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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 --TUESDAY, JULY 18, 1780
A letter, of 15, from General Washington was read.
Another letter, of 15, from General Washington was read, enclosing the proceedings and sentence of a general court martial on the trial of Doctor W. Shippen, Junr, director general of the military hospitals:
Ordered, That the consideration thereof be assigned for to morrow.
Another letter, of 15, from General Washington was read, respecting the hospital department:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Medical Committee.
A letter, of 11, from President Rodney, of the State of Delaware;
And three letters, all of the 10, from Governor Trumbull, of Connecticut, were read, enclosing an account of the proceedings and acts passed by those states, respectively, in pursuance of recommendations of Congress, agreeably to the requisition of the 17 June last.
A letter, of this day, from James Jay was read:2
[Note 2: 2 Washington's first letter of the 15th is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, IX, folio 21; the second of the same date on folio 25; the third of the same date on folio 19; the Delaware letter is in No. 70, folio 749; the Connecticut letters are in No. 66, II, folios 63--71; Jay's letter is in No. 78, XIII, folio 171.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A letter, of the 17, from Gouverneur Morris was read, requesting that his name may be withdrawn from the nomination for secretary to the Minister Plenipotentiary at the Court of France.
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Mr. [James] Lovell requested that his name also may be withdrawn from the same nomination, both which requests were agreed to.
A report from the Board of Treasury was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, That on the application of William Palfrey, paymaster general, the following warrants issue in his favour:
One on William Armisted, commissioner of the continental loan office for the commonwealth of Virginia, for forty six thousand nine hundred and eighty six dollars and 52/72 of a dollar; and
One on George Brook, treasurer of the commonwealth aforesaid, for one hundred and fifty thousand dollars (part of the monies raised in the said commonwealth for the use of the United States) to be applied in the department aforesaid, to the use of the southern army; and for which the said William Palfrey is to be accountable.
Resolved, That two bills of exchange of two hundred and twenty five dollars each, drawn on the honble. John Jay, Esquire, amounting to four hundred and fifty dollars, be advanced to Lieutenant Colonel Deriks, on account of his pay, in lieu of the bill for four hundred and forty four dollars on the honble. Henry Laurens, ordered to be advanced to the said Lieutenant Colonel Deriks by the resolution of the 12 instant.
The Board of Treasury, to whom was referred the extract from Mr. [Philip] Schuyler's letter, of the 6th, report their opinion,
That it is inexpedient to permit the commissaries of issues to furnish the retained rations, in lieu of the subsistance money allowed to the officers of the line, but that the paymaster general be enabled to pay the subsistance money aforesaid.
Resolved, That Congress agree to the said report.
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Ordered, That the consideration of so much of the report of the Board of Treasury, as relates to the letter, of 8th, from Mr. Laurens, which was referred to them, be assigned for Thursday next.
On motion of Mr. [Thomas] McKean, seconded by Mr. [James] Lovell,
Resolved, That the resolution or act of Congress, of the tenth day of May last, respecting loan office certificates destroyed through accident, be extended to loan office certificates which have been, or shall be thrown overboard of any vessel, to avoid capture by the enemy.
The delegates of the states of New Hampshire, Massachusetts bay, Rhode Island and Connecticut, to whom was referred the letter, of 10th, from General Washington, with an estimate of tents and other camp equipage wanted by the army, brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; and thereupon,
Resolved, That a copy of General Washington's letter, of the 10th, and the estimate of tents and other camp equipage wanted for the army, accompanying the same, be transmitted to the supreme executive powers of the states of New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island and Connecticut, and that they be requested to take such measures as they may judge will be most speedy and effectual for procuring within the said states respectively, the portions mentioned in the estimate, or as great a part thereof as may be had, especially of the most essential kinds.
Resolved, That the same assurances which were given to the subscribers to a bank in Pensylvania by resolutions of Congress, of June 22d last past, be, and hereby are given for the reimbursement of the expences which shall be incurred by a compliance with the foregoing resolution.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of James LoveIl, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, VI, folio 345.]
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Congress took into consideration the report of the committee, to whom were referred the petitions of Thomas Jones, George Crothers and others, artificers in the service of the United States; and thereupon,
The Committee to whom were referred the petitions of Thos. Jones, George Crothers and others, artificers in the service of the United States.
Beg leave to Report,
That upon examining the inlistments of the said Petitioners do find the same in substance to be "during the present war, or for three years unless sooner discharged by proper authority." That the receipts given for their bounty upon such inlistments are usually in substance for "The bounty ordered by Congress to be paid to non commissioned officers and privates who inlist during the continuance of the present war." That the Resolution of Congress directing inlistments for three years as far as it respects the bounty is in the words following.
"Resolved that all non commissioned officers and soldiers who do not incline to engage their service during the continuance of the present war and shall inlist to serve three years unless sooner discharged by Congress, shall be entitled to and receive all such bounty and pay as are allowed to those who enlist during the continuance of the present war, except the one hundred acres of land, which land is to be granted to those only who inlist without such limitation of time."
Upon due consideration of the above matters your Committee are of opinion, that said Petitioners, and all others whether artificers or soldiers in the line of the Army who inlisted themselves in the manner above mentioned and have served the term of three years, ought immediately to be discharged, and cannot without manifest injustice be any longer detained in the public service, unless they have reengaged in the same by receiving a new bounty or some other subsequent act; But inasmuch as the Petitioners and others in like circumstances are generally citizens of the State of Pennsylvania and are now serving either in their State line or corps of artificers, and were inlisted under the direction of the executive authority of that State and may at this time be considered as a part of their quota of troops--your Committee are of opinion that this business ought to be referred
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to the President and executive council of the said State of Pennsylvania, who appears to be under every possible advantage to know the true state of the inlistments in question, and under every inducement to do full justice to their own Citizens, Whereupon,
Resolved, That the before mentioned petitions be transmitted to his excellency the president and supreme executive council of Pensylvania, who are hereby fully authorized and empowered to cause to be discharged as they in their opinion may judge entitled to the same, to grant such relief as they shall judge just and reasonable to the petitioners and to all other non commissioned officers and privates in the as they shall judge just and reasonable to the petitioners and to all other non commissioned officers and privates in the Pennsylvania line of the army whose inlistment in their general tenor or substance are to serve during the present war, or for three years unless sooner discharged by proper authority, and who have served three years agreeable to their inlistment, of the corps of artificers in similar circumstances, who have been raised in the said State.
That said President and Council be requested to take effectual measures for compleating their full quota of troops that no diminution may long continue, by discharges given pursuant to the above resolution.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Abraham Clark, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, III, folio 293. It is indorsed by Charles Thomson: "Delivered July 10."]
[Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.]
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