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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 21, 1780
A letter, of 30 May, from honorable J. Jay was read.1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is printed in the Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution (Wharton), III, 742.]
One, of June 4, from J. Gardoqui & Sons; and
One, of 23 May, from honorable J. Adams, were read.2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is printed in the Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution (Wharton), III, 698.]
A letter, of 31 July, from J. Bradford was read:
Ordered, That so much thereof as relates to the purchase of bills for Captain Duarti, be referred to the Board of Treasury.
Ordered, That the Board of Treasury draw on Mr. John Bradford, continental agent for prizes in the State of Massachusetts Bay, for two millions of dollars.
A letter from S. Southwick, d[eputy] c[ommissary] g[eneral] of I[ssues] was read:3
[Note 3: 3 Bradford's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, III, folio 517; that of Southwick, dated August 5, is in No. 78, XX, folio 533.]
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. [Ezekiel] Cornell, Mr. [James] McLene and Mr. B[enjamin] Huntington.
A memorial of Mordecai Sheftall was read:4
[Note 4: 4 This memorial, dated August 21, 1780, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XX, folio 629.]
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. [George] Walton, Mr. [Nathaniel] Folsom and Mr. [James] McLene.
A letter, of 16, from J[ohn] Mathews, in behalf of the committee at headquarters, with sundry papers enclosed, was read.5
[Note 5: 5 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 39, I, folio 220; it was transcribed in Committee Book, 1780, Proceedings of the Committee appointed the 13th April, 1780, folio 47.]
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A letter, of 5, from the president and supreme executive council of the State of Pensylvania, was read, stating the proceedings of the said State, pursuant to the resolutions of Congress, agreeably to the recommendations of 17 and 23 June last.1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 69, II, folio 258.]
A report from the Board of Treasury was read; Whereupon,
The Board of Treasury Beg leave to represent, to Congress
That in their ordinance of the 30d July 1779 for establishing a Board of Treasury there stands expressed
"That apartments be provided for the accommodation of the several officers of the Treasury, in the City or place where Congress shall hold their Sessions" It becomes the duty of the Board to inform Congress, that there are no apartments provided, nor have the Commissioners of the Treasury determined they have power to make such provision.
The Board have had notice to leave their present apartments in about four weeks from this date, whereupon they beg leave to submit the following Resolution
Resolved, That the Board of Treasury be empowered to rent apartments for the accommodation of the Treasury, and pay for the same in specie, or current money equivalent.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folio 525.]
Ordered, That so much of the report as relates to the letter, of 14, from Major General McDougal, which was referred to them, be referred together with the said letter to the Board of War.
The Medical Committee, to whom was referred the letter of Lieutenant Beaulieu, brought in a report; Whereupon,
The medical committee, to whom was referred the letter and account of Lieut Beaulieu of the late Count Pulaski's corps beg leave to report,
That upon examination it appears the said Lt. Beaulieu was wounded in a skirmish at Monks Corner in South Carolina and made a prisoner of War by the enemy, but afterwards admitted on parole,
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That about that time he employed a Surgeon in the service of His Most Christian Majesty under whose care he so far recovered that he was enabled to travel to this city, the Surgeon attending him hither.
That some time after his arrival here he was informed that he ought to put himself under the care of one of the Surgeons of the military hospitals in the service of the U. States which he accordingly did, until his recovery, and now exhibits the enclosed account.
Lieut. Beaulieu informs your Committee, that notwithstanding his utmost endeavours he could not get a Surgeon in the service of the U. States to take care of him, until he arrived at this place. What part of his travelling expences ought to be paid, the Committee cannot think themselves proper Judges, but as he exhibits a receipt from the French Surgeon for the sum 4840 dolls. they are of opinion it ought to be paid, they therefore submit the following Resolutions,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Lieutenant Beaulieu, for the sum of four thousand eight hundred and forty dollars, to defray his expences for the surgeon under whose care he was for some time.
Ordered, That such part of his account as relates to
travelling expences be referred to the Board of War.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Frederick A. Muhlenberg, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, I, folio 257. It is indorsed:" passed: referred to the Board of War."]
On motion of the delegates for New York,
Resolved, That Abraham Yates, jun. commissioner of the continental loan office for the state of New York, or the commissioner of the said loan office for the time being, be and hereby is appointed commissioner, on the part of the United States, to endorse the bills of credit to be issued by the State of New York, in pursuance of the resolutions of Congress of the 18 day of March last; and that in case of the disability of the said Abraham Yates, jun. or the commissioner of the said loan office for the time being, Abraham G. Lansing be appointed to endorse the said bills.
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Congress took into consideration the report of the committee on an extract of W. Denning's letter of July 10; and after debate,
Ordered, That it be re-committed.
The committee, to whom was referred the letter, of 18th, from Governor Rutledge, brought in a report, which was read and taken into consideration; and after debate, a motion was made by Mr. [Nathaniel] Folsom, seconded by Mr. B[enjamin] Huntington,
The Committee to whom Gover. Rutledges letter of the 18th. Instant was referred having considered the first part thereof beg leave to Report the following Resolution
That Gover. Rutledge be furnished with Bills of exchange, to be drawn on his Excellency John Jay, Esqr Minister Plenipotentiary at the Court of Madrid the Honorable Henry Laurens Esqr. for forty three thousand Dollars, in specie on the account and credit of the State of South Carolina, to be raised in specie or other currency equivalent, and for which the said State is to be accountable.
The Committee desire leave to sit again.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Thomas Bee, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 20, II, folio 385. It is indorsed by Thomson: "Read August 21,1780; postponed by yeas and nays; useless; August 24, 1781, not to be acted on."]
That the farther consideration thereof be postponed. On which, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Thomas] Bee,
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So it was resolved in the affirmative.
The Board of War, in compliance with the resolution, of the 7th, brought in a report, which was read:
At a Board of War August 19th. 1780
Present Mr. Peters, Col. Grayson.
In compliance with the resolve of the 7th. instant the Board beg leave to represent to Congress, That there were captured at Charles town, 245 officers and 2,326 non comd officers and privates, and that there are in New York and on Long Island 270 officers and 450 non comd officers and privates. In the whole there are now in captivity according to the best information that can be procured 515 officers and 2776 non comd officers and privates.
It is to be presumed that the act of Congress of the 21st. of April last, intended for the benefit of the officers confined at New York and on Long Island, will put them in a situation to require no greater provision than is necessary to be made for those lately captured. Upon this principle the board have made the following calculation, for the supplies necessary for the subsistence of all the prisoners for three months, to commence from the 12th. of June, the day of the fall of Charles Town.
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It is not improbable that the prisoners of Gen(1) Lincolns army have diminished very considerably since their capture, but to what amount, the Board cannot judge, neither can they ascertain the numbers captivated in other places within the Southern States, since the fall of Charles town. They therefore leave it to the better information of Congress to determine, whether any deduction ought to be made on that account, from the foregoing estimate.
Congress have been pleased to direct the Board to report ways and means for raising these supplies, a business they find themselves totally inadequate to, not being acquainted with the public resources, and therefore beg leave to recommend that it be referred to the Treasury Board.
With respect to the short rations, the Board beg leave to report,
That, the resident Commissarys of prisoners in New York and at Charles Town, transmit to the Commander in Chief, and the Commanding officer of the Southern Army, respectively, monthly returns of all prisoners of war under their charge, and that provisions be sent in, under the orders of the Commander in Chief for those at New York, and of the Commanding officer of the Southern Army for those at Charles Town, from time to time, in sufficient quantities to make up the deficiency of one third of a ration a day, to each non comd officer and private in captivity at those places.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 148, I, folio 274.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury to report.
The Committee for Foreign Affairs laid before Congress an extract from the letter, of 26 May, from the honorable J. Jay, and on motion of the said committee:
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. J[oseph] Jones, Mr. [George] Walton and Mr. [Thomas] McKean.
The committee, to whom was referred the letter, of 7th, from Mr. Lotbiniere, and the committee, to whom was recommitted the report on the letter from W. Denning, delivered in their respective reports.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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