on William Gibbes, William Parker and Edward Blake, Esquires, commissioners of the continental loan office for the State of South Carolina, in favour of John Lewis Gervais, Esq. late deputy pay master general in the southern district, for one hundred and twenty nine thousand one hundred dollars, for the use of his department; for which he is to be accountable.2
[Note 2: 2 These paragraphs formed part of the report of September 27, noted on p. 1114, ante.]
That on the application of the Medical Committee, a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Doctor Jonathan Potts, deputy director general, for one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, for the purchase of hospital stores, and for defraying the necessary expences of his department, and that another warrant issue on Thomas Smith, Esq. commissioner of the continental loan office, for the State of Pensylvania, in favour of the said Doctor Jonathan Potts, for seventy one thousand one hundred and forty four dollars, in loan office certificates for the purpose of discharging a debt due to Robert Morris, Ewq. for twelve boxes of surgical instruments purchased of him by the said Dr. Potts; the said Doctor Potts to be accountable for the sums aforesaid.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Lieutenant Colonel Ternant, for two thousand dollars, to defray his expences from South Carolina in bringing dispatches from Major General Lincoln.
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That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of William Palfrey, Esq. paymaster general, for two hundred thousand dollars, to be by him transmitted to John Boreman, Esq. deputy pay master general in the western district, for the payment of the troops and other expences of his department; the said William Palfrey, Esq. to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated September 21, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 665.]
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Mr. G[eorge] Partridge, one of the delegates for the State of Massachusetts bay, on his application, for five thousand dollars; for which the said State is to be accountable.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Mr. Nathaniel Peabody, one of the delegates for the State of New Hampshire, on his application, for five thousand dollars; for which the said State is to be accountable.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Frederic Bicking, paper maker, for sixteen thousand dollars; for which he is to be accountable.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, dated September 28, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 677.]
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Mr. C[ornelius] Harnett, one of the delegates for the State of North Carolina, on his application, for four thousand dollars; for which the said State is to be accountable.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of the delegates for the State of Virginia, on their application, for ten thousand dollars; for which the said State is to be accountable.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of William Ramsay, one of the clerks in the chamber of accounts, on his application, for two thousand dollars;
Another in favour of Patrick Ferrall, clerk in the auditor general's office, on his application, for two thousand dollars; and
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Another in favour of William Govett, Esq. one of the commissioners of accounts at the treasury, on his application, for three thousand dollars; for which sums they are respectively to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated September 25 and 27, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 669. It also contained the paragraph on the salary of Patton, p. 1126, post.]
Whereas on the 23d day of August last, the delegates of the State of Virginia represented to Congress, that application was made to the said delegates by the board of trade in that State, to procure, on account of the State, a sum of continental money, to be paid into the hands of John Moss, Esq. agent for the said State in the city of Philadelphia, for the purpose of purchasing supplies of cloathing and other necessaries for the immediate use of the troops of that State in the continental army; and that it was proposed by the said board of trade, to repay the money by answering the bills or orders of the treasury, for the amount of the sum borrowed payable in the said State, or otherwise as Congress may direct: and whereas a warrant was accordingly issued by Congress on the continental treasurer, in favor of the said John Moss, Esq. for 400,000 dollars, the said State to be accountable:
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the board of trade of Virginia, in favor of Jeremiah Wadsworth, commissary general of purchases, to be paid to the order of his assistants, Chaloner & White, for 400,000 dollars, to reimburse a like sum lent to the said State as aforesaid; the said Jeremiah Wadsworth to be accountable.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of William Geddes, Esq. one of the commissioners of accounts at the treasury, for three thousand dollars, on his application; for which he is to be accountable.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of John Levinus Clarkson, Jun. clerk to the Board of Treasury, on
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his application, for fifteen hundred dollars; for which he is to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated September 28, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 681.]
Resolved, That the daily pay of Robert Patton, messenger, and William Hurrie, door keeper of Congress, be increased to eight dollars, from the first of May last, and that in future they be allowed ten dollars per day, until the further order of Congress.2
[Note 2: 2 See note on p. 1125, ante.]
Resolved, That the report of the Board of Treasury on the accounts of Major General Arnold be an order for Thursday the 7th of October next.
Congress proceeded to the election of a person to examine the accounts of the several commissioners, commercial agents and others in Europe, entrusted with the public money of these United States; and, the ballots being taken,
Mr. Joshua Johnson was elected.
The delegates for the State of Virginia, to whom was referred the letter of the 27 from the Board of War with the letters enclosed, brought in a report; Whereupon,
Resolved, That copies of the letters before-mentioned, be forthwith transmitted to the governor of Virginia, and that it be recommended to the executive of that State, to superintend the stationing and safe keeping of the convention troops, in case any invasion shall be made on that State, and that the said executive do, from time to time, as occasion may require, advise the Board of War of their proceedings in that business.3
[Note 3: 3 On the letter of the Board of War is endorsed the following report, in the writing of Cyrus Griffin:
"The delegates of Virginia, to whom were referred some intelligence from the Board of War, of September 27, beg leave to report: That should an expedition take place by the enemy of Eight thousand men to the state of Virginia, they are of opinion the Convention Troops might be rescued with great facility unless some expeditious and effectual measures are taken to prevent it. Therefore, Resolved, That the Governor and Council of Virginia be authorized and requested to separate the said Troops of the Convention if necessary, or to do whatever shall appear to the Executive best calculated for the safety of those troops and the public service."
A letter from the Board of War, dated September 28, on this subject was read on the 29th, and is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, II, folio 501. It is as follows:
"War Office, September 28, 1779.
"Sir, The Board having considered the intelligence from Major Walton and Lieut: Walcott relative to the motions of the enemy at New York: and as it seems to be apprehended by some gentlemen that the large embarkation mentioned may be intended for a descent in Virginia, for the purpose of rescuing the convention Troops; and therefore that it is necessary to separate them: we beg leave to express our sentiments on the subject.
"A letter from Colo Bland, dated May 31st, (having reference to the descent made by the enemy into the State about three weeks before) has the following passage--&'From the best computation I can make about three thousand militia might on emergency be called into actual service at this post (Charlotteville) in six days, from the adjacent counties allotted to reinforce this garrison if occasion should require, about fifteen hundred of which might be well armed, the others but indifferently.'
"The State having lately detained 5000 muskets, the property of the United States, if they still keep them it will be easy to arm a large body of militia, and it appears from Col. Bland's information that a competent number of men may in a short time be raised to remove the prisoners to a part of the State still more remote from any practicable landing, or to another State out of the enemy's reach; those prisoners now amounting only to 2800 men (exclusive of commissioned Officers) and less than half of them British.
"We cannot persuade ourselves that at this time the enemy would hazard a part of their army in Virginia, even if they thought the rescue of the convention prisoners far more practicable than we do.
"To separate them would give opportunities to great numbers to desert, from the want of strong places of confinement: it would also create a very great expense. Indeed we know not where they could be sheltered from the weather for any length of time. Should necessity (in our opinion unlikely to happen) compel us to remove them, it would be for a very short time, as the enemy would soon give over a pursuit they would find to be fruitless.
"Upon the whole we are humbly of opinion, that nothing more is requisite than to apprize the executive of Virginia of the intelligence received relative to the preparations for a large embarkation at New York, and to desire that fifteen hundred of the arms detained in the State may be sent to some convenient deposites, for the purpose of arming the militia of those counties adjacent to Albemrle, now actually allotted to reinforce the guards over the Convention prisoners."]
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Congress proceeded to the election of secretaries; and the ballots being taken and counted, Mr. William Carmichael was elected secretary to the minister plenipotentiary to negotiate a treaty of amity and commerce and of alliance with the court of Spain.
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Mr. Francis Dana, secretary to the minister plenipotentiary to negotiate a treaty of peace and a treaty of commerce with Great Britain.
Lieutenant Colonel John Laurens, secretary to the minister plenipotentiary of the United States at the court of Versailles.
The committee appointed to report proper salaries brought in a report, which was read: After debate,
Ordered, That the farther consideration thereof be postponed till to morrow.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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