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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, JUNE 29, 1780
Mr. S[amuel] Adams, a delegate for Massachusetts bay, attended and took his seat in Congress.
A letter, of 25, from General Washington was read, enclosing a letter, of 24, from Major General Greene, giving an
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account of an action on the 23, with the enemy near Springfield:
Ordered, That the same be referred to the Committee of Intelligence.
Ordered, That the Board of War comply with General Washington's request contained in his letter to them, of 21, respecting the infantry of Major Lee's corps.
A letter, of 26, from President Rodney, of Delaware, and one of 21, from Governor Clinton of New York, were read; the latter enclosing an act passed by the legislature of the State of New York, in pursuance of the resolutions of Congress of the 18 March last.
Ordered, That the act be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A letter, of 22, from Major Lee was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War.
A letter, of 13, from J. Bradford was read.
A letter, of 19, from Major General Greene, Q. M. G. was read, with sundry papers enclosed:1
[Note 1: 1 Washington's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, VIII, folio 623; it is printed in the Writings of Washington (Ford), VIII, 320; that of Rodney is in No. 70, folio 741; that of Clinton is in No. 67, II, folio 266; that of Lee is in No. 78, XIV, folio 355; that of Bradford is in No. 78, III, folio 477; that of Greene is in No. 155, I, folio 303.]
Ordered, That the same be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. [Oliver] Ellsworth, Mr. [James] Duane and Mr. [James] Madison.
A letter from the Board of Admiralty was read, enclosing a letter, of 28, from Captain Whipple:
Ordered, That the same be referred back to the Board of Admiralty to report thereon.
A memorial of William Watson and others of Georgia, and a memorial of Mordecai Sheftall, of Georgia, were read:2
[Note 2: 2 Watson's memorial, dated June 28, 1780, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, X, folio 446; that of Sheftall, dated June 28, 1780, is No. 41, X, folio 117.]
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Ordered, That the same be referred to the Board of War, except so much as relates to money advanced by Mordecai Sheftall, which is referred to the Board of Treasury.
A letter, of 27, from the Board of War was read, enclosing a memorandum of applications made by Charles Pettit, A. Q. M. G. for about 2 months, and monies received in consequence thereof:1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 148, I, folio 127.]
Ordered, That the same be referred to the committee on the report from the Board of Treasury.
A report from the Board of War on the letter, of 15 May, from the general assembly of Maryland, was read.
War Office June 29, 1780.
Present Col. Picketing, Mr. Peters, Genl. Ward.
The Board have been honored with a reference from Congress of the letters from the Senate and House of delegates of the State of Maryland, relative to the appointment of a Major General, and such a number of brigadiers, to be taken from the line of that State, as it is entitled to from its quota and number of troops.
The expediency or inexpediency of those appointments, we beg leave to submit to the determination of Congress, after stating such matters as we conceive necessary for their information
There are at present two brigadier Generals taken from the Maryland line, viz, Smallwood and Gist: the former of whom was appointed to that rank on the 23d of October 1776, the latter on the 9th. of January 1779. The numbers of brigadiers appointed before them respectively will appear by the inclosed list No. 1. By another list (No. 2) will be seen at one view the numbers of general officers belonging to the several States, with their respective quotas of troops. At this time Maryland has seven regiments of infantry, about as strong as any in the service, besides four full companies of artillery, a part of the German Battalion, three companies remaining of Rawlings' Regt, some scattered infantry in other Corps, and some light dragoons. Upon the whole, we think their quota is as nearly completed as that of any State in the Union. And for two years past the seven regiments of infantry with the Delaware regiment have formed a division commanded by a Major General.
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The inclosed list, No. 3, contains the names of the Maryland Colonels, with the dates of their commissions, that if Congress should judge it proper to make promotion of General Officers from that line, the persons entitled thereto, according to the dates of their commissions (should that be made the criterion) may appear.
We beg leave only to add, that we have always conceived it to be a general rule practised upon by Congress, to promote according to the circumstances of any particular State line, when an additional number of general officers was necessary, without regard to the relative rank of the officers in the line at large; and that the addition of one Major General, and one brigadier general will not, in our opinion, exceed the necessities of the service the ensuing campaign.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, IV, folio 393; the enclosed lists not being among the papers.]
A report from the Board of Treasury was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, That on the application of Mr. [Philip] Schuyler, a delegate for the State of New York, a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Mr. J[ohn] M[orin] Scott, for the use of the said Mr. [Philip] Schuyler, for ten thousand dollars; for which the said State is to be accountable.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folio 377.]
A motion being made by the delegates of South Carolina, seating the situation of sundry officers, late belonging to armed vessels in the service of that State, now prisoners of war and arrived in this city, that rations or subsistance be allowed them, and the expence charged to the State of South Carolina:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Admiralty.
The Committee on the Post Office, to whom was referred the letter, of 15, from Governor Jefferson, of Virginia, brought in a report; Whereupon,
The Committee on the Post Office to whom was referred the letter from Governor Jefferson of the 15th inst and also au extract of a letter from G. Washington of the 18th. ask leave to report,
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That Governor Jefferson be desired to continue the line of expresses from Richmond to Philadelphia agreeably to his proposal; and that he continue them, till farther order of Congress and that he be desired to inform Congress as soon as may be of his proceedings herein.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 61, folio 477.]
Resolved, That Congress approve the line of communication which Governor Jefferson, as it appears by his letter of 15, is forming, by expresses, southward and northward, and that the same be continued until the further order of Congress.
On motion of Mr. [Samuel] Adams, seconded by Mr. [James] Lovell,
Resolved, That Nathaniel Appleton, and Joseph Henderson, Esquires, be appointedcommissioners on the part of the United States, either of them to endorse the bills that shall be emitted by the State of Massachusetts Bay, pursuant to the resolution of Congress of the 18 day of March last.
The committee, to whom was referred the report from the Board of Treasury, with the papers therein referred to, brought in a report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That warrants be drawn in favour of the treasurer of the United States, on the treasurers of the several states, from New Hampshire to Virginia Maryland, inclusive, for their respective proportions of the ten millions dollars specially called for by the resolution, of 19 May last; and that expresses be dispatched with the same accompanied with a letter from the President of Congress to the executive powers of the said states.
That warrants be also drawn in favour of the treasurer of the United States on the treasurers of the several states above mentioned, for the remainder of their quotas of assessments due to the first of March last, inclusive, and sent by the same expresses.
That the letter to accompany those warrants be as follows: (See paper No. 1.)
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That the Warrants requested by Charles Pettit Esqr. as assistant to the Quarter Master General, in the application referred to your Committee to the s mount of one million and forty five thousand dollars, be drawn on the Treasurer of the United States.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Oliver Ellsworth, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 26, folio 105.]
That on the application of Charles Pettit, assistant Q. M. G. in behalf of Major General Greene, quartermaster general, a warrant issue on the treasurer in his favour, for one million and forty five thousand dollars, for which the said quartermaster general is to be accountable, to be applied for the purposes mentioned in the letter, of 21, from the said Charles Pettit to the Board of War.
Circular letter to the States 29th June 1780.
Congress by their Resolution of the 18th of May last called on the several states from New Hampshire to Virginia inclusive to pay into the Continental treasury within thirty days from that time at all events, their respective proportions of ten millions of dollars for the special purpose of transporting stores and provisions and enabling the army to take the field. No part of which money is yet brought into the treasury; tho' the hour is now arrived when the same is earnestly called for and become essential not only to the operations of the present campaign, but the very existence of the army. Expresses are therefore ordered to these several states Virginia excepted with warrants to receive from their treasuries the monies above mentioned. And Congress cannot admit the supposition of their being detained or returning without the money; the whole of which is far inadequate to the present necessities.
The Urgent necessity of drawing into the public treasury, the ten millions of dollars mentioned in the act of the 19th of May was so fully pointed out, that Congress with great exceedingly regret are obliged to complain of the failure of this necessary supply. The conjuncture is already arrived when it is become essential not only to the operations of this campaign but to the very existence of the army, Congress therefore can no longer delay reiterating the most importunate solicitations, that the proportions of each of the states be forwarded immediately. For this purpose they have dispatched
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a special messenger, and they trust he will not meet with disappointment.
A further sum must also be speedily had or it will be impossible for the operations to proceed. Congress have therefore drawn on those states for the remainder of their quotas to the first of March last inclusive which warrants are sent by the same expresses and it is their duty to conjure the several states if not ready to discharge those warrants on sight they should still be unprepared, that they will at all events transmit the contents to the their arrears to the period last mentioned to the Continental treasury within thirty days from the date of the warrants.
It will be impossible under the embarrassment of an exhausted Treasury to prosecute the war to effect The monthly estimates of Money heretofore made were but barely sufficient at Chat time. Their value has since greatly diminished and the payment even of these has been delayed long after it became due. These circumstances have already involved our affairs in much perplexity and driven to expedients which nothing but the last necessity could justify a repetition of. Permanency and arrangement in the public finances must at every hazard be introduced and supported. In this view Congress do again with the most earnest solicitude, press on the several states, the expediency necessity of vigorous and decisive measures for carrying into full and speedy immediate execution their resolutions of the 18th of March last. The doing which, at the same time that it places public credit on the surest basis, will in the course of the year give all the relief that could possibly result from a further emission equal to the whole that is now in circulation. These resolutions Congress are persuaded are every day better understood and that upon giving them their full effect very much depends, the final establishment of our liberties and independence. It is unnecessary that Congress should suggest to the several states the expediency of providing by loans against any deficiency they may have reason to apprehend from their taxes.
Every state is competent to raise its quota required and can best adapt the means of doing it.
Faithfulness to the sacred trust committed to their care, obliges Congress to be thus explicit and importunate in the present crisis.
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The blank bills for the several states will be forwarded as fast as the acts of their Assemblies providing funds for them are transmitted to Congress.1
[Note 1: 1 This draft, in the writing of Jared Ingersoll, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 24, folio 275.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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