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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, DECEMBER 1, 1780
Mr. [Wm. Churchill] Houston, one of the delegates for the state of New Jersey, laid before Congress the credentials of their appointment, which were read in the words following:
At a Joint Meeting of the Council and Assembly of the State of New Jersey at Trenton the Twenty fourth day of November in the Year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and eighty
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The following Gentlemen were elected to represent the said State in the Congress of the United States of North America, to wit
The Honble. John Witherspoon Abraham Clark William Churchill Houston William Paterson and William Burner, Esqrs.
Resolved, That the said John Witherspoon, Abraham Clark, William Churchill Houston, William Paterson and William Burner, or any two or more of them, be empowered to represent and vote in Behalf of this State, in the Congress of the United States of North America, from the first day of December next until the first day of December in the Year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and eighty one, unless a new Appointment shall sooner take place. It is Nevertheless expected that three of the Delegates do constantly attend in Congress unless prevented by sickness or other accident
Signed by Order of the Joint Meeting
Jno. Stevens, Chaiman.1
[Note 1: 1 The original is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, New Jersey, Credentials of Delegates.]
A letter, of 16, and one, of 30 October, from Parsons, Alston & Co. at Martinique, were read:
Ordered, That they be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. [John] Mathews, Mr. [William Churchill] Houston, Mr. [James] Lovell.
A memorial of Captain Leonard Cooper was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War.
The Board of War laid before Congress an extract of a letter from Colonel Febiger:2
[Note 2: 2 Febiger's letter, dated November 29, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 148, I, folio 237.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury to take order.
The committee, to whom was referred the letter of Mordecai Sheftal, report,
That they have examined the accounts of the said Mordecai Sheftal, and that although he cannot from his having long been a prisoner and his papers being in South Carolina, produce the necessary vouchers to settle the same, yet they
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have reason to believe that there is a considerable balance due to him; Whereupon,
On motion of the delegates for the State of Georgia,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in their favour for twenty thousand dollars, for the use of the said Mordecai Sheftal; the said State to be accountable.
On motion of Mr. [John] Sullivan, seconded by Mr. [Thomas] Bee,
Resolved, That the order of the day to morrow, for electing a secretary to the commission of our Minister Plenipotentiary at the Court of Versailles be postponed to Thursday Wednesday next.
The delegate for Pensylvania laid before Congress a letter, of 30 November, from the supreme executive council of Pensylvania:
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. [Jesse] Root, Mr. [William] Sharpe, Mr. [James] Madison.
A petition of Robert Harris was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Admiralty.
A report from the Board of War was read; Whereupon,
War Office, Decr 1, 1780
Present Mr. Peters Genl. Ward, Genl. Cornell.
The board have the honor to lay before Congress sundry accounts received from Saml. Fletcher Esqr. who was appointed in the year 1778 an agent for storing, airing and forwarding the clothing then arrived from France at the Eastward. No compensation was stipulated for Mr. Fletcher's trouble, nor do we conceive that we have power now to fix such compensation, or to settle the account--our duty being merely to employ him and direct his conduct.
We therefore beg leave to report
Ordered, That the accounts of Samuel Fletcher, late a cloathing agent, employed by the Board of War, by virtue of authority vested in them for the purpose by Congress, be referred to the Board of Treasury, who are hereby directed
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to take order for the settlement thereof, and to report to Congress what ought to be allowed as a reasonable compensation for his services:1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, IV, folio 711.]
Ordered, That a member be added to the committee appointed to prepare a plan for arranging the finances paying the debts and oeconomising the revenues of the United States, in the room of Mr. [Timothy] Matlack:
The member chosen, Mr. [George] Clymer.
A report from the Board of Treasury was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on Thomas Smith, commissioner of the continental loan office in the State of Pensylvania, in favour of Joseph Carleton, paymaster to the Board of War and Ordnance, for three thousand dollars, to be paid to Colonel Febiger, to enable him to perform certain services in which he is employed by the commanding officer in the southern army; and for which the said paymaster is to be accountable.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folio 735.]
Congress resumed the consideration of the report of the committee on the letter from Arthur Lee; Whereupon,
The Committee to whom were referred the letter from Arthur Lee Esq. &c submit the following Report.
Arthur Lee Esq. having deposited with the President of Congress a picture of the King of France set with Diamonds presented to him by the Minister of that Monarch on his taking leave of the Court of Versailles as a mark of his Majesty's esteem and intimated that as the picture was presented to him in consequence of his having been a Commissioner of Congress at that Court, it did not become him to retain the same without the express approbation of Congress,
Resolved that he be informed that Congress approve of his retaining the picture.
Resolved that Mr Lee be further informed in answer to his letter, that there is no particular charge against him before Congress properly supported; That Congress are sensible of his zealous and faithful exertions to discharge the great public trust reposed in him, and that he be
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assured his recall was not intended to fix any kind of censure on his character or conduct abroad but appeared at the time a necessary measure to put a stop to differences subsisting among their Commissioners in Europe greatly detrimental to the Interests of the United States, the particular grounds of which differences it was not then in the power of Congress fully to investigate
Resolved, That Mr. Lee be informed, that Congress approve of his retaining the picture: that he be further informed, in answer to his letter, that there is no particular charge against him before Congress properly supported, and that he be assured his recall was not intended to fix any kind of censure on his character or conduct abroad:
The Committee also report, that the sum mentioned in his accounts to have been paid for intelligence appears a reasonable charge and ought to be allowed.
That the same allowance be made to his secretary as was made to Mr. Stockton, who acted in that capacity to the honourable William Lee; and that the other articles stated in his accounts, with the vouchers produced, be referred to the Board of Treasury for liquidation.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Thomas Bee, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, III, folio 511.]
A letter, of 23d, from the governor and council of Maryland was read.2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 70, folio 435.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock on Monday.
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