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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, AUGUST 15, 1780
A petition of John Patrick Lynch was read:2
[Note 2: 2 This petition, undated, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, IV, folio 224.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Court of Appeals to report.
A letter from Lieutenant Beaulieu was read:3
[Note 3: 3 This letter, undated, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, IV, folio 11.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Medical Committee.
The committee, to whom was referred the letter, of 8, from Mr. J[ohn] Mathews, with the copy of a letter from E. Blaine, commissary general of purchases enclosed, brought in a report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a copy of the letter from E. Blaine, be referred to the delegates of the State of Pensylvania; and that
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they confer with the executive council of the State, upon the subject matter of the said letter, as far as respects that State, and report to Congress.
That the committee, appointed to confer with the managers of the bank in the city of Philadelphia be furnished with a copy of the said letter, and that they confer with them as soon as may be on that subject, and report to Congress.
That the quarter master general be informed of the representations of the council of the State of Massachusetts Bay contained in their letter to the delegates of that State, relative to the forwarding supplies to the army, from which will appear the necessity of carrying into immediate execution the resolution, of 15 July, so far as respects transportation.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Ezekiel Cornell, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, I, folio 371.]
Pursuant to the order of the 7th, the Medical Committee reported a state of the military hospitals within the State of Pensylvania, as far as respects the prescriptive line.
Congress took into consideration the report of the Board of Treasury, on the motion respecting the sale of the bills ordered to be drawn by the resolution of the 9th, and the appropriation of the moneys arising from the sale: Whereupon,
Resolved, That the bills of exchange directed to be prepared by the resolution of the 9th, on the honorable Benjamin Franklin, minister plenipotentiary at the Court of Versailles, to the amount of one hundred thousand dollars specie, be filled up by the commissioner of the continental loan office for the State of Pensylvania, and made payable to Joseph Clay, deputy paymaster general in the southern department, or order:
That the said bills be transmitted to the said Joseph Clay, to be sold at par for [specie, or]2 bills emitted agreeably to the
[Note 2: 2 A marginal note says: "Inserted 16th."]
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resolution of the 18th of March last, [to be disposed of for provisions and necessaries for the army]1 or for other monies, agreeably to the instructions of the Board of Treasury, or to be disposed of for provisions and necessaries for the army, on the best terms that can be obtained, for the United States:
[Note 1: 1 A marginal note says: "Transposed Aug. 16."]
That the monies arising from such sale, be applied under the directions of the commanding officer in the southern department, to the purchase of provisions and other supplies absolutely necessary for the subsistance of the southern army; and that the said Joseph Clay be, and hereby is, required to give regular and constant information to the Board of Treasury respecting the sale of the bills and the application of the monies aforesaid; and that the aforesaid Joseph Clay, deputy paymaster general in the southern department, be charged in the treasury books, with the aforesaid bills, amounting to the sum of one hundred thousand dollars specie.2
[Note 2: 2 These resolutions were also entered in the manuscript Secret (Domestic) Journal.
The report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folio 507.]
Congress took into consideration the report of the Board of Treasury, pursuant to the order of the 8th, and the letter from H. Hollingsworth: Whereupon,
Resolved, That all the papers relative to a supposed forgery in the vouchers of accounts of Henry Hollingsworth, mentioned in the order of the 20th of July last, with the names of the witnesses, be sent by the Board of Treasury to the executive of the State of Maryland, for the purpose expressed in the said order; and that the chamber of accounts, who examined the said vouchers, furnish the said Board with the names of such witnesses as they may think material.
The delegates for South Carolina laid before Congress a letter of this day from Governor Rutledge, which was read:3
[Note 3: 3 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 72, folio 524.]
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Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
The committee to whom was referred the letter of the 9th from Charles Pettit, brought in a report: Whereupon,
Resolved, That the assistant quarter master general be allowed one or more clerks, as the nature of the service may require, and the Board of War shall approve.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of John Armstrong, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, V, folio 133.]
A report from the Board of Treasury was read;
Whereupon,
Ordered, That on the application of Mr. [Roger] Sherman, a delegate for the State of Connecticut, a warrant issue on the treasurer in his favour, for six thousand dollars; for which the said State is to be accountable.
That on the application of Richard Philips, steward to the President of Congress, a warrant issue on the treasurer in his favour, for fifteen thousand dollars, for the use of the President's family; and for which the said Richard Philips is to be accountable.
That on the application of James Stevenson Clerk in the War office a warrant issue on the Treasurer in his favour for five thousand dollars on account of his salary.
That on the application of William Kinnon, copperplate printer, a warrant issue on the treasurer in his favour, for seven thousand dollars, on account of his wages; and for which he is to be accountable.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folio 503.]
The Board of Treasury, to whom was re-committed their report on the letter of Governor Greene, brought in a report: Whereupon,
Resolved, That the following letter be written by the President of Congress to Governor Greene:
Sir: Your letters of the 22 and 25 of last month, to the delegates of your State, have been laid before Congress; and, in answer thereto,
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I am to acquaint you, that Congress have a proper sense of the exertions of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in the common cause:
That any disbursements which may be made by that State, for the use of the United States, beyond its quota, shall be reimbursed as soon as circumstances will admit:
That Congress depend on the several states for the necessary supplies of money for carrying on the war:
That the bills of credit to be emitted, in pursuance of the resolution of the 18th of March last, will yield a supply as soon as the several quotas of the continental bills of credit are collected to be destroyed:
That the quota of the aforesaid bills for your State shall be transmitted as soon as possible after a copy of the act complying with the resolution is received.
If taxes were laid, payable in new bills or specie, it would have a good tendency to introduce the said bills into circulation in full credit.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folio 505.]
A report from the Board of Treasury, on the memorial of John Sandford Dart was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Charles Pettit, late2 assistant quarter master general, on account of Major General Greene, late quarter master general, for one thousand four hundred and thirty dollars, to enable him to repay John Sandford Dart so much money as shall appear justly due to him, said to have been advanced by him for the public service; and for which the said Major General Greene, Q. M. G., is to be accountable.3
[Note 2: 2 Marginal note: " late, erased August 16."]
[Note 3: 3 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folio 463.]
A letter, of this day, from the honorable the Minister of France was read.
Another letter, of the same date, from him was read:
Ordered, That this be referred to the Committee of Commerce.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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