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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, OCTOBER 14, 1779
A letter, of 9th, from General Washington, was read, enclosing a letter of 28th September, from Major General Sullivan, at Chemung, giving an account of his successful expedition against the hostile Indians;2 Whereupon,
[Note 2: 2 Washington's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, VIII, folio 81; that of Sullivan, on folio 85.]
On motion of Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry, seconded by Mr. [Gouverneur] Morris,
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Resolved, That the thanks of Congress be given to his Excellency General Washington, for directing, and to Major General Sullivan, and the brave officers and soldiers under his command, for effectually executing an important expedition against such of the Indian nations as, encouraged by the councils and conducted by the officers of his Britannic majesty, had perfidiously waged an unprovoked and cruel war against these United States, laid waste many of their defenceless towns, and with savage barbarity slaughtered the inhabitants thereof.
A letter, of 1, from General Washington; and
One from Major Noirmont de la Neuville, were read, accompanied with sundry certificates in his favour:
Ordered, That they be referred to the Board of War.
A letter, of 13 September, from Major General Gates was read.1
[Note 1: 1 Washington's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, VIII, folio 63; that of La Neuville, in No. 78, XI, folio 459; that of Gates, in No. 154, II, folio 190.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A petition of Thomas Pierce was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Marine Committee to take order thereon.
A letter, of this day from J. Connolly, was read:2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, V, folio 417.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War, to take order.
On motion of Mr. [Henry] Marchant, seconded by Mr. [Jesse] Root,
Resolved, That it will be proper to set apart the second Thursday in December next as a day of general thanksgiving in these United States, and that a committee of four be appointed to prepare a recommendation to the said states for this purpose:
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The members chosen, Mr. [Jesse] Root, Mr. [Samuel] Holten, Mr. [Frederick A.] Muhlenberg, and Mr. [Gouverneur] Morris.
Resolved, That two members be elected for the Committee on Appeals, in the room of Mr. [William Henry] Drayton, deceased, and Mr. [William] Paca, who is absent:
The members chosen, Mr. [James] Mercer, and Mr. [Cyrus] Griffin.
The commissioners at the Treasury report, that there is due to Colonel Lewis Nicola, for the pay and subsistence of the invalid regiment under his command, for the month of August, the sum of four thousand and sixty seven dollars and 43/90.
That there is due to the Rev. Mr. Duffield, for his pay and subsistence as chaplain to Congress, from the first of January, to the 30th September last inclusive, the sum of seven hundred and twenty dollars.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated October 13, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 725.]
Ordered, That the said accounts be paid.
The Committee on the Treasury brought in a report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That on the application of Charles Pettit, Esq. assistant quarter master general, a warrant issue on Joseph Borden, Esq. commissioner of the continental loan office in the State of New Jersey, for seven hundred thousand dollars; and another warrant on Thomas Smith, Esq. commissioner of the continental loan office in the State of Pensylvania, for two million dollars, in favour of Major General Greene, for the use of his department; and for which he is to be accountable.
Resolved, That 5,000,180 dollars, being part of the sum remaining to complete 200,000,000, be emitted on the faith of
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the United States, and under the direction of the Board of Treasury, in bills of the following denominations, viz.
That the said bills, excepting the numbers, be of the same tenor and date as those emitted the 17th of September last, and be numbered from the last number in each respective denomination progressively.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated October 14, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 13, III, folio 727.]
Ordered, That the first blank in the commission to the secretary of the minister plenipotentiary for negotiating with Spain be filled up with "the honourable William "Carmichael, esquire, a delegate in Congress from the "state of Maryland;" and the second blank with "negotiate a treaty of amity and commerce, and of alliance "with his catholick majesty;" the blank after "witness," with "his excellency Samuel Huntington, esquire;" and the other blanks successively with "Philadelphia," "twenty-ninth," "September," "1779," "fourth."
That the first blank in the commission to the secretary to the minister plenipotentiary for negotiating a treaty of peace, &c. be filled up with "the honourable :Francis "Dana, esquire, a delegate in Congress from the state of "Massachusetts Bay, and a member of the council of the "said state;" the second blank with "negotiate a treaty "of peace and of commerce with Great Britain;" and the other blanks as above.
That the first blank in the commission for the secretary to the minister at the court of Versailles be filled with "John Laurens, esquire, member of the house of "representatives
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for the state of South Carolina, and lieutenant colonel in the army of the United States;" the second blank with "at the court of Versailles," striking out "appointed to;" and the other blanks as above.1
[Note 1: 1 These proceedings were entered only in the manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs.]
Adjourned to 10 oClock to Morrow.
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