| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |
A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1780
The delegates for the State of New York laid before Congress the credentials of their appointment; which were read and are as follows:
In Assembly September 7th. 1780.
State of New York ss.
Resolved if the Honorable the Senate concur herein, That the number of Delegates from this State in the Congress of the United States of North America be five; that a majority of such as shall attend in Congress be authorized to represent this State. Provided that if any Question shall be put in Congress when only one of the Delegates of this State shall be present, such Delegate shall be authorized to represent this State.
Ordered that Mr. Benson and Mr. Dunscomb carry a copy of the above resolution to the Honorable the Senate.
Page 892 | Page image
September 12th.
A copy of a Resolution of the Honorable the Senate was delivered by Mr. Platt, purporting "that the Senate do concur with this House "in their resolution of the seventh instant, relative to the appointment "of Delegates from this State to the Congress of the United "States of America."
In Assembly September 12th. 1780.
Resolved that the Honorable James Duane, William Floyd, John Morin Scott, Ezra L'Hommedieu and Alexander McDougall Esquires, be and are hereby declared duly nominated and appointed Delegates to represent this State, in the General Congress of the United States of America.
A true Extract from the minutes
Evert Bancker, Speaker
Attest
John McKesson Clk
In assembly September 12th. 1780.
State of New York ss:
A copy of a Resolution of the Honorable the Senate delivered by Mr. Woodhull, was read and is in the words following to wit
"In Senate September 12th. 1780.
"Whereas the Special Occasion on which the Honorable Robert R. "Livingston Esquire Chancellor of this State, was appointed a Dele"gate to represent this State in Congress doth still exist
"Resolved if the Honorable the House of Assembly concur herein "that the Honorable Robert R. Livingston Esquire Chancellor of "this State be and he is hereby further continued in the said Office "of Delegate until the first day of March next."
Resolved that this House do concur with the Honorable the Senate in their said resolution.
Ordered that Mr. Berrien and Mr. Lansing carry a copy of the above Resolution of Concurrence to the Honorable the Senate
Extract from the Minutes
Evert Bancker, Speaker
Attest
John McKesson Clk1
[Note 1: 1 The originals are in the Papers of the Continental Congress, New York, Credentials of Delegates.]
Page 893 | Page image
A letter, of 1, from General Washington was read:1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, IX, folio 203.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the committee appointed to confer with the directors of the bank.
Ordered, That two members be added to the said committee:
The members chosen, Mr. [Nicholas] Van Dyke and Mr. [John] Sullivan.
On motion of Mr. [Roger] Sherman, one of the committee to whom were referred the accounts of Mr. Holker,
Ordered, That the said committee be discharged, and that the accounts be referred for settlement to the Board of Treasury.
A letter, of September 11, from Solomon Southwick was read:2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, IV, folio 771.]
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. [Ezekiel] Cornell, Mr. [John] Fell and Mr. [Theodorick] Bland.
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the managers of the United States lottery, for three thousand eight hundred dollars, in favour of Richard Bache, postmaster general order, for the use of his department to be paid at the lottery office in the State of New York; and for which sum he is to be accountable.3
[Note 3: 3 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folio 605.]
Congress took into consideration the report of the committee on the letters from General Washington, and thereupon came to the following resolutions:
Resolved, That such of the sixteen additional regiments as have not been annexed to the line of some particular state, and all the seperate light corps of the army, both of horse and foot, and also the German battalion, be reduced on the 1st day of January next: that the non-commissioned officers
Page 894 | Page image
and privates in those several corps, be incorporated with the troops of their respective states, and that such of them as do not belong to any particular state, be annexed to such corps as the commander in chief shall direct.
That the regular army of the United States, from and after the 1st day of January next, consist of 4 regiments of cavalry, or light dragoons; 4 regiments of artillery; 49 regiments of infantry, exclusive of colonel Hazen's regiment, hereafter mentioned; 1 regiment of artificers:
That each regiment of cavalry, or light dragoons, consist of 6 troops, and that each troop consist of 64 non-commissioned officers and privates, with the same number of commissioned officers as at present:
That each regiment of artillery consist of 9 companies, and that each company consist of 65 non-commissioned officers and matrosses, with the same number of commissioned officers as at present.
That each regiment of infantry consist of 9 companies, and each company consist of 64 non-commissioned officers and privates; and
That the regiment of artificers consist of 8 companies, and each company of 60 non-commissioned officers and privates:
That the several states furnish the following quotas, viz. New Hampshire, 2 regiments of infantry; Massachusetts Bay, 10 regiments of infantry and I of artillery; Rhode Island, &c. 1 regiment of infantry; Connecticut, 5 regiments of infantry and 1 of cavalry; New York, 2 regiments of infantry and 1 of artillery; New Jersey, 2 regiments of infantry; Pennsylvania, 6 regiments of infantry, 1 of artillery, 1 of cavalry, and 1 of artificers; Delaware, 1 regiment of infantry; Maryland, 5 regiments of infantry; Virginia, 8 regiments of infantry, 1 of artillery, and 2 of cavalry; North Carolina, 4 regiments of infantry; South Carolina, 2 regiments of infantry, Georgia, 1 regiment of infantry:
Page 895 | Page image
That the states select from the line of the army a proper number of officers to command the several regiments to them respectively assigned, taking notice that no new appointment is to be made of a higher rank than that of lieutenant-colonel commandant:
That the states be, and they are hereby, called upon in the most pressing manner, to have their regiments compleated and in the field by the first day of January next at farthest:
That it be recommended to the states to fill up their respective regiments by inlistments for and during the war; but in case the full quota of any of the states cannot be compleated with such recruits by the first day of December next, that it be recommended to such state or states to supply the deficiency with men engaged to serve for not less than one year, unless sooner relieved by recruits inlisted for the war, which they are requested to exert their utmost endeavours to obtain, as speedily as possible: and in order thereto, it is further recommended that the officers at camp be empowered and directed to use every prudent measure, and improve every favourable opportunity, to inlist, for the continuance of the war, such of the men belonging to their respective states, as are not engaged for that period, whether now in the field or hereafter, from time to time, joining the army; and that a recruiting officer from each corps be kept in the state to which the regiments respectively belong, to inlist recruits for the war, as well to relieve those who are engaged for a shorter or limited term as to supply casual deficiencies:
That two dollars be granted to the recruiting officer for every able bodied soldier he shall inlist for the war, who shall join the army; and that a sum not exceeding fifty dollars be allowed as a bounty to every such recruit:
That the Commander in Chief be, and hereby is, directed to cause returns to be made as speedily as possible to the several states, of the number of men they will probably have in the
Page 896 | Page image
field on the first day of January next, that the states may take immediate measures for compleating their respective quotas as above recommended, by that time:
That the Commander in Chief be, and he is hereby, directed to make a return annually to Congress, on or before the first day of September, of the number of troops from each state, in order that Congress may be enabled to make their requisitions from the several states with certainty and in season:
That the cloathing be furnished and regularly served out to the troops, as it becomes due, and that a full compensation be made for any arrearages of cloathing:
That the regiments of cavalry, artillery, and of artificers, as they now stand, be considered as belonging to the states respectively, to which they are or may be assigned, which states shall compleat them to the full complement, supply them with necessaries, and in every respect treat them as if originally raised therein, and that such other states as now have non-commissioned officers or privates in any of the regiments aforesaid, be credited in their quotas for such men, according to their numbers, from time to time; for which purpose the Commander in Chief is hereby directed to specify such non-commissioned officers and privates, and the states to which they formerly belonged, in the returns which he shall make to the states, and in his annual returns to Congress:
That the regiment commanded by Colonel Moses Hazen be continued on its present establishment, and that all non-commissioned officers and privates, being foreigners belonging to any of the reduced regiments and corps, be incorporated therewith, and all volunteers from foreign states, who are now in the service, or may hereafter join the American army, be annexed to the said regiment:
And whereas, by the foregoing arrangement, many deserving officers must become supernumerary, and it is proper that regard be had to them:
Page 897 | Page image
Resolved, That from the time the reform of the army takes place, they be entitled to half pay for seven years, in specie, or other current money equivalent, and also to grants of land at the close of the war, agreeably to the resolution of the 16 September, 1776.
Ordered, That a copy of the foregoing arrangement of the army be sent forward to the Commander in Chief, for his opinion thereon, and that if there shall appear no material objection, the same be carried into immediate effect.
Report of the Comee. for encreasing the powers of Congress--Application
to the State Legislatures
Whereas the vigor and exertion necessary to the direction of public affairs in time of war, renders it highly important to the interests of these United States that at this crisis the common council of America should be vested with sufficient power to call forth from time to time the military resources of the said States.
Resolved that it be recommended to the Legislatures of each of the United States to invest in Congress sufficient powers to call forth men and provisions and carriages whenever they shall deem them necessary for the common defence, and to assist their officers in collecting the same.
And Whereas many of the Legislatures are not now convened and any delay in bringing into the field the necessary number of Recruits to fill up the Battallions assigned to each State agreeable to the requisition of the Committee at Head quarters, or in procuring provisions and carriages required by the Army may be attended with the most fatal consequences.
Resolved that Congress by the authority which the nature of the trust reposed in them vests them with, will immediately take measures to procure the supplies of men provisions and carriages necessary to give vigor and success to the operations of the present campaign.
Resolved, That the executive power of every State be required when called upon by Congress or their Officers duly authorized to afford them every aid in carrying the measures that may be adopted in consequence of the above resolutions into execution.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Robert R. Livingston, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 24, folio 13. It is undated, but probably belongs to this or an approximate date.]
Page 898 | Page image
Treasury Board Octr 3rd. 1780
The Board of Treasury Beg leave to Report,
That upon the application of Abraham Skinner Comy Genl of Prisoners accompanied with an estimate approved by the Board of War, the following Warrants issue in his favor, to wit;
One on Nathaniel Appleton Commissioner of the Continental Loan office for the State of Massachusetts Bay for eleven hundred dollars in Bills of Credit emitted pursuant to the act of Congress of the 18th. of March last.
One other Warrant on John Lawrence Commissioner of the Continental Loan office for the State of Connecticut for seven hundred and fifty dollars in bills of Credit emitted pursuant to the Act of Congress of the 18th. March last, for which sums the said Commissary General of Prisoners is to be accountable1
[Note 1: 1 This report, which is indorsed "negatived," is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folio 607.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
PREVIOUS SECTION .. NEXT SECTION .. NAVIGATOR
| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |