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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, MARCH 23, 1780
The Board of Admiralty laid before Congress sundry papers and affidavits relative to the capture of the continental brig Eagle, when under the protection of a fort on the island Saba by several British privateers:1
[Note 1: 1 The papers and affidavits are in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 44, folios 325--399.]
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Ordered, That they be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. [Robert R.] Livingston, Mr. [William] Ellery, and Mr. [Thomas] Burke.
A letter, of 22, from the Board of War on the memorial of Mayberry and Morgan, which was referred to them, was read:1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 148, I, folio 67.]
Ordered, That the memorial of Mayberry and Morgan, iron masters, asking payment of the ballance of their account, together with the aforementioned letter of the Board of War on that subject, be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A report from the Board of Treasury was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Mr. G[eorge] Plater, one of the delegates for the State of Maryland, on his application, for ten thousand dollars; for which the said State is to be accountable.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Jacob Hiltzeimer, on his application, for forty thousand dollars, to enable him to purchase such forage from time to time, as he shall find necessary for the use of the horses under his care; and for which sum he is to be accountable.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Mr. T[homas] Burke, one of the delegates for the State of North Carolina, on his application for ten thousand dollars, for which the said State is to be accountable.
That the state of the Treasury will not admit of the accepting of the bills drawn by Major General Lincoln to be paid at the sight drawn, nor does the Board know of any expedient mode of accepting them other than the following
Resolved, That the Board of Treasury be authorized to accept the bills drawn by Major General Lincoln, to be paid, at the election of the holder, either in loan office certificates
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or in cash, with interest, and allowance for depreciation as soon as the treasury shall be in condition.
The Board are not informed of the intentions of Congress in referring to them the letter, invoice, and bills of lading from the Honorable Henry Laurens but supposing that it is necessary that Congress decide whether the same shall be taken on the account and risque of the United States submit for that purpose the following resolution:
Resolved, That the thirty two barrels and one firkin indigo and twenty nine barrels of rice, specified in the invoice and bill of lading from the Honorable Henry Laurens, shipped by him on board the brigantine Adriana, Josiah Hill, master, for Martinique and Europe, be on account and risque of the United States, and that the said Henry Laurens be credited for the sum of two hundred and thirty two thousand four hundred and twenty six dollars and one half, being the cost and charges.
The Board farther report as their opinion, that the principal and interest of all loan office certificates which have been, or shall be lost, or destroyed, shah be paid to the persons who shall have been proprietors of the same at the time they were lost or destroyed, or to their certain attornies, executors, or administrators, and every person who shall claim payment of principal or interest on such certificates shall enter into bond to the loan officer where the claim shall be made for double the amount of the claim with freehold at least one sufficient freeholder as security, to be approved by the loan officer, conditioned to indemnify the holder of the certificates supposed to be lost if any such shall United States against the holder of the certificates supposed to be lost or destroyed in case the same should afterwards appear, and shall also lodge an affidavit of the particular circumstances under which the loss or destruction happened, and where a demand shall be made by virtue of a letter or warrant of attorney, such letter or warrant shall not be deemed
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sufficient unless the same shall be duly certified, agreeably to the laws of the State where the demand shall be made, and every such warrant or letter shall be filed in the respective loan offices.
That the Loan Officers respectively make immediate Publication of all Demands made on account of Loan Office Certificates supposed to be lost.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folio 151.]
On the question to agree to this, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Roger] Sherman,
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So the states being equally divided, the question was lost.
The Committee on the Post Office, to whom was referred the paragraph in Governor Trumbull's letter, of the loth instant, relative to continuing Mr. Jesse Brown, as an express rider, delivered in a report; Whereupon,
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Resolved, That Mr. Jesse Brown be continued an express rider until the post riders shall be established, agreeable to the resolution of the 27th of December 1779, or until the further order of Congress.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Roger Sherman, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 20, I, folio 259.]
A letter, of February 21st, from John Lewis Gervais and George Abbot Hall, commissioners for purchasing rice, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A letter from George Watson was read.2
[Note 2: 2 This letter, dated February 5, 1779 [1780], is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XXIV, folio 195.]
War Office, March 23. 1780
Sir.
The Board have been honored with a reference of Gen1 Washington's letter on the subject of Provisions. They have long apprehended the calamities which now seem fast approaching--which are of the most alarming nature; and they would be too happy were it in their power to propose any certain measures for remedying or preventing the evils which threaten us. But as the plan of State supplies has not yet taken effect, and the Commissary General of purchases has neither the means of engaging persons of character and abilities to assist him in procuring supplies, nor money to purchase them, they see little hopes of brighter prospects. The letters they receive from all quarters hold up universal distress from the want of money. The Convention Troops have been nearly starving, the purchasing Commissary in Virginia has, as a temporary expedient, sent the provisions from the seaboard to Charlotteville, but has no money to replace them, and therefore declares it impracticable to supply passing troops. How reinforcements for the Southern army (if any should be sent) can subsist under these circumstances the Board are at a loss to determine. The measures they have been pursuing for the attainment of a temporary supply for the grand army will appear by the inclosures. All they can do is merely palliative, and will be of short duration unless immediate measures are taken to strengthen the hands of Col. Blaine by giving him money and assistants to enable him to keep up the supply until the States
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have made provision. The Board need not inform Congress of the critical situation of our army at the eve of an approaching campaign--and so far from having any thing like magazines, that they are subsisted precariously by the day. They therefore humbly propose that if practicable some method be fallen upon, to put the Commissary's Department in cash, and that he be enabled to procure men of integrity and abilities to assist him, by having it in his power to engage them on Salaries of a fixed nature, either in specie, wheat or sterling. These assistants might be discharged when there was no farther occasion of their services, and while they acted they could assure themselves of a certain support, and be excluded from the destructive plan of commissions. As the subject is of so interesting a nature, the Board have taken the liberty of expressing their sentiments, decisively tho' not knowing the practicability of carrying their ideas into execution, they have not formed any report on the subject--they would beg to add, that the causes which prevent the obtaining provisions preclude the possibility of transporting them, and they expect in a short time, that few or no waggons will be able to move in the public service, private teams having no temptation to work for the United States--and the continental waggons being incapable of any business from the want of Forage
We have the honor to be &c
P. S. Col. Hollingsworth has just handed us the return No by which it appears the measures taken by the Board will have a temporary good effect.
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, IV, folio 267.
The enclosures are on folios 271--291. Enclosure No. 4 is missing.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock on Saturday.
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