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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, NOVEMBER 24, 1780
Mr. [George] Clymer, a delegate for the State of Pennsylvania, attended and produced the credentials of the delegates for that State, which were read, as follows:
State of Pennsylavania,
In General Assembly,
Thursday 23d. November 1780 A. M.
Resolved, That the number of Delegates to represent this State in Congress, for the ensuing year, be five.
The House then proceeded to the election of the Delegates aforesaid; and the ballots being taken it appeared, that the honorable Joseph Montgomery, Samuel Atlee, George Clymer, Henry Wynkoop and Thomas Smith, (of the county of Bedford) Esquires, were duly elected and chosen.
Extract from the Minutes,
Samuel Sterett, Clerk.2
[Note 2: 2 The original is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, Pennsylvania, Credentials of Delegates.]
A memorial and representation of the legislature of the State of New Jersey was read,
To the United States in Congress assembled
The Memorial and Representation of the Legislature of the State of New Jersey, Sheweth;
That the Legislature of this State ready at all times to accede to any measures that may be thought to be of General Utility, did pass a law in compliance with the resolutions of Congress of the eighteenth of March last, by which the Treasurer of this State was directed to exchange one Dollar of the money ordered to be issued on the credit of this State for forty Dollars of the Continental currency, and to receive the said new money, in the payment of Taxes in like Proportion. Had the relative value of the Continental currency to Gold and
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Silver remained the same, which we suppose to have been the expectation of Congress there would have been no necessity for an alteration of the law of this State but the Continental currency being now depreciated as low as eighty or ninety for one; the Legislature sensible of the great loss the public must sustain by having the new money sent out under such evident disadvantages, have thought proper to repeal that part of the Law which fixes a proportionate value between the new money aforesaid and the Continental currency, in order thereby to establish the value of the said new money equal to that of specie: the propriety of this measure we doubt not, has already occurred to Congress; but as there is a necessity that there should be an uniformity in the value of the money issued by the several States, we would beg leave to suggest to Congress the propriety of recommending this measure to the consideration of the other States in the Union.
The Legislature would further represent that the Inhabitants of this State have from time to time, with the greatest readiness, furnished the Army of the United States, with such articles of supply as have been in their Power; in payment for which, they have received little else than certificates: and as chief part of the Inhabitants of this State are Farmers, and depend upon the sale of their produce for money, and the mode of giving certificates effectually putting it out of the power of a great part of the People to pay their Taxes, unless in certificates; this being the case, but little Continental money will be brought into the Treasury, and this State in consequence has but little prospect, in the mode prescribed by Congress, of drawing out its proportion of the New Money, or the People of receiving what is, and may become, justly due to them from the publick, we wish Congress to take this matter into Consideration, and to devise some means, either by paying the people their just dues from the Continental Treasury, or by enabling this State to receive its proportion of the new money in exchange for the certificates which may be brought into the Treasury by Taxes, by which we might be enabled to satisfy the just demands of the people on account of present Debts, and procure supplies more readily on future requisitions.
The Legislature would further represent, that, notwithstanding the extraordinary exertions of the Inhabitants of this State in furnishing supplies; notwithstanding they have reduced their own stores to a very scanty allowance for themselves and their domestic Dependents; yet such is the situation of New Jersey, that on every want of the
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Army, from what cause soever it may arise, she is first called upon to furnish a supply, and her Inhabitants are often obliged to see their Provisions and forage impressed and taken from them by force whilst their Families and cattle are reduced to absolute want: perhaps such a measure may be justifiable in the Commander in Chief, as the comfort and health of his soldiery, are and ought to be, principal objects of his care; but it is owing to a defect somewhere. We would then in justice to our constituents earnestly request, that Congress would take the premises under their consideration and by requiring other States to forward their full proportion of supplies, relieve this State from a burden which will otherwise in a little time become insupportable.
Council Chamber Novr. 18th. 1780
Signed in and by order of Council.
Wil. Livingston.
House of Assembly, Novr. 20th. 1780.
Signed in and by order of the House.
Josiah Hornblower, Speaker.1
[Note 1: 1 This memorial is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, VII, folio 53.]
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. [James] Duane, Mr. [James] Madison, Mr. [William Churchill] Houston.
A letter, of 20, from General Washington was read.2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, IX, folio 373.]
A letter from the clerks in the several offices was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the committee on the letters from commissioners of the Board of War.
A letter, of this day, from the Board of Admiralty was read, with sundry papers enclosed.
Admiralty Office 24th. Novr. 1780.
Sir,
As it will appear from the contents of the inclosed letter that the building of the 74 Gun Ship is entirely at a stand, and the board having it not in their power to furnish the agent with the requisites necessary to continue that work,
The Board beg leave to suggest to Congress, the propriety of treating with the Minister of France for the sale of that ship, to his most
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Christian Majesty, or that Congress would point out any other eligible mode by which the large sums already expended, in constructing that ship, may not be totally lost.1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 37, folio 529.]
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of five:
The members chosen, Mr. [William] Sharpe, Mr. [Thomas] McKean, Mr. [John] Hanson, Mr. [James] Duane and Mr. [Samuel] Adams.
A letter, of 23, from the Board of War was read:2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 148, I, folio 227.]
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. [George] Clymer, Mr. [Jesse] Root and Mr. [George] Plater.
The Board of War, to whom was referred the letter from Col. Tupper delivered in a report; Whereupon,
Resolved, That the letter, of the 6th instant, from Colonel Benjamin Tupper, requesting payment for 55 stand of arms, detained by Colonel Fellows from the men of the 8 Massachusetts regiment, at the close of the year 1775, be referred to the executive of Massachusetts Bay, to examine into the nature of the claim, and, if equitable, to take order for the payment of the same, on account of the United States.3
[Note 3: 3 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, IV, folio 695.]
Congress resumed the consideration of the report of the committee on the report of the Board of Treasury, of the 7 instant; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the managers of the United States lottery, in favour of John Gibson, one of the commissioners of the Board of Treasury, for twenty thousand dollars, in part of the balance of the salary due to him.
The Medical Committee laid before Congress a letter, of 21, from Doctor Shippen, director general, which was read; Whereupon,
A motion was made by Mr. Duane, seconded by
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Ordered, That Doctor Shippen, director of the hospitals, be directed to repair to head quarters and put himself under the orders of the Commander in Chief.1
[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of James Duane, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, IV, folio 499.]
The committee, to whom was re-committed their report on the letter from F. Hopkinson, treasurer of loans;
The Committee to whom the report on the letter of Francis Hopkinson Esq. Treasurer of loans was recommitted begs leave to report,
That upon the recommitment Messrs. Forman and Gibson two of the Commissioners of the Treasury attended the summons of your Committee.
That your Committee has met with great difficulties in the course of this Enquiry, the Commissioners of the Treasury having in sundry instances attempted to dictate to them, the manner in which the Enquiry should be made, which has laid your Committee under the necessity of repeatedly enjoining the said Commissioners to forbear that attempt and to permit the Committee to exercise their own judgment in the case referred to them.
That great jealousies and animosities have arisen amongst the officers of the Treasury Department from a variety of orders and regulations proposed or issued by the Board of Treasury, and from the manner in which those orders have been executed, and those jealousies and animosities have considerably increased the difficulties of your Committee.
That it appears on examination, those orders have passed, when a majority of the Board consisted of members of Congress, and therefore the Commissioners of the Treasury may be considered as responsible only for the execution of those orders so far as comes within their particular duties.
That it is not within the duty of this Committee to determine upon the propriety or impropriety of orders and Regulations adopted by any other Committee of Congress; but your Committee is clearly of opinion, that it required much more delicacy and attention than were used on the occasion to carry those orders into execution, without giving just cause of offence.
That the several errors in accts. which have been laid before your Committee by the Treasurer of loans and the Commissioners of the
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Treasury are all of such nature as might have been readily adjusted without the least injury to the public, had not the Demon of Discord pervaded the whole Department.
That it is the opinion of your Committee, the Treasury should be under the direction of a single officer, accountable to Congress for the Conduct of his Department; but that the arrangement of the Executive Departments having been referred to a Special Committee, it is not within the duty of this Committee to propose an arrangement for this purpose.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of John Walker, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, III, folio 179.]
The committee appointed to prepare instructions to accompany the letter agreed to the 22d;
The committee appointed to devise ways and means by which the fleet and army of his Most Christian Majesty may be supplied with provisions, &c. and
The committee on the letter from Jon. Bryan, delivered in their respective reports:
On the application of Mr. [John] Hanson, one of the delegates for the State of Maryland;
Ordered, That a warrant issue in his favor on the managers of the United States lottery for twenty thousand dollars; for which the said State is to be accountable.2
[Note 2: 2 These two paragraphs are entered by George Bond.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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