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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 --THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1780
A letter, of 10, from General Washington was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War.
A letter, of 8, from Governor Jefferson, enclosing a copy of a letter, of September 2, from Colonel White, was read:
Ordered, That the same be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. [Theodorick] Bland, Mr. [John] Henry and Mr. [Whitmill] Hill.
A letter, of 2, from Lieutenant Colonel du Buysson was read.2
[Note 2: 2 Washington's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152 IX, folio 163; Jefferson's letter is in No. 71, I, folio 413; Du Buysson's is in No. 78, VII, folio 301.]
A memorial from Richard Varick was read.3
[Note 3: 3 This memorial, dated August 25, 1780, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, X, folio 317.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War.
A petition of Catherine Pennington, widow of the late Miles Pennington, captain of marines on board the Reprisal, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Admiralty.
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The committee to whom were referred the memorial and account of Mordecai Sheftall, having reported,
That the charge in the said account against the United States, for a share of the brigantine Hinchinbrook, pressed into the public service, by order of the governor of Georgia, and lost in Savannah river, is in the predicament of a number of other cases, and must therefore depend upon some future general provision.
That the supplies to Colonel Williamson's militia, by order of Governor Houstoun, cannot now be settled for want of vouchers.
Resolved, That Congress agree to the said report.
Ordered, That such parts of the account of Mordecai Sheftall as respect arrears of pay as deputy commissary general of issues in Georgia; and a supply of rum to the continental troops in that State, be referred to the Board of Treasury.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of George Walton, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, V, folio 327.]
Brigadier General Smallwood was nominated by Mr. [John] Henry for major general.
The committee to whom was referred the report of the Board of War, on the plan for conducting the inspector's office, delivered in a report, which was read; also
The committee to whom were referred the letter, of 20 August, and subsequent letters from General Washington, delivered in a partial report, which was read.
The Committee to whom Genl. Washington's letter of the 20th of August last and his several letters since that date, were referred Report as followeth
That the daily consumption of the grand army and its dependencies as stated to them by the Commissary Genl. (for the Troops now in the field) amounts to Thirty two thousand seven hundred rations
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That from the best information they have been able to obtain the army have not a prospect of an immediate supply of meat for more than five days at farthest
The Commissary General hath informed your Committee that he can purchase immediately five hundred head of cattle in the State of Pennsylvania if he can be furnished with cash for the purpose: your Committee therefore are of opinion that the Committee appointed be directed to apply to the bank in this City, and request them to purchase the said cattle in lieu of part of the flour engaged by them to Congress, or to furnish the Comy. Genl. with money sufficient to purchase said cattle, for which the Comy. is to be accountable: a duplicate receipt to be taken and lodged with the Treasury Board. These cattle, if obtained, will make an additional supply of five days.
Your Committee further report that Eight hundred and twenty three neat cattle are indispensably necessary to be furnished weekly for supply of the present army; and that those cattle should be drawn from New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut.
But they recommend that one thousand head of cattle be called for weekly from the before mentioned States in the following proportions, to wit.
This will insure a sufficient supply for the present army, and should there be any overplus it will so far enable the Commissary to furnish Magazines of salted provisions at such posts as the Commander in Chief shall direct.
The Committee also report as their opinion that the President be requested to inclose copies of this resolution to the said States respectively in letters to be forwarded without delay by express, urging upon them the necessity of an immediate and full compliance therewith, and the fatal consequences which must inevitably fall on the army in case of failure in either.
As some time will elapse before the aforesaid States can be notified of this requisition, and their supplies reach the army, therefore your Committee report as their opinion that the States of New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware be requested immediately to furnish
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for an intermediate supply the following number of cattle in this proportion (to wit)
[Your Committee recommend that for defraying the expense of forwarding said cattle to the army from the States of New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut, for a weekly supply, warrants be drawn monthly upon the Loan offices of said States, in favor of the Commissary General, until the further order of Congress in the following proportion viz:
and that for defraying the expense of forwarding (for an intermediate supply) the cattle from New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware, warrants be drawn upon the Loan offices of said States for the following sums in money of the new emission--viz:
and that the Commissary he authorized in case either of said States have not received their money of the new emissions, to apply to the Executive of the said States, who are requested to advance him upon said warrants an equivalent in other money.]1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Ezekiel Cornell, except the portion in brackets, which is in John Sullivan's hand, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, VI, folio 293.]
The order of the day was read, "to proceed to hear and examine into and finally determine the disputes and differences relative to jurisdiction between the three States, New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay and New York, respectively, or such of them as have passed such laws as are mentioned in the resolutions of the 24 September and 2 October, 1779, on the one part, and the people of the district commonly known by the name of the New Hampshire
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Grants, who claim to be a seperate jurisdiction on the other, in the mode prescribed in and by the said resolutions." And after debate thereon,
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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