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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 --FRIDAY, JULY 7, 1780
A memorial of George Howell was read:
Ordered, That the prayer of the said memorial be granted.
A memorial of William Turnbull was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A memorial of Charles Crowly was read:2
[Note 2: 2 Howell's memorial, dated July 5, 1780, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, IV, folio 123; that of Crowly, dated July 6, 1780, is in No. 41, II, folio 106.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War.
A report from the Board of Treasury was read; Whereupon,
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Treasury Office, July 5, 1780.
The Board of Treasury having considered the extract of a memorial from Mordecai Sheftal referred to them by Congress report
That it doth not appear to this Board from the Extract aforesaid that the said Mordecai Sheftal can be entitled to any allowance for depreciation on account of the four hundred and seventy one dollars by him received.
Ordered, That on the application of Ephraim Blaine, commissary general of purchases, accompanied with estimates approved by the Board of War, a warrant issue on the treasurer in his favour, for two hundred and forty thousand and eighty two dollars and 69/90, to be applied in the following manner:
One hundred thousand dollars, in part payment of certain provisions furnished by the merchants of this city, and the residue being 140,082 69/90 dollars, agreeably to his estimate dated the first day of the present month; and for which the said Ephraim Blaine is to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folio 411.]
The Board of Treasury, to whom was referred an extract from the memorial of Mordecai Sheftall, report.
The committee, to whom was referred the note from the honble. the Minister of France, brought in a report, which was read.
On motion of Mr. [Roger] Sherman,
Resolved, That a member be elected for the Board of Treasury, in the room of Mr. J[ames] Henry, who is absent:
The member chosen, Mr. [Edward] Telfair.
Resolved, That a member be added to the Medical Committee, in the room of Mr. J[ames] Henry:
The member chosen, Mr. [Abraham] Clark.
Congress took into consideration the report of the committee on the note from the honble the Minister of France; and thereupon,
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The Minister of France, having in a note dated 28th June, informed Congress that the Court of Madrid has sent to the Havana a considerable body of forces to make a diversion in that quarter; and that the governor of Havana desires that as much flour and fresh provisions, such as cattle, hogs, suet, lard and pulse, as can be spared, should be sent thither; and the Minister having intimated that three thousand barrels of flour are immediately wanted, and that he will undertake to have that quantity purchased and sent, if Congress approve the measure--the following answer was returned:1
[Note 1: 1 This preamble was entered only in the manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs.]
The Committee to whom were referred the Memorial of the Honorable the Minister of France, requesting leave to purchase sundry articles mentioned therein on account of his Catholic Majesty's armaments in the West Indies.
Humbly Report the following Resolutions.
Resolved, That the Minister of France be informed, that though the loss of Charlestown, the numerous army the states are under the necessity of maintaining in the southern department, the ravages of the enemy, and the lightness of the late crops in the middle states, as well as the present extraordinary demand for the purposes of an effectual co-operation with the expected armament of his Most Christian Majesty, have not left these states in a situation to admit of any considerable export of provisions; yet Congress, desirous to testify their attention to the necessities of his Catholick Majesty's colonies and armaments, and as far as lies in their power to compensate for the failure of supplies of rice, which an alteration in the circumstances of the southern states has unhappily rendered it impracticable to afford, have resolved, that it be recommended to the State of Maryland to grant permission to
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such agent as the Minister of France shall appoint, to purchase within that State any quantity of flour, not exceeding three thousand barrels, and to ship the same to such colonies of his Catholick Majesty in the West Indies as the Minister of France may direct. That many of the articles mentioned in the memorial of the Minister of France being such as the colonies of his Catholick Majesty furnish upon better terms than they can be procured from these states in their present situation, it is to be presumed that they will feel no inconvenience from Congress not entering at this time into any determination thereon.
Resolved, That Congress will from time to time afford such supplies to the colonies of his Catholick Majesty as their circumstances may require, and the situation of these states enable them to grant.1
[Note 1: 1 These resolutions were entered also in the manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs. The report, in the writing of Robert R. Livingston, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 25, I, folio 321.]
On motion of Mr. [James] Lovell, seconded by Mr. [Roger] Sherman,
Resolved, That the commission which was agreed to on the first day of November, 1779, for the honble Henry Laurens, as a commissioner to negotiate a treaty of amity and commerce with the States General of the United Provinces of the Low Countries, be delivered to him; and that the consideration of the instructions relative to the negotiation of the treaty be for the present deferred, and that Mr. Laurens, on his arrival in Holland, inform himself of the state of affairs in that country, and advise Congress particularly thereof, that they may be enabled to decide with more certainty upon the terms on which such treaty ought to be settled.2
[Note 2: 2 This resolution was also entered in the manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs.]
On motion of Mr. [James] Searle, seconded by Mr. [Thomas] McKean,
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Resolved, That the Board of Treasury be directed to furnish Mr. Laurens with bills on France to the amount of one thousand pounds sterling, on account of his salary, out of those bills ordered to be drawn by the resolution of the 19th of May last.
Ordered, That Mr. [James] Searle have leave of absence.
Adjourned to ten o'Clock on Monday.
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