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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, DECEMBER 20, 17802
[Note 2: 2 Thomson did not enter the day of the week, but in its place the words "In Congress."]
On motion of Mr. [Thomas] Bee, seconded by Mr. [John] Mathews,
Ordered, That the treasurer pay to the Board of War the balance of silver and gold in his hands, and that in the settlement of his accounts, he have credit in continental currency, according to the rate of exchange at which he received the said silver and gold.
Resolved, That the President furnish the Minister appointed to the Court of Petersburgh with letters of credit on the Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States at the Court of Versailles, for fifteen hundred pounds sterling as his salary for one year; provided the said Minister shall proceed to the Court of Petersburgh.3
[Note 3: 3 This resolution, in the writing of James Duane, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, IV, folio 519. It was also entered in the manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs.]
The committee appointed to confer with a committee of the general assembly of the State of Pensylvania on the subject
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of their quota of the new emission of paper bills of credit, presented to Congress a representation to them from the said committee of the assembly on the subject matter of the said conference, and the answer proposed to be given thereto, on which they requested the sense of Congress.
The Committee appointed by Congress to confer with a Committee of the General assembly of Pennsylvania, on the subject of the New Emission of money assigned to that State have received their State of facts, and have now the honor of laying before the said Committee the following information.
That the debt of 20,000,000 of Dollars computed to be due to the Inhabitants of Pennsylvania upon Quarter Masters and Commissaries' certificates have not been unprovided for by Congress, but arises from the unpunctuality of the respective States in complying with the requisitions of Congress. It appears from a general abstract of the Treasury Books now before this Committee, that the States are in arrear on the respective Requisitions, as far as the accounts were furnished to the 4th. of Decr. last, 176,955,367.6/9 7/0th. Dollars, a sum sufficient to have discharged the Loan office, Quarter Masters and Commissaries Certificates, and supported the public credit in a very great degree.
That the supplies of the Inhabitants on the credit of the Certificates, extend to all the other States, as well as Pennsylvania and is the same obstacle in all to the payment of Taxes. New York and New Jersey in particular are represented to be as much in advance on those certificates as Pennsylvania; and it is also represented that their Treasuries are equally exhausted, and there can therefore be no prospect that any of them will be in a condition to supply the public exigencies if their certificates should pass in payment of the Taxes directed to be levied for the purpose of issuing and giving credit to the new Emissions. That by the abstract from the Books of the Treasury the account of Pennsylvania is thus stated
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If this is a just state it will be found that supposing the Inhabitants of Pensylvania to be creditors of the public to the amount of 20,000,000. Dollars on Certificates, there is still a large arrear due from them on their quota of the Taxes.
Congress rely on a compliance with the act of the 18th. of March for the support of the war; they foresee the deepest distress if it should not be carried into effect with the utmost dispatch.
The Public Treasury is exhausted; the public debt considerable: the army unpaid for near a year, the Quarter Master's branch distressed.
Under these circumstances the Committee of the assembly of Pensylvania, will consider the objects of the Regulations proposed in their Representation and give the weight to our suggestions, which they shall appear to merit.
James Duane,
Jesse Root,
Committee of Congress.
To, Thomas Mifflin, Gerardus Wynkoop, Jonathan Hoge, and John Harris, Esqrs. Committee of the General Assembly for the State of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia Decr. 17 1780.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of James Duane, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 20, II, folio 93. The representation of the committee appointed by the General Assembly of Pennsylvania is in No. 69, II, folio 320.]
The representation and answer being read,
Resolved, That Congress approve the answer of the committee.
A report from the Board of Treasury was read; Whereupon,
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Treasury Office, December 20, 1780.
The Board of Treasury represent to Congress,
That the Sheriff for the City and county of Philada has this day levied execution on the Commissioners of the Board for the rent damages &c as adjudged by the Court and Jury for the house in which the Treasury was lately held.
The Board therefore submit the following resolution
Ordered, That a warrant issue on Thomas Smith, commissioner of the continental loan office for the State of Pensylvania, for thirteen thousand two hundred and twenty five dollars and one third of a dollar, in favour of John L. Clarkson, a clerk in the Treasury office, being the amount of rent, damages and charges due since the 11 September last from the Board of Treasury, and to enable the said J. L. Clarkson to pay and discharge the same.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folio 773.]
Congress resumed the consideration of the report on the department of foreign affairs, and some time being spent thereon,
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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