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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, AUGUST 14, 1780
A letter, of 26 May, from the honorable J. Jay was read:3
[Note 3: 3 This letter is printed in the Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution (Wharton), III, folio 707.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of Foreign Affairs to report.
A letter, of 12, from T. Pickering, Q. M. G. was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A letter, of 3d, from Baron Steuben was read:
Ordered, That the same, together with the plan respecting the inspector's department be referred to the Board of War.
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A letter, of 7, from Udney Hay was read, with sundry papers enclosed:
Ordered, That the same be transmitted to T. Pickering, Q. M. G.
A letter from H. Hollingsworth, and a report of the Board of Treasury, pursuant to the order of the 8 instant, were read.1
[Note 1: 1 Pickering's letter is in The Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 192, folio 21; Steuben's is in No. 164, folio 190; Hollingsworth's is in No. 78, XII, folio 59.]
Treasury Office August 11th. 1780
In pursuance of a resolution of Congress of the 8th instant the Board of Treasury proceeded to inquire into the "circumstances of the supposed forgery of Robert Anderson's name to a receipt offered as a voucher in support of the account of Henry Hollingsworth."
Upon which enquiry the Board beg leave to report
That the voucher referred to, as set forth by the Commissioners of accounts in their report on Henry Hollingsworth's accounts in May last, appears by sufficient testimony to be a forged voucher.
It appears that the Honble the Board of War, did on the 31 January 1778 appoint Henry Hollingsworth and others to purchase Flour, wheat &c. for the purpose of establishing magazines.
John Stump (one of Henry Hollingsworth's clerks) declares on oath--That Henry Hollingsworth left the Head of Elk (where he resided) on the second day of February 1778 with intent as this deponent was informed, to purchase wheat, flour &c, that he, this deponent, in Henry Hollingsworth's absence, and about the 9th February 1778 received the appointment aforesaid, from the Board of War, that Henry Hollingsworth returned home on the 11th of the same month, at which time this Deponent delivered to Henry Hollingsworth the appointment aforesaid, and says it must have been the first information he could have had thereof.
That upon the return of Henry Hollingsworth on the 11th as aforesaid, he informed this Deponent of the purchase of the flour in question, and this Deponent further declares on his oath, that the flour in question was purchased by Henry Hollingsworth, on his own account, and before he received his appointment from the Board of War to purchase.
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Thomas Manuel (employed by H. Hollingsworth to assist in preparing his accounts for settlement) upon his oath declares That upon stating the accounts aforesaid he discovered that a voucher for the flour in question was wanting, that in order to "facilitate the passing of the accounts, and not knowing Mr Anderson, did, upon Mr Stump's writing a receipt, for the amount of Anderson's flour, affix the name of Robert Anderson to the same, and that without the knowledge of Henry Hollingsworth."
Herman Stump (Clerk to Henry Hollingsworth) upon his oath declares, that he was present at the writing of the receipt on the voucher in question, and to Robert Anderson's name being affixed thereto, by Thomas Manuel, and that Henry Hollingsworth did himself discover the forged voucher in the Chambers of Accounts at the time they were under liquidation.
The Commissioners of accounts in their report say
"That Henry Hollingsworth charges the United States with 530 barrels of flour purchased of Robt. Anderson of Chester Town Maryland on the 6th April 1780. The account for this charge was produced with a receipt thereon to the Commissioners by Colo. Hollingsworth as an authentic voucher." And that he the said Henry Hollingsworth has charged the United States with the sum of Four hundred and thirty-nine pounds ten shillings and ten pence more than he actually paid Robert Anderson for the aforesaid 530 barrels of Flour.
The Board of Treasury beg leave to close this report with the affidavit of Resolve Smith and William Geddes Commissioners in the Chambers of Accounts taken this day and filed in this Office with the other testimony in this Report mentioned.
"That William Geddes in presence of Resolve Smith, the other Commissioner of the Chamber of Accounts, and their Clerks first detected the forgery of Robert Anderson's name, to a receipt produced to them, by Henry Hollingsworth (as they verily believe) for a true and authentic voucher to his account--That the said William Geddes knowing the hand writing of Robert Anderson went immediately home and brought a receipt of the aforesaid Anderson's, which he had then in his possession, and compared the same with this voucher in presence of the other Commissioners, who were all convinced, this receipt and account was not signed by him the said Anderson: and having charged Henry Hollingsworth with the forgery in the
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Office, he declared to these deponents then and not before, that he knew, previous to his exhibiting this account and vouchers in the aforesaid office for settlement, that this receipt was not signed by Robt. Anderson."1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folio 509.]
A letter, of 17 July, and one of 25 of the same month, from President Weare of New Hampshire, were read. with sundry acts enclosed:
Ordered, That the same be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A letter, of 18 July, from Governor Nash of North Carolina, was read.2
[Note 2: 2 The New Hampshire letter of July 17 is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 64, folio 114; the New Hampshire letter of July 25, on folio 118; the North Carolina letter is in No. 72, folio 87, and a duplicate of it was read October 18, 1780.]
The delegate of Rhode Island laid before Congress a letter, of 25th July, from Governor Greene of that State, giving information of the acts passed by the general assembly, in pursuance of the resolutions of 18 March last, &c.
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A letter, of this day, from the Board of War was read, enclosing an extract of a letter, of 28 July, from Governor Jefferson of Virginia.3
[Note 3: 3 The Rhode Island letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 64, folio 482; that of the Board of War is in No. 148, I, folio 167.]
Ordered, That the same be referred to the Board of War to report.
A letter, of 8, from J[ohn] Mathews, one of the committee at headquarters, was read:4
[Note 4: 4 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 39, I, folio 217; it is transcribed in Committee Book, 1780, Proceedings of the Committee appointed the 13th April, 1780, folio 46.]
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. [Ezekiel] Cornell, Mr. [Timothy] Matlack and Mr. [Samuel] Adams.
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A report from the Board of Treasury was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, That on the application of Mr. Willie Jones, a delegate for the State of North Carolina, a warrant issue on the treasurer in his favour, for twelve thousand dollars, for which the said State is to be accountable.
That on the application of Peter R. Fell, commissioner of accounts, a warrant issue on the treasurer in his favour, for twelve thousand dollars, on account of his salary.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folio 497.]
That the following warrants issue in favour of Joseph Carleton, paymaster to the Board of War and Ordnance, to enable the said Board to purchase gunpowder; and for which the said Joseph Carleton is to be accountable, viz.
One on Nathaniel Appleton, commissioner of the continental loan office for the State of Massachusetts Bay, for twenty thousand dollars, in bills of credit emitted in pursuance of the resolution of Congress, of the 18th of March last, part of the bills aforesaid subject to the orders of the United States.
And one on the treasurer for eight hundred thousand dollars, in bills of credit emitted previous to the 18 of March last.
The Board having reported on the letter, of 22 July, from Governor Greene,
Treasury Office August 12th 1780
The Board having considered the letter from Governor Greene dated the twenty second of July last referred to them by Congress beg leave to report
That the warrants on the State of Rhode Island have not exceeded the quota of that State up to the 1st. March last, for monies appropriated to the use of the United States, and that the most effectual expedient to supply the urgent demands for money, is for the State aforesaid to accede to the resolution of Congress of the 18th. March last.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folio 499.]
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Ordered, That the report be re-committed.
At a Board of War. Aug. 11. 1780
Present Mr. Peters--Col Grayson
The board having considered the motion of Mr Clarke--referred to them by Congress--respecting the appointment of a Brigadier Genl. in the room of Genl. Maxwell resigned, beg leave to refer Congress to the list and state of General Officers they had the honor to lay before them in the report of June 29. 1780--from which Congress will judge whether there are or are not a competent number of Genl. Officers in the army In the particular case referred to the board, they beg leave to observe that Jersey has one Major Genl. and three regiments--Should Congress deem another Genl. Officer requisite, a list of the Colonels of that State is herewith transmitted, that they may select the person they shall choose to promote.
1. Matthias Ogden. Colo. of the first New Jersey Regiment, Jany. 1. 1777
2. Israel Shreve, Colo. of the second New Jersey Regiment Jany. 1. 1777
3. Elias Dayton, Colo. of the third New Jersey Regiment Feby. 9. 17761
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, IV, folios 495 and 498. It was read, as the indorsement shows, August 14.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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