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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 --WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1780
A letter, of 29 October, from General Washington was read:
Ordered, That so much thereof as relates to Colonel D. Campbell be referred to the Board of War.
A letter, of this day, from Major General Greene was read; Whereupon,2
[Note 2: 2 Washington's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, IX, folio 333; Greene's is in No. 155, I, folio 455.]
Resolved, That Congress will cause bills of exchange to be drawn upon the Minister of these United States at the Court of Versailles, at 90 days sight, to a sufficient amount to pay for 5000 suits of cloaths for the use of the southern army; provided the same can be obtained upon reasonable terms.3
[Note 3: 3 This resolve and the following entry up to the presentation of the letter of the Board of War by the delegates for North Carolina were entered also in the manuscript Secret (Domestic) Journal.]
On the question to agree to this, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [James] LoveIl,
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So it was resolved in the affirmative.
Ordered, That a committee of three be appointed to enquire upon what terms a contract can be made for the purpose above mentioned, and that the committee be directed also to enquire on what terms the same can be procured on condition to be paid for in specie at the end of one year after the war, with an interest of six per cent per annum in specie in the mean time, or in tobacco to be delivered in Virginia or Maryland by the first day of January, 1781.
The members chosen, Mr. [John] Hanson, Mr. [Ezekiel] Cornell and Mr. [Timothy] Matlack.
The delegates for North Carolina laid before Congress a letter, of October 17, from the Board of War of that State, which was read:1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XVI, folio 97.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War.
The Board of War, to whom was referred a report of the Board of Treasury, respecting Captain Thomas Farral, delivered in a report; Whereupon,
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War Office Novr. 1. 1780
Sir
The board having considered the extract of the report of the Board of Treasury, referred to them, beg leave to observe to Congress that the Mr. Farrall therein mentioned has been employed at Fort Pitt as a Depy. Commy. of Military Stores, upwards of sixteen months--in which time he has been sent to Philada. on command and has received no pay--they therefore beg leave to report.
That a warrant issue, &c. agreeable to the report of the Treasury board.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, IV, folio 633.]
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favour of Thomas Farral, deputy commissary of military stores in the western department, for ten thousand dollars, on account of his pay and necessary expences, from Fort Pitt to Philadelphia and back again, agreeably to the orders of Colonel Broadhead; and for which sum the said Thomas Farral is to be accountable.
A report from the Board of Treasury was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Richard Philips, steward to the President of Congress, for fifteen thousand dollars, for the use of the President's household; for which sum the said steward is to be accountable.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folio 615a.]
That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favour of Robert Patton, for thirteen thousand five hundred dollars, for the purpose of providing firewood for the use of Congress; and for which he is to be accountable.3
[Note 3: 3 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folio 703a.]
A letter, of 31 October, from the Board of War was read.4
[Note 4: 4 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, IV, folio 629.]
A letter, of 31 October, from Peter R. Fell, one of the commissioners of the chamber of accounts, was read, requesting leave of absence for three or four months for the recovery
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of his health, his salary to be discontinued during the tune he is absent:1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, IX, folio 343.]
Resolved, That his request be granted.
A letter, of 30 October, from W. Denning, one of the commissioners of the Board of Treasury;
And a letter, of 31 October, from the Board of Treasury, were read.2
[Note 2: 2 Denning's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, VII, folio 309; the letter of the Board of Treasury is in No. 136, IV, folio 699.]
A report from the Board of Treasury was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, That on the application of Mr. [George] Walton, one of the delegates for the State of Georgia, a warrant issue on the treasurer in his favour, for fifteen thousand dollars; for which the said State is to be accountable.3
[Note 3: 3 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folio 703.]
The Medical Committee delivered in a report; Whereupon,
The Medical Committee beg leave to Report--
That they have had under consideration an estimate of Hospital Stores, laid before them by the Purveyor by order of the Director of the Hospital: of which estimate, such parts as are approved of by the Committee, and in their opinion necessary to be procured they now lay before Congress, amounting by estimation to 4276 2/3 dollars in specie: Whereupon they offer the following Resolution.
Ordered, That the sum of four thousand two hundred and seventy six dollars and sixty ninetieths of a dollar, in bills emitted pursuant to the resolution of the 18th of March last, be advanced to Thomas Bond, purveyor of the general hospital, to enable him to purchase the stores mentioned in an estimate approved by the Medical Committee; and that the Board of Treasury report a draught or draughts for that purpose.4
[Note 4: 4 This report, in the writing of Abraham Clark, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 22, folio 29.]
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The committee, to whom was referred the report of the Board of Treasury of 14 October, delivered in a report, which was read:
The Committee to whom was referred the Report from the Treasury of the 14th. of October beg leave to Report--
That the money mentioned therein to have been received into the Treasury (in specie) from the Commonwealth of Virginia, was received at the rate of seventy five for one, as part of the said State's quota, and that the said specie was paid into the Treasury at sundry times, by the agents of a gentleman who was indebted to the said State, as will appear from information obtained from the Commissioners of the Treasury which is hereto annexed, and which your Committee beg leave to make part of their Report--
Vide information from the Commissioners &c.
Your Committee being clearly of opinion, that the receiving specie into the Treasury, either from a State as its quota, or an individual debtor to a particular State, or to the United States, at a higher rate than the difference allowed between money of the old and new emissions by the Resolution of Congress of the 18th. of March last, would be most destructive to the credit of the new emission, and have a fatal tendency to depreciate it, they therefore submit the following Resolution--
Resolved, that the Commissioners of the Treasury take especial care, that all debts due to the United States treasury or moneys deposited there be received at no higher rate than that fixed by the resolution of March last--
Resolved, that the State of Virginia be informed, that the money paid into the Treasury in specie at the supposed depreciation of seventy five for one, by the agents of Mr. Carter Braxton cannot be received consistently with the faith of the United States pledged by Congress in their Resolution of the 18th. of March 1780 at any higher rate than is therein specified. Congress is nevertheless sensible, that the specie paid into the Treasury at the above depreciation was not paid by any order, or warranted by a connivance of that State, but was an act of an Individual intermediately discharging a debt due from him to the State and to be paid into the Continental Treasury from the State--which was unguardedly permitted to be paid at the current depreciation by the Commissioners of the Treasury, and is now ready to be refunded, on receiving an equivalent in
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Continental money, according to the Resolution of Congress of March last.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Theodorick Bland, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folio 623. The information from the Commissioners of the Board of Treasury is on folio 635.]
Ordered, That it be re-committed.
The committee appointed to prepare a memorial to the Court of Versailles delivered in a report, which was read:
Ordered, That it be re-committed.
Adjourned to 10 o'clock to Morrow.
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