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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 17, 1780
A letter, of 15, from the supreme executive council of Pensylvania, was read.
A letter, of this day, from General Mifflin, was read, enclosing sundry accounts:1
[Note 1: 1 The Pennsylvania letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 69, II, folio 169; Mifflin's letter is in No. 161, folio 67.]
Ordered, That the said letter and papers enclosed be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A memorial from Gideon Olmstead and Aquilla Ramsdil was read; Whereupon,2
[Note 2: 2 This memorial, dated December 22, 1780, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, VII, folio 267.]
Ordered, That the report of the committee on the memorial of Gideon Olmstead, and who were to confer with a committee of the assembly of Pensylvania, be taken into consideration on Monday, 31 January.
The Board of Treasury, to whom was referred an application of Ass Worthington, employed as inspector of cattle in the department of the commissary general, from the 18 day of November, 1778, to 15 of January, 1780, brought in a report; Whereupon,
Resolved, That in addition to his pay, of 4 dollars per day, the said Ass Worthington be allowed the sum of three thousand nine hundred and forty dollars, in compensation for his services and expences to this date; and that a warrant issue on the treasurer, in his favour, for that sum.
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Mr. [George] Partridge, one of the delegates from the State of Massachusetts Bay, on his application, for five thousand dollars; for which the said State is to be accountable.3
[Note 3: 3 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folio 37.]
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The Board of War, to whom was referred the letter of 17 December last, from General Washington, relative to Monsieur Hyacinthe la Motte, brought in a report; Whereupon,
At a Board of War Decr 31st 1779
Present Col Pickering, Mr Peters, Col Grayson
The Board having taken into consideration the letter of Genl Washington, enclosing a memorial of Monsr Hyacinthe La Motte,
Beg leave to report to Congress,
That Congress have a due sense of the zeal discovered by Mons La Motte for the service of the United States, but particular considerations prevent his being employed in the capacity he mentions in his memorial to Congress.
Resolved, That the expediency of continuing Monsieur La Motte in his present employment be referred to the honorable council of Massachusetts Bay who are requested to adjust and settle the account of said Monsieur La Motte at Continental expense and if they deem his continuance unnecessary to discharge him from any farther service and that the council be informed that the Board of War have advanced Monsieur la Motte three thousand dollars on account of his pay.
The Board are not sufficiently convinced of the character of the Memorialist nor of the necessity of the mission to recommend his being sent into Canada at a heavy expense. The business of the Department under the agency of Colo Allen being by resolution of Congress put under the direction of the Council of Massachusetts, it was deemed most proper to refer the determination in the case of Mons La Motte to them. From what appears to the Board we should determine on a dismission of the Memorialist.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, IV, folio 75.]
On motion of Mr. [Roger] Sherman, seconded by Mr. [James] McLene,
Resolved, That the commissary general of purchases be allowed two clerks, to be by him appointed.
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That each of the said clerks be allowed the same salary as a clerk of the Board of Treasury.
Congress took into consideration the report of the committee on the memorial of the honble the Minister Plenipotentiary of France; and thereupon came to the following resolutions:
Whereas the Minister Plenipotentiary of France hath represented to us that a quantity of wheat and flour hath been procured and collected in the State of Maryland, at a great expence, for the fleet of his most Christian Majesty, and for his garrisons in the French islands; that they are in pressing want of those supplies; that by an act of the legislature of the said State, commissioners therein named are authorized to seize wheat and flour in stores; and that the seizure of the wheat and flour collected as aforesaid, and in the hands of William Smith, Esq. of Baltimore, in the said State, would embarrass the measures of the agent of the marine of the King of France, endanger the success of military plans, and expose to want the garrisons aforesaid; and hath requested our interposition in this regard: And whereas Congress are at all times disposed to attend to the Representations, and as far as is in their power to comply with the requests of the Minister of their Illustrious Ally. Therefore,
Resolved, That it be, and hereby it is recommended to the governor and council of the State of Maryland, to direct the commissioners appointed to carry the act for the immediate supply of flour and other provisions for the army into full force and execution, to refrain from seizing the provisions which have been purchased by permission of the State of Maryland for the agent of the marine of his most Christian Majesty; to replace them in case they have been already seized; and to permit the exportation thereof.
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That a copy of the memorial of the Minister Plenipotentiary of France, and a copy of the papers enclosed, be immediately transmitted, with the foregoing resolution, to the governor and council of the State of Maryland.
Resolved, That Congress entertain a high sense of the exertions of the legislature and governor and council of the State of Maryland to procure an immediate supply of flour and other provisions for the army, and that the governor and council be requested to cause the same to be forwarded as fast as procured to the army, the pressing wants of which demand immediate relief.1
[Note 1: 1 This preamble and the resolutions were also entered in the manuscript Secret (Domestic) Journal. The report, in the writing of William Ellery, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 25, I, folio 303.]
According to order, Congress was resolved into a Committee of the Whole, and after some time, the President resumed the chair, and Mr. [George] Plater reported, that the committee had had under consideration the report of the committee for estimating the quotas of supplies, and are of opinion that the same be referred to a committee consisting of a member from each State.
Resolved, That Congress agree to the said report.
The members chosen, Mr. [John] Mathews, Mr. [Cyrus] Griffin, Mr. [Thomas] McKean, Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry, Mr. [William] Ellery, Mr. [Thomas] Burke, Mr. [James] Searle, Mr. [James] Forbes, Mr. [Nathaniel] Folsom, Mr. [Roger] Sherman, Mr. [Ezra] L'Hommedieu, and Mr. [John] Fell.
Ordered, That the report of the committee on the departments of the quarter master and commissary general be referred to this committee.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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