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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 --TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 1780
Mr. A[braham] Clark, a delegate from the state of New Jersey, attended and produced the credentials of his appointment, which were read, as follows:
State of New Jersey, Decr 25th, 1779.
The Council and Assembly met at Mountholly and in Joint Meeting proceeded to the Election of a Delegate to represent this State in Congress, in the room of Thomas Henderson Esqr., who hath declined taking his Seat, pursuant to his Appointment, on the Seventeenth day of November last, And the Votes being taken Abraham Clark Esquire was duly elected.
Resolved--therefore
That the said Abraham Clark Esquire be impowered in Conjunction with the honorable John Fell and William Churchill Houston Esquires, or either of them, to represent and Vote in Behalf of this State in the Congress of the United States of North America, untill the first day of December next, unless a new Appointment shall sooner take place,
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It is nevertheless expected, that all the Delegates do constantly attend, unless prevented by sickness or other accident.
A true copy from the Minutes of the Council and Assembly in Joint Meeting.
Bowes Reed, Secy.,1
[Note 1: 1 The original is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, New Jersey, Credentials of Delegates.]
A letter, of 19, from General Washington, was read, with sundry papers enclosed; and also a letter, of 24, from Colonels Mathews, Ely and Ramsey, were read:2
[Note 2: 2 The letter of Mathews, Ely and Ramsey is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XVI, folio 5; that of Washington in No. 152, VIII, folio 355.]
Ordered, That they be referred to a committee of three, who are directed to confer with the said colonels:
The members chosen, Mr. [Roger] Sherman, Mr. [James] Forbes, and Mr. [John] Mathews.
A letter, of 21, from the Board of War, was read:3
[Note 3: 3 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 148, I, folio 25.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A report from the Board of Treasury was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on his excellency the president, and the supreme executive council of the State of Pensylvania, in favour of Ephraim Blaine, commissary general of purchases, for one million of dollars, in part of the monies raised in the said State, for the use of the United States; for which the said commissary general is to be accountable.4
[Note 4: 4 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folio 55.]
A letter, of 21, from the Board of War was read, enclosing sundry letters from the issuing commissaries:5
[Note 5: 5 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 148, I, folio 29.]
Ordered, That the same be referred back to the Board of War to report thereon.
The Board of Admiralty, to whom was referred the return of the officers in the navy of the United States, brought in a report; Whereupon,
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That by a Resolution of the 20th March 1778 officers of the Continental Navy not in actual service are allowed pay but not rations nor the subsistence money allowed by the Resolve of the 25th July 1777 and
That mechanicks employed in or about the Navy are not intitled to rations or subsistence by any resolution of Congress.
Resolved, That the pay of all officers of the navy, not in actual service, cease from this day: that such officers retain their rank, depositing their commissions in the respective navy boards, until they shall be called into actual service.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 37, folio 175. It is dated "Admiralty Office, 24 Janry. 1780."]
The committee on the quarter masters department, and the committee, to whom was referred the letter from General Greene, respecting Mr. Moore's affairs, delivered in their reports.
The Committee to whom was referred the letter from Genl Green and the papers accompanying the same, respecting the quantity of wood cut on the farm of Mr Stephen Moore for the purpose of supplying the Army with wood and for erecting fortifications, and the value thereof, beg leave to report, that Mr Stephen Moore has not produced a proper certificate from the Quarter Master Genl of the quantity and value of such wood, and that the estimations thereof, have not been made according to the usual mode practised in such cases, and are not satisfactory, at the same time, as very considerable quantities of wood have been cut on Mr Moore's farm at West Point for the supply of the Army, and erecting fortifications and great damages done to his buildings and fences by the Army on the said farm for which Mr Moore has received no satisfaction and has been at great expence in endeavoring to procure satisfactory certificates of the damages sustained by him in the premises which could not be obtained by reason of the deep snow on the ground, Your Committee would propose the following resolution, to wit.
Resolved, that a Warrant issue on the Treasurer in favor of Mr Stephen Moore for thirty thousand dollars in compensation in part for wood cut on his farm at West Point for the purpose of supplying the Army
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with wood and for erecting fortifications and for the use his buildings and damages done to his fences by the Army on his said farm.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Ezra L'Hommedieu, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, IV, folio 89. It is endorsed by Thomson: "Delivered January 25, 1780." A second preamble and resolution appears on the back of the report, also in L'Hommedieu's writing, as follows:
Whereas Congress have agreed with Mr Stephen Moore to purchase his farm at West Point, containing 1080 Acres for the use of the United States: for a sum of Money equivalent to what shall be deemed to have been the value of the said farm in the year 1774, and also the value of the rent thereof for two years: by such persons as shall hereafter be appointed by Congress for that purpose. Ordered that 40,000 dollars be advanced to the said Stephen Moore in part of the purchase Money to be paid him for the said farm, and that the two following warrants issue in his favor for the said sum, to Wit, One on the Treasurer for ten thousand dollars, and another on His Excellency Richard Caswell Esqr Governor of the State of North Carolina for thirty thousand dollars to be paid out of the Monies raised by the said State for the use of the United States.]
A memorial from the honorable the Minister Plenipotentiary of France, was read, intimating that he has farther communications to make.
On the 25th of January, 1780, the minister plenipotentiary of France transmitted to Congress the following memorial:
Philadelphia, January 25, 1780.
The Minister Plenipotentiary of France has received express orders from the king his master to inform Congress, that the present situation of the affairs of the alliance in Europe announces the necessity of another campaign, which is indispensable to bring England to an acknowledgment of the independence of the thirteen United States, which is the essential purpose of the present war. That power is making preparations the most proper for continuing the war with vigour, and appears willing to employ, in the course of this year, all the means possible to procure reparation, by some important enterprise, for the losses it has already sustained. Congress cannot doubt but that, in this situation of affairs, his most Christian Majesty and the king
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of Spain have concerted plans to maintain that superiority by sea, which has begun to appear in their favour; and the underwritten has reason to believe, that the United States have nothing to desire of their ally, touching the use he is making of the resources of his realm, and the efficacy of the measures adopted by the cabinets of Versailles and Madrid. But while this powerful diversion retains in Europe and the West Indies the greater part of the land and sea forces of the common enemy, it is absolutely necessary that the United States, on their part, should make efforts proportionable to the greatness of the object for which they are contending. The only means of putting an end to the calamities of the war is to push it with new vigour; to take effectual measures immediately for completing the army, and putting it in condition to begin an early campaign. It is also necessary to concert, as far as the distance of places will permit, a plan of common operations; and this is one of the principal points on which the underwritten minister is ordered to consult with Congress. He is also ordered to assure this assembly that the king, being informed of the wants of the American army, with respect to arms and ammunition, has commanded his ministers to make suitable arrangements for supplying them. It is necessary that the underwritten minister should confer with Congress on the subjects just mentioned. Besides, he has some particular circumstances to communicate relative to the present or probable state of the negotiations; and he desires that this assembly will be pleased to inform him in what manner they will receive the communication, the subject of which, as well as the plan of operations for the ensuing campaign, requires the most profound secrecy. In the mean while, he now only assures
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Congress, that in the whole course of the negotiations carried on last year, the king would not listen to either peace or truce, without an assurance of some sort, of the independence of the United States.
Le Chev. de La Luzerne.1
[Note 1: 1 This communication was entered only in the manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs. It is printed in the Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution (Wharton), III, 469.]
A motion was made for advancing a sum of money to the commissioners appointed to regulate the staff departments:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury, to take order.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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