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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 --SATURDAY, MARCH 4, 1780
Petitions from sundry soldiers at Wyoming were laid before Congress: 2
[Note 2: 2 These petitions, one of February 16, two of 17, and three of 18, are in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, IV, folios 215--237.]
Ordered, That they be referred to the Board of War.
A memorial from Mr. Holker was read, respecting loan office certificates burned at the late fire at Mr. [John] Penn's house.
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A letter, of February 1, from David Avery, chaplain to the late Learned's brigade, was read, requesting leave, on account of his ill state of health, to resign: 3
[Note 3: 3 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, I, folio 345.]
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Resolved, That his resignation be accepted.
A letter, of October 7, 1779, from the Marquis de la Fayette, was read.1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 156, folio 95.]
A letter, of October 4, 1779, with a postscript of 28th of the same month, from B. Franklin, minister plenipotentiary at the Court of France, was read, enclosing a copy of his letter to the Marquis de la Fayette, with the sword ordered to be presented to him, the Marquis' answer, a description of the sword with the devices thereon; an engraving of the monument ordered to be erected to the memory of General Montgomery; two invoices of goods shipped on board the Therése, 1777; a memoir of Count Mallebois; a journal of the cruises of the Black Prince; and a journal of the cruise of Commodore Paul Jones, in which he captured the Serapis and Countess of Scarborough, men of war; a memoire of two gunners, late belonging to the frigate Boston, Captain Tucker; and the claim of some French seamen, who belonged to Captain Cunningham, for wages and prize money:2
[Note 2: 2 The letter and postscript are printed in the Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution (Wharton,) III, 361. An autograph draft of the letter is in the Franklin Papers, III, 551. A description of the sword and drawings of the designs are in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No 59, I, folios 33, 37 and 38.]
Ordered, That the letter be referred to the Committee of Intelligence:
That the two invoices with so much of the letter as relates thereto, be referred to the Committee of Commerce:
That the memoir from Count Mallebois, with so much of the letter as relates to it, be referred to the Board of War:
That the journals enclosed, the memoir of the gunners, and the claim of the French seamen, with so much of the letter as relates to them, be referred to the Board of Admiralty.
The Committee of Foreign Affairs laid before Congress three letters from A. Lee, one dated September 19th, one October 13; and the other, October 21, 1779;
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One from R. Izard, September 29, 1779;
One from B. Franklin, October 17, 1779, which were read:1
[Note 1: 1 Lee's letters are printed in the Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution (Wharton) III pp. 329, 377, 390; Izard's on p. 350; Franklin's on p. 384. An autograph draft of Franklin's letter is in the Franklin Papers III, 562.]
Ordered, That they be returned to the committee.
A memorial from Jonathan Williams, Junior, was read, accompanied with a copy of his accounts:
Ordered, That the same be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A motion was made by Mr. [John] Mathews, seconded by Mr. [Samuel] Holten, that it be resolved,
That the thanks of Congress be returned to Captain Paul Jones and the officers and seamen of the squadron under his command, for their brave and spirited conduct in the engagement with the Serapis and Countess of Scarborough, ships of war, on theday oflast; and for the services rendered to the common cause in the late expedition to the coast of Great Britain; Whereupon,
It was moved by Mr. [William Churchill] Houston, seconded by Mr. [James] McLene, that the foregoing motion be referred to the Board of Admiralty; on which the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [John] Mathews,2
[Note 2: 2 The rest of the entries for this day are in George Bond's writing.]
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So it passed in the affirmative.
A report from the Board of War was read; Whereupon,
At a Board of War Feby. 26, 1780
Present Mr Peters, Colo Grayson
Genl Du Portail having represented, that Mr Nevin, who was appointed a Captain in the companies of Sappers and Miners, by the resolution of February the 7th 1780, has acted as Captain in the engineering department, from the 25th of April 1779 and that he should be commissioned as such.
Resolved, That Mr. Nevin be appointed a captain of engineers, to rank from the 25th of April, 1779.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, IV, folio 187.]
At a Board of War March 4, 1780
Present Col Pickering, M.r Peters, Col Grayson
Genl Du Portail and Col Armand having represented to the board, that the Chev. Bonnevalle, a young gentleman of merit, has served three years as a volunteer in the army of the United States, with reputation, The Board beg leave to report
That the Chevalier Bonnevalle be appointed to the rank of ensign in the army of the United States.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, IV, folio 207.]
On motion of Mr. [Thomas] Burke, seconded by Mr. [Roger] Sherman,
Resolved, That the Board of Treasury be directed to suspend the sale of any more bills of exchange, till the further order of Congress.
The committee on letters from Major General Greene, delivered in a report.
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The Committee to whom was referred the several letters from General Greene report the following draught of a letter in answer.
Sir:
Congress have resolved to call on the States for quotas of necessary articles to be laid up in magazines ready for the public exigencies and on the exertions of the States they must rely. But as sometime must intervene before supplies to be obtained in this way can be brought into use, and before any new arrangement of the Quartermaster General's Department can be compleated, they think it inexpedient that you should resign, and they wish you to continue making every possible exertion for forwarding the preparations for the next campaign, by every means which may be in your power.
Nothing can be more desirable to Congress than to have it in their power to put the public officers in a condition to perform their contracts and to compleat the necessary preparations. They are sensible of the importance of those assigned to your office and of the causes whence your difficulties arise but they have not been able to avail themselves of the resources of the United States to such a degree as to be entirely effectual, tho' they know them to be abundantly sufficient for the purposes of a vigorous defence of our country, the arrangements made for calling them out to public use will necessarily take sometime in the operation. The Congress hope that taxes will shortly be productive of money sufficient to pay off all the contracts made in the meantime for supplies, and to that use the first application thereof shall be appropriated. Congress desire as soon as possible to be furnished with a list particularly stated of all the debts due from your Department.
The Congress cannot admit that the necessary supplies of the produce of the country should be wanting while they abound every where in such plenty. Nor will they entertain an opinion so disgraceful to their Constituents as that of their refusing to sell them to the public officers on a reasonable credit when it is so apparent that their safety so much depends on the due supplying of the Army, and that it is extremely dangerous to their affairs to involve Congress in the necessity of having recourse to extraordinary expedients for supporting the public finances; but should Congress in this be mistaken, you are always to remember that the supplying of the Army is of so much importance to the affairs of the United States, that it must be done at
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all events. And if you must have recourse to extraordinary measures, you are to be particularly careful that every thing else has been previously attempted, and that your necessity is evident and unavoidable, and that no abuses be permitted, also that you put the persons who shall supply you in a situation to demand payment at a reasonable market price.
With regard to your Deputies and Assistants, Congress have under consideration a new arrangement of your Department, which will be soon compleated.
All which is submitted to Congress
Tho.S Burke, Chn.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, II, folio 445.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock on Monday.
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