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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, APRIL 8, 1780
A letter, of 7, from Samuel J. Atlee was read:2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, I, folio 353.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A memorial from John Patton was read.3
[Note 3: 3 This memorial, dated April 8, 1780, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, VIII, folio 108.]
A report from the Board of Treasury was read; Whereupon,
Treasury Office April 5th. 1780.
The Board of Treasury Report--
That for more than a year past, large quantities of provisions have from time to time been furnished by order of Congress or their Committees to John Holker Esqr Agent for the Marine of France, for the use of the Fleets of his Most Christian Majesty through the Commissaries of Purchases in the service of the United States--that Mr Holker has repeatedly applied to the Treasury for a settlement of the accounts arising in this behalf and declared himself ready to pay the balance to the order of the Board, that the Board hath as repeatedly given explicit and peremptory orders to the Commissary General of Purchases and his Agents in this City to furnish the vouchers for such settlement, but have the mortification to see their orders neglected and the public interest sacrificed, for by the depreciation of the currency more than half the Balance due is lost to the
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community, which as the whole amounts at the lowest computation to half a million of dollars is an injury too shameful and intolerable to pass unnoticed;--It is therefore submitted to be resolved--
That all loss by depreciation or otherwise which hath arisen, or may arise to the public by the neglect and delay of the Commissaries of Purchases to furnish the vouchers of account of John Holker Esqr Agent to the Marine of France for provisions furnished to the use of the said Marine, on behalf of the United States before the first of January 1780, be charged to the late Commissary General of Purchases.
The Board further Report--
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Charles Morse, one of the clerks in the Secretary's office, for five thousand five hundred dollars, on account of his salary; and for which he is to be accountable.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Patrick Farral, clerk in the auditor general's office for five thousand dollars, on account of his salary; and for which he is to be accountable.
The Board represent that by letters from the Board of War and Ordnance, of the 29 and 30 of last month, it appears four special contracts were some time since made under their direction by Colonel Benjamin Flower, commissary general of military stores, with Udree & Co. John Patton, Mark Bird, and Robert Coleman, iron masters, for sundry quantities of military stores; that the said contracts have been compleated, and the stores proved and accepted; that the commissary general of military stores has examined and certified their accounts, and that a ballance is due to each of them; that the Board knowing no other way of satisfying the said claims, report,
That the following warrants issue on Thomas Smith, commissioner of the continental loan office for the State of Pensylvania, payable in loan office certificates, and to be charged to the commissary general of military stores, to wit;
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One in favour of Messrs. Udree & Co. for thirty thousand nine hundred and forty dollars:
Another in favour of John Patton for three hundred and ninety two thousand and fifty two dollars and 60/90.
Another in favour of Mark Bird, for one hundred and twenty five thousand six hundred and ninety one dollars and 60/90 of a dollar; and
Another in favour of Robert Coleman, for two hundred and sixteen thousand six hundred and eighty three dollars and 30/90 of a dollar.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folio 177.]
On a question to agree to the foregoing report, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Roger] Sherman,
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So it was resolved in the affirmative.
According to order, the report of the committee, on the motion of the delegates from Massachusetts bay, was taken into consideration, and the first paragraph being read, viz.
"That the reasonable expence incurred by any of the states during the present war, for pay and subsistance of
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militia necessarily employed by them for defence against the common enemy, be credited to such states upon a final adjustment of their accounts with the United States."
A motion was made by Mr. [Philip] Schuyler, seconded by Mr. [Samuel] Holten, that the same be postponed;
And on the question shall it be postponed, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Allen] Jones,
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So the states were equally divided, and the question was lost.
A motion was made by Mr. [George] Partridge, seconded by Mr. [Samuel] Holten, to amend the paragraph by inserting the following words, viz. "the State of Massachusetts bay in endeavouring to repel an invasion of the enemy at Penobscot, or" after the words "incurred by."1 On which the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [George] Partridge,
[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of George Partridge, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 65, I, folio 439.]
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So it passed in the negative.
On the question to agree to the main question, the states were equally divided and the question was lost.
The next paragraph of the report was read, viz.
That upon the application of the State of Massachusetts Bay by their delegates in Congress, representing that the said State had incurred a very heavy expence for repelling a late invasion of Penobscot in the said State by the common enemy, and requesting that part of the monies raised by the said State for the United States might be retained until the accounts of the expence aforesaid could be prepared and submitted to the consideration of Congress; it be resolved,
That a warrant issue on the treasurer of the State of Massachusetts Bay, in favour of the said State, for two millions of dollars, being part of the monies raised by the said State, for the use of the United States, for which sum the said State is to be accountable.
On the question to agree to the order for a warrant as reported,
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Resolved in the affirmative.
On the question to agree to the preamble, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [John] Fell,
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So it was resolved in the affirmative.
Resolved, That the application from the State of Massachusetts Bay for an expedition to be adopted for dislodging the enemy from Penobscot, with the papers relating thereto, be referred to the consideration of the Commander in Chief of the army of these United States; [and that continental pay and rations be allowed to any body of militia, not exceeding eight hundred men, which the State of Massachusetts bay may judge necessary to be raised for the defence of the eastern part of that State].1
[Note 1: 1 This paragraph was also entered in the manuscript Secret (Domestic) Journal. The part which is in brackets was not reported by the Committee but was included in the original motion. See ante, March 22. The report, in the writing of Oliver Ellsworth, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 20, I, folio 57.]
A report from the Board of Treasury was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the managers of the United States lottery, in favor of Charles Pettit, assistant
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quarter master general, on account of Major General Greene, quarter master general, for thirty thousand dollars, to be applied in the transportation of provisions to the army; and for which the said Quarter Master General is to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folios 183 and 185.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock on Monday.
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