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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 --FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1780
A letter, of this day, from the reverend Mr. Rogers, chaplain of the 3d Pensylvania brigade was read:2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XIX, folio 323.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War.
A delegate for Maryland laid before Congress a letter, which was read.
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Admiralty.
A report from the Board of War was read; Whereupon,
War Office Octo. 5th 1780
Sir
On the representation of the calamitous situation of the prisoners in New York the Board have taken every measure consistent with their abilities to throw in even a small supply of flour for their relief, but from the constant scarcity of that article in the public magazines in this quarter we have not been able to procure a single barrel for the purpose required. The prisoners must be in the most distressed situation and the speediest relief should be sent them. Much transportation will be saved by the flour being sent by the way of the North river, We therefore beg leave to propose,
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Resolved, That the executive of the State of New York be requested to deliver to the order of Abraham Skinner, commissary-general of prisoners, two hundred barrels of flour (in part of the supplies called for from that State by Congress) for the use of the prisoners in New York.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, IV, folio 585.]
The committee, to whom was referred the letter, of 1st, from General Washington brought in a farther report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That the President write to the supreme executive of New York, New Jersey, Pensylvania and Maryland, letters similar to that written by the order of Congress yesterday to the State of Delaware, urging upon them the necessity of immediately forwarding what remains of their quota of supplies of flour.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, in the writing of John Sullivan, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, VI, folio 299.]
On motion of Mr. [Samuel] Adams, seconded by Mr. [John] Fell,
That all bills of Exchange directed to be drawn and disposed of on public account be sold by the Commissioners of the Loan offices in the respective states, and by them only under the advice and direction of the Board of Treasury and the proceeds paid to those by whom the money is to be expended.3
[Note 3: 3 This motion, in the writing of Samuel Adams, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, IV, folio 515.]
Resolved, That all bills of exchange directed to be drawn on either of the foreign Ministers, but not yet actually drawn, and all such bills as may hereafter be directed to be drawn, be disposed of by the commissioners of the loan offices in the respective states, and by them only under the direction of the Board of Treasury; and that the Board of Treasury and Board of War confer together and settle the rate at which all the bills now in their hands respectively shall be disposed of.
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A memorial of Henry Pendleton was read:1
[Note 1: 1 This memorial, dated October 4, 1780, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, VIII, folio 136.]
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three.
The members chosen, Mr. [Artemas] Ward, Mr. [John] Hanson and Mr. [William] Sharpe.
A motion was made by Mr. [John] Sullivan, seconded by Mr. [Whitmill] Hill,
Ordered, That it be referred to the committee on the letter, of 5th, from General Gates.
Congress proceeded to the election of officers in the hospital department, and the ballots being taken, Doctor William Shippen, jr. was elected director-general; Doctor John Cochran, chief physician and surgeon of the army; Doctor James Craik, Doctor Malachi Treat, Doctor Charles M'Knight, chief hospital physicians.
Adjourned to 6 o'Clock.
SIX O'CLOCK, P. M.
On motion of Mr. [John] Sullivan, seconded by Mr. [James] Duane,
Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to draught a letter to the Ministers of the United States at the Courts of Versailles and Madrid, to enforce the instructions given by Congress to Mr. Jay by their resolutions of the 4th instant, and explain the reasons and principles on which the same are founded, that they may respectively be enabled to satisfy those Courts of the justice and equity of the intentions of Congress.
The members chosen, Mr. [James] Madison, Mr. [John] Sullivan, and Mr. [James] Duane.2
[Note 2: 2 This resolve was also entered in the manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs.]
Congress proceeded to the consideration of the subject relative to the jurisdiction of the tract of country called the
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New Hampshire Grants, when a letter, of 2, from Ira Allen and Stephen R. Bradley, was read.1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 40, I, folio 579.]
After debate on the subject,
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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