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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, DECEMBER 14, 1780
A petition of Edward West, and
A letter, of 12, from J. Milligan, were read.
A letter, of this day, from Resolve Smith was read:
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Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury to report.
A memorial from Mr. E[zekiel] Cornell was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury, together with the accounts of the memorialist, to take order.
A letter, of this day, from the Board of War was read:1
[Note 1: 1 West's petition, dated December 13, 1780, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, VIII, folio 215; Milligan's letter is in No. 78, XVI, folio 105; Smith's letter is in No. 78, XX, folio 643; the Board of War's letter is in No. 148, I, folio 241.]
Ordered, That it be referred back to the Board to take order.
A report from the Board of War was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, That Captain Job Sumner be informed, in answer to his memorial of the 17th of last month, that Congress, in their resolution of the 7th of April, 1779, meant to give him the rank of a captain in the army at large, from the 1st day of July, 1776, in confirmation of the appointment made by General Schuyler; but that no alteration was intended to be made in the line of the State to which he belonged, in which he should take his promotion, as if he had not left his regiment, and entered on board the armed vessels.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, IV, folio 725.]
Mr. [John] Sullivan laid before Congress a letter, of October 30th, from John Sprague, and one of October 3, from General James Reed, which were read:3
[Note 3: 3 Reed's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XIX, folio 327.]
Ordered, That they be referred to the Board of War.
A report from the Board of Treasury was read; Whereupon,
The Board having considered the letter of the tenth of Novr. last from John Lawrence Esqr. Commisr. of the Continental Loan Office in the State of Connecticut, referred to them by Congress on the 24th. report
Ordered, That the resignation of John Lawrence, commissioner of the continental loan office for the State of Connecticut, be accepted.
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Resolved, That it be, and hereby is recommended to the State of Connecticut, to appoint a commissioner to superintend the loan office in that State, in the room of Mr. John Lawrence, resigned.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folio 741.]
Ordered, That on the application of Richard Philips, steward to the President of Congress, a warrant issue on the treasurer in his favour, for fifteen thousand dollars, for the use of the President's household; for which sum the said steward is to be accountable.
That on the application of Thomas Edison, one of the clerks in the office of the secretary to Congress, a warrant issue on the treasurer in his favour, for eight thousand dollars, part of the salary due to him; and for which he is to be accountable.
That on the application of Nathan Jones, one of the clerks in the war office, a warrant issue on the treasurer in his favor, for one hundred and eighty dollars, in bills of credit emitted in pursuance of the act of Congress, of the 18th of March last, part of the balance of salary due to him; and for which sum he is to be accountable.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress No. 136, IV, folio 759.]
Treasury Office
December 14th 1780.
The Board of Treasury represent to Congress that in compliance with their resolution of the 15th November last the accounts of William Palfrey late paymaster General were referred by the Auditor General to the Chambers for liquidation.
That this day the said accounts were reported upon to this Board by the Auditor General.
That Mr Palfrey considers himself no otherwise accountable for the sundry advances of money made to him as pay master General than to produce proper documents receipts and vouchers to justify the entries to be made in the Treasury books against the several Depy pay masters and Officers to whom he has advanced money, and that in the settlement of his cash account he shall receive a credit for
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such monies as stand charged to such Officers and Deputies as aforesaid, so justified by receipts and vouchers as aforesaid.
The Board therefore submit the following Resolution.
Resolved, That the Board of Treasury be, and hereby are, enabled to make a finaI settlement with William Palfrey, late paymaster general, upon the principles of their report of this day, and upon such final settlement, to grant the said William Palfrey a quietus, under the seal of the Board of Treasury.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folio 763.]
On motion of Mr. [John] Sullivan, seconded by Mr. [Samuel] Adams,
Ordered, That the memorial and other papers of Colonel Loring be referred to the Commander in Chief.
The committee, to whom was referred the memorial of Sir James Jay, delivered in a report; Whereupon,
The Comte. to whom was referred the letter of Sir James Jay of the 4th. of Sept. last beg leave to lay before Congress the following state of facts.
That on the 16th. day of July 1778 Sir James Jay advanced 20,000 Dollars to Otis & Andrews Continental Cloathiers in Boston for public use taking their draught for that sum upon James Mease Esqr. Cloathier General residing in Philadelphia payable at five days sight. That upon tender of said draughts the same became payable on the ninth day of August following at which time the Cloathier General appears not to have been in Cash for discharging the same. That upon application to the Treasury Board a Warrant was reported and granted to said James Mease for the 20,000 Dollars dated August 18, 1778, to enable him as therein set forth to answer the above mentioned draughts in favor of Sir James. That said Warrant being endorsed and delivered to Sir James he on the 8th. day of Octr. 1779, disposed of the same for the sum therein mentioned; which Warrant was soon after discharged by the Treasurer. That the depreciation on the said 20,000 Dollars between the time the draught became payable and granting the Warrant was equal to 219 5/9 5/0 dollars in specie, and between the time the said draught became payable and
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the time Sir James disposed of the Warrant was equal to 4586 3/9 5/0 dollars in specie.
Upon which state of facts your Committee beg leave to observe that at the time Sir James advanced his money to the Cloathiers in Boston it does not appear he had any private Interest in view other than transferring that sum with safety and convenience to Philadelphia. That the Cloathiers inability to discharge the draught is alledged and probably might be attended with some disappointment and damage to Sir James over and above the depreciation. That his delay in not recovering his money sooner than he did can be imputed to no other cause than his own neglect but in as much as the United States were taking in money on Loan at the time said Warrant remained unpaid if, is alledged that the money due thereon ought to be considered as a Loan and the depreciation be made good on the same. But on the other hand your Committee have not been able to discover any advantage derived to the United States from Sir James money remaining in the Treasury between the issuing and paying the warrants as the Treasury was constantly liable for the same.
Upon the whole, considering Sir James's case as somewhat singular, and his loss by depreciation great, Occasioned partly by delay in paying his first draught, your Committee are of Opinion that some allowance on that account ought to be made, Whereupon the following Resolution is submitted.
Ordered, That a warrant issue on Abraham Yates, commissioner of the continental loan office in the State of New York, in favour of Sir James Jay for four hundred dollars in bills of credit emitted pursuant to the resolution of Congress of the 18 March, in full compensation for the damage he sustained by depreciation and otherwise in the money advanced to Otis & Andrews, cloathiers in Boston on the 16 July, 1778.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Abraham Clark, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, IV, folio 410.]
A letter, of 14, 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 245.]
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three:
The members, Mr. [Samuel] Adams, Mr. [James] Duane, Mr. [John] Witherspoon.
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Resolved, that the Board of Treasury lay before Congress a state of the monies issued and paid to the several departments of the Army, and report to Congress how much of the said expenditures have been accounted for from the 1st. day of Jany. last.1
[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of Theodorick Bland, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, I, folio 115a.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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