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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 --MONDAY, JULY 10, 1780
A letter, of 24 February, and one of May 3, from Gardoqui & Sons, at Bilboa;
A letter, of 3 April, and three letters, dated 4 April, from the honble. J. Adams, at Paris, were read:1
[Note 1: 1 The letter of April 3 is printed in The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution (Wharton), III, 593; one of the letters of April 4 on p. 596.]
Ordered, That they be referred to the Committee of Intelligence.
A letter, of 6, from General Washington; and a letter, of 5, from Mr. P. Schuyler, were read.
A letter, of 6, from Mr. P. Schuyler, was read:
Ordered, That so much thereof as relates to the frigates be referred to the Board of Admiralty.
A letter, of 2d, and one of 3, from Governor Jefferson, of Virginia, were read.
A letter, of 4, from Major General Gates was read:2
[Note 2: 2 Washington's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, VIII, folio 633; Schuyler's letter, of 5, is in No. 153, III, folio 533 and that of 6 is in 39, I, folio 109; Jefferson's letter of July 2 is in No. 71, I, folio 379; his letter of June 30 (July 3 being an error in the Journal) is on folio 387; Gates's letter is in No. 154, II, folio 210.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War.
A letter, of 7, from Mr. Holker was read, enclosing a letter from Major General Lincoln, an invoice of goods taken for the use of the southern army:
Ordered, That the same be referred to the Committee of Commerce.
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A letter, of July 8, from the honble. H. Laurens;
A memorial from D. Lockwood, and a memorial of W. Watson, were read:1
[Note 1: 1 Lockwood's memorial, dated July 7, 1780, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, V, folio 222; that of Watson, dated July 10, 1780, is in No. 41, X, folio 448.]
Ordered, That they be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A letter of 10 from Brigadier General Weedon, and one, of 7, from Lieutenant Colonel Deriks, were read.2
[Note 2: 2 Diriks's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, VII, folio 293; Weedon's, dated June 30, is in No. 159, folio 394.]
A report from the Board of War was read; Whereupon,
War Office July 3, 1780
Sir,
We have received the enclosed certificate from Capt Stith relative to Capt: Baylor's desire to resign his commission. We are also informed by him and Major Jameson that the wound Capt: Baylor received in his ankle at the battle of Germantown, on the least injury happening to it, is extremely troublesome, and that this induces him to resign.
Congress came to the following resolution:
Captain Walker Baylor, of Colonel Baylor's regiment of light dragoons, having desired leave to resign his commission,
Resolved, That his resignation be accepted.3
[Note 3: 3 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, IV, folio 415.]
A report from the Board of War was read; Whereupon,
Resolved, That all cloathing arriving from Europe, belonging to the United States, be delivered at the port of arrival, to agents appointed by the Board of War to receive them, without passing through the hands of the continental agents for prizes; any former order of Congress notwithstanding.
That the Board of War take order for the reception of the said cloathing, and give such instructions to their agents, on all matters relative thereto, as shall, in the opinion of the said Board, be most conducive to the public interest.4
[Note 4: 4 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, IV, folio 421.]
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A report from the Board of Treasury was read; Whereupon,
Treasury Office July 10, 1780
The Board of Treasury beg leave to Report,
That Michael Hillegas in behalf of sundry persons apply to this Board, for Loan Office Certificates in payment for Bills of Exchange drawn by General Lincoln, and claim, as an equitable demand, that interest shall be allowed them on the several sums so demanded from the date of their being presented for payment, either to the President of Congress or this Board--And the Resolution of Congress of 23rd. March last not being clear as to interest being allowed when payment is made in Loan Office Certificates--The Board therefore submit the following Resolution:
Resolved, That the Board of Treasury be authorized to allow interest on the bills drawn by Major General Lincoln, when payment is made in loan office certificates, in the same manner as directed by the resolution of Congress of the 23 March last, where payment is to be made in current money.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folio 419.]
The committee, to whom was referred the report of the Board of Treasury, of the 30th of last month, respecting an order issued to the treasurer of loans, brought in a report, which was read; Whereupon,
Resolved, That the superintending boards have an undoubted right to repeal and countermand, alter, amend and renew any order officially issued and delivered to the executive officers in their departments, respectively: but it is not expedient, nor have they a right, to recall Original2 order after the same is delivered at the proper office, though it should not have been executed. In cases where it is necessary to correct an order it ought to be renewed, the original still remaining in the hands of the officer to whom it was directed, as his voucher unless he should choose,
[Note 2: 2 "Original" struck out by order 11th.--Note by Thomson.]
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from motives of complacency and accommodation, to return it.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Thomas McKean, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 26, folio 191; the enclosures are in No. 136, IV, folios 381--401.]
Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to enquire into the mode of conducting business in the several offices of the department of the Treasury.
The committee also laid before Congress a letter, respecting the Board of Treasury, from the treasurer of loans, which being read,
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury, committee of three:2
[Note 2: 2 Thomson wrote in the margin "Altered 11th on reading the Journal."]
The members chosen, Mr. [Thomas] McKean, Mr. [William Churchill] Houston and Mr. [Samuel] Holten,
A motion was made by Mr. [Thomas] Bee, seconded by Mr. [Nathaniel] Folsom, that it be
Resolved, For special reasons that the Board of War do take the most speedy measures for the exchange of Lieutenant Colonel John Laurens, one of General Washington's family, and now a prisoner of war on parole.
A motion was made by Mr. [Samuel] Holten, seconded by Mr. [John Morin] Scott, to strike out the words "for special reasons," and on the question shall the words stand, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [John Morin] Scott,
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So it was resolved in the affirmative.
On the question to agree to the resolution, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [John Morin] Scott,
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So it was resolved in the affirmative.
The committee, to whom were referred the letters from Governor Galvez and O. Pollock, brought in a report, which was read; Whereupon,
The Committee to whom were referred the letter of his Excellency Bernardo de Galvez of the 8th. of May last, together with the letter of Oliver Pollock of the 20th. of January last with the papers enclosed have considered thereof and agreed to report--
That it appears to your Committee Captain Wm Pickles Commanding a Schooner in the service of the United States in the Month of Sept: 1779 entered the Lake Pontchartrain and Captured the British Armed Sloop Wt Florida, which had been in possession and command of the Lake near two years before, and after taking the Sloop landed part of his men in the district of Country on Lake Pontchartrain between the Bayou le Combe and the river Tanchipaho and obtained from the inhabitants of that district a submission in writing, acknowledging their subjection to the United States, a copy whereof (the original being in his possession) hath been transmitted to Congress by the said Oliver Pollock.
That it also appears to your Committee by the letters of the Governor of Louisiana that Capt Pickles in the Sloop West Florida by joining the force of these States under his command with that of Spain greatly facilitated the reduction of West Florida, which acknowledgement on the part of his Excellency Governor Galvez together with the submission of the inhabitants on Lake Pontchartrain may in the opinion of your Committee serve to strengthen and support the claim of the United States to the free Navigation of the river Mississippi, and to a port or ports on the said river, the Committee therefore submit the following Resolution:
Resolved, That a copy of the capitulation of the inhabitants on the Lake Pontchartrain, dated the 16 October, 1779, and copies of the letters of his Excellency Bernardo de Galvez, governor of Louisiana; the one to the President of Congress, dated 8 May, last, and the other to Oliver Pollock, dated 21 October last, be transmitted to the honble John Jay
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at the Court of Madrid to be made such use of in the course of his negociations with that Court as he shall think proper.1
[Note 1: 1 This resolution was also entered in the manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs. The report, in the writing of Joseph Jones, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, V, folio 193.]
Treasury Office July 7 1780
Whereas a Resolution of Congress of yesterday directs the Board of Treasury to supply the President and Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with Bills of Exchange on the Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States at the Court of Versailles to the amount of one thousand pounds Sterling.
And whereas all the Bills of that description, are now in the office of the Treasurer of Loans assigned to the Respective States agreeable to the Directions of Congress, by an order of the Board dated the first day of June last, which the said Treasurer of Loans has been required to return to this office and has refused to the great delay of public Business, and on which conduct a Report was made to Congress on the thirtieth day of June last, for their determination thereon.
And Whereas it being expedient that the aforesaid Resolution of yesterday should be immediately executed, the Board have deemed it necessary to draw other Bills in pursuance thereof, which are herewith transmitted to receive the sanction of Congress and to be signed by the President.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folio 415. It was read July 10, as the indorsement shows.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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