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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 27, 1780
A letter, of 22, from General Washington, with sundry papers enclosed;
A letter, of 23, from Colonel Pickering, Q. M. G. and
A letter, of this day, from Major General Greene, were read:2
[Note 2: 2 Washington's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, IX, folio 323; Pickering's letter is in No. 192, folio 33; Greene's letter is in No. 155, I, folio 447.]
Ordered, That they be referred to a committee of five:
The members chosen, Mr. [William] Sharpe, Mr. [Theodorick] Bland, Mr. [Ezekiel] Cornell, Mr. [John] Sullivan and Mr. [George] Walton.
A letter, of 21, from General Washington, enclosing a copy of a letter, of 18, from Brigadier General Knox, was read:
Ordered, That the copy of the letter from Brigadier General Knox, with so much of General Washington's letter as relates thereto, be referred to the Board of War; and
That the remainder of the letter be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. [Timothy] Matlack, Mr. [John] Hanson, Mr. [John] Walker.
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A petition and representation of Ezekiel Forman and John Gibson, commissioners of the Board of Treasury, was read;
Also a letter, of this day, from J. Gibson was read:
Ordered, That the committee on the affairs of the Treasury proceed in the business and make report.
A letter, of 25, from M. Comyn was read.
A letter from Robert Patton was read:1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XVIII, folio 337.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A letter, of 26, from the Board of War was read; Whereupon,2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 148, I, folio 199.]
Resolved, That the Board of War be informed, that Congress approve of their purchasing cloathing for one thousand men, and laying out the remainder of the money arising from the sale of the bills of exchange in the purchase of flour or other necessaries, to be immediately forwarded for the prisoners of war, agreeably to the resolution of 23 August last; that the cloathing be disposed of to the continental troops only, and the provisions to them and the militia who were actually taken in arms and remain prisoners of war in South Carolina and Georgia.
Congress resumed the consideration of the report of the Committee of Estimates and Ways and Means; and after debate,
Treasury Office Octr. 27, 1780
The Board beg leave to lay before Congress an account of Fancy work exhibited by Francis Hopkinson Esqr. Treasurer of Loans which were referred to them by Congress on the 25th. of May last with the following State of facts
That the said account with a letter to the Board of Admiralty on the subject of it numbered 1 and 2 were referred to the Auditor General as usual for liquidation, and on the 12th June William Govett
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and John D. Mercier Esqrs. two of the Commissioners of the chambers of accounts, report thereon, as appears by their report No. 840
That the Board taking notice that the said Commissioners in this case had neglected to require the vouchers to support the charges conformable to the Ordinance of the 30th. July 1779, remanded the said account on the 24th. of June to the auditor general to be reconsidered, and with it sent another account No 4 and 5 which the said Treasurer of Loans desired by his letter No. 6 to be substituted in the room of his aforesaid account
That on the 29th. of the same month William Geddes and George Measam other Commissioners of the Chambers report they had examined the account of Francis Hopkinson Esqr. referred to them by the Auditor General and call for the former report of the Commissioners to be laid before them
That on the 4th. of August the Board remanded this last mentioned report to the Auditor General
That on the 7th of August the last mentioned Commissioners report, without any alteration of circumstances the sum first reported, as will appear by the paper No. 8
That upon this last report the Board proceeded to consider the said account, and on the 12th. inst: rejected it for want of vouchers to support the charges
The Board beg leave further to observe that they should not have thought themselves authorized to allow the said account, had the Treasurer of Loans produced vouchers of his having been employed about the several matters he charged for.
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wine as very uncertain, and considered it in the light of compliment due to him for these works of Fancy
The Board therefore beg that Congress will decide on this account1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folio 665. The "fancy work" was various designs executed by Hopkinson for the naval flag of the United States, seals (including the great seal of the United States), and currency. The enclosures mentioned in the report are in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folios 671--685.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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