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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 --MONDAY, JANUARY 10, 1780
A letter, of this day, from Jeremiah Wadsworth, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A letter was read, signed Charles Lee, but not in his handwriting, in the words following:
'Berkeley County,
Sir, I understand that it is in contemplation of Congress on the principle of oeconomy to strike me out of their service. Congress must know very little of me, if they suppose that I would accept of their money since the confirmation of the wicked and infamous sentence which was passed upon me. I am, Sir, your most obedient servant,
Charles Lee.
Excuse my not writing in my own hand, as it is wounded.
Charles Lee.
" Superscribed, "The honble President of Congress, Philadelphia."1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 158, folio 143.]
A motion was made by Mr. [James] McLene, seconded by Mr. [John] Penn,
That Major General Charles Lee be informed, that Congress have no farther occasion for his services in the army of the United States.
A motion was made by Mr. Gerry, [Thomas] McKean, seconded by Mr. [Robert R.] Livingston,
That the consideration of the motion be postponed; on which the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [John] Penn,
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So it passed in the negative.
On the question to agree to the main question, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [John] Penn,
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So it was resolved in the affirmative.
A letter, of this day, from Charles Pettit, was read:1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 192, folio 277.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on the Post Office, to take order thereon.
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A letter, of 10th, from the Board of War, was read, enclosing a letter, of 5, from Asa Worthington:1
[Note 1: 1 The letter of the Board of War is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 148, I, folio 5.]
Ordered, That the same be referred to the committee of the 17th December, for estimating the supplies to be furnished by the several states.
A letter, of 8, from the Board of War, was read, respecting the continuing the purchase of cloathing:
War Office, January 8, 1780.
Sir: The board think it proper to inform Congress that owing to the present situation of the public finances which preclude a possibility we presume of proper supplies, and with a hope that the measure tho' dictated to us by necessity may produce salutary effects, we have directed no purchases of cloathing to be made by our agents, until they receive farther orders from us. We are not justified in this by any appearances of a sufficient supply being provided for the troops who are not in a condition in this respect even comfortable, there being a great deficiency of many of the articles of cloathing, and but a bare supply of any. The articles of blankets, hose or woolen overalls, shirts and shoes are distressingly wanted. Hats also are very scarce. The States one or two excepted, have done little towards the cloathing of the troops, and we were never in a situation to make an ample provision, even when money was more abundant than it now is. At present tho' goods are repeatedly offered to us, we have it not in our power to pay for any articles of consequence. After thus having stated the matter to Congress we shall wait their directions, and assistance if it should be deemed proper for us to proceed in purchasing, a business to which we have often told Congress we deem ourselves inadequate, but which we have prosecuted with as much attention as our other business would permit tho' the task has ever been unpleasant from a conviction that it was impossible for us to execute it with advantage to the public interest. Nor will this matter in our humble opinion ever be on a proper footing, until either every State shall clothe its own quota of troops, or some person who has no other business be appointed to make the provision Continentally. But we hope the supplies expected from Europe, will supercede the necessity of any other provision. Whether our hopes are
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well founded Congress best know. We have never been perfectly satisfied ourselves and therefore we never could satisfy the anxious enquiries of the officers of the certainty of these supplies. And we take the liberty of mentioning to Congress our opinion, which was strengthened by the like sentiment expressed on this subject by Monsr Gerard, that however well inclined the court and the officers of France may be to accommodate the United States, their wishes will never be gratified, unless a person having a knowledge of goods, and attentive to business is appointed to be on the spot, and superintend the providing and shipping the articles. Indeed this is a measure so obviously necessary, that we presume it must have occurred to, and is perhaps ordered by Congress.
Before we quit this subject we beg leave to mention the repeated applications and uneasiness of the officers of the Line, not provided for by any State and of the staff in general. These applications have been more frequent and the uneasiness more inflamed by the publication of the late Resolution of Congress directing how the cloathing was to be distributed, which led the Officers to believe there was some provision made of articles subject to the disposition directed by that Resolution. We must therefore renew our application that some means of satisfying the demands of these officers may be directed by Congress, tho' when we consider the amount of the sums necessary for this purpose we perceive difficulties almost insuperable at this late period.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 148, I, folio I.]
Ordered, That the suspension be taken off, and that the Board of Treasury proceed in the publication relative to the sale of bills of exchange.
Congress took into consideration the motion made by Mr. [Robert R.] Livingston; after debate,
Resolved, that the Commander in Chief be directed to dismiss all the Troops whose times will expire by the 1st day of April next who shall be willing to receive their discharge.
Resolved, that the number of Regiments be reduced to sixty and the soldiers of such regiments, incorporated with those that remain upon the establishment.
Resolved, that the Board of War report a plan for such reduction.
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Resolved, that the reduced officers be allowed full pay exclusive of rations and subsistence money during the war, and such other allowance after the war as is made to those officers who have served during the war.
Resolved, that any vacancy in the sixty battallions be filled up by officers from the reduced regiments having respect to the States to which such regiments belong.1
[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of Robert R. Livingston, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, I, folio 53. It is endorsed "11th January the Committee sent a copy of the resolutions to General Washington and requested his opinion thereon. January 29, 1780, referred to the Board of War." Draft of Washington's reply, dated Jan. 23, 1780, is in the Washington Papers, A. V., pt. 1, 153. It is printed in The Writings of Washington (Ford), VIII, 174.]
A motion was made by Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry, seconded by Mr. [Nathaniel] Peabody, That it be referred to a committee of three, that the committee repair to headquarters, consult General Washington on the subject thereof, and report to Congress; and that the committee in conjunction with the General be authorised to take such measures as they may judge necessary, for obtaining immediate supplies of provision for the army. A division was called for and on the question to agree that it be referred to a committee,
Resolved in the affirmative.
Another division was called for, and on the question on the first part, directing the committee to repair to headquarters, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry,
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So it passed in the negative, and the remaining part of the motion fell of course.
Congress proceeded to the election of a committee, and the ballots being taken,
Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry, Mr. [Robert R.] Livingston and Mr. [John] Mathews, were elected.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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