| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |
A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 1781
A memorial of Robert Elliot was read:3
[Note 3: 3 This memorial is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, III, folio 61.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Admiralty.
Mr. Alexander McDougall, a delegate for the State of New York, attended, and took his seat in Congress.
Resolved, That the salary of the secretary for foreign affairs be four thousand dollars per annum, exclusive of office expences.
Page 65 | Page image
Resolved, That Monday next be assigned for electing a secretary for foreign affairs.
Congress proceeded to the election of a director of the military hospital; and the ballots being taken, Dr. John Cochran was elected, having been previously nominated by Mr. [James Mitchell] Varnum.
Congress proceeded to the election of a paymaster general of the army; and the ballots being taken, Mr. John Pierce was elected, having been previously nominated by Mr. [Abraham] Clark;
Resolved, That Mr. [Isaac] Motte be excused, on account of his ill state of health, from attending on the business of the Board of Treasury, and that another be appointed in his stead.
The member chosen, Mr. [George] Walton.
Mr. Robert R. Livingston was nominated by Mr. [James Mitchell] Varnum, and
Mr. A. Lee by Mr. [Thomas] McKean, for the office of secretary for foreign affairs.
A report from the Board of War was read; Whereupon,
War OfficeDecr. 29th. 1780
Sir,
The Board have the honor to enclose for the consideration of Congress, two letters from Mr Baker Johnson in Maryland, from which it appears that he has involved himself in a difficulty, not a little distressing to him, by a laudible desire to promote the public good.
The contract for which he stands engaged was made before the resolution of the 6th ulto prohibiting Military Officers from making purchases could be known: and being informed that an officer was left at Philadelphia for the express purpose of procuring clothing for Col Lee's Corps, leather breeches among other Articles, he thought there was little risk in becoming security for a purchase, which the soldiers then stood in need of, and which was made on terms not disadvantageous to the public.
Page 66 | Page image
The Board beg leave to report:
Resolved, That the executive of the State of Maryland be and hereby are requested to liquidate and settle the account of Mr. Baker Johnson forfifty two pairs of leather breeches cloathing which he purchased for Lieutenant Colonel Lee's partizan corps on account of the United States.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, VI, folio 1.]
The committee to whom was referred the letter, of 15, from the honble the Chevalier de la Lucerne, minister pleni-potentiary of France, delivered in a report, which was read:
The Committee to whom was referred the Communication of the Chevalier De la Luzerne Minister of France of the 15th. Instant have agreed to report hereupon as follows.
Whereas His Most Christian Majesty has thought proper to give an additional proof of his regard for these United States in his letter dated the 10th. day of August last to the Admiral of France, touching the sentence and condemnation of prizes taken byPrivateers armed vessels fitted out by these States in the Ports of France, by signifying that it is his intention and pleasure, that the prizes which shall be taken by suchPrivateers armed vessels, and brought into any of his ports may be judged of by the Council for prizes in the same manner as those made by Privateers fitted out by his subjects; and that the officers of the Admiralty observe with regard to them the formalities prescribed by his declaration of the 24th. June 1778. Congress desirous of evidencing a reciprocal esteem and regard for the good ally and his subjects have resolved:
That all Prizes taken byPrivateers or Letters of Marque armed vessels fitted out by the subjects of his Most Christian Majesty in any of the ports of these United states, and brought within the same, may and shall be judged of tried and condemned in any Court of Admiralty, in the same manner in all respects as those made byPrivateers or Letters of Marque armed vessels belonging to the Citizens of any of these States of which all persons concerned are to take notice, and govern themselves accordingly.
[If the amendments proposed by the Board of Admiralty should be agreed to the Resolution will then read:
That all prizes taken by Privateers and other armed vessels fitted out and navigated by the subjects of his Most Christian Majesty in
Page 67 | Page image
any of the Ports of these United States and brought within the same, may and shall be judged of tried and condemned in any Court of Admiralty in the same manner in all respects as those made by Privateers and other armed vessels belonging to the citizens of any of these States. Of which all persons concerned are to take notice and govern themselves accordingly.]1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Thomas McKean, the part in brackets in that of Thomas Burke, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 37, folio 345.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Admiralty.
The Board of Treasury, to whom was referred the memorial of John Ross, together with his account against the United States, delivered in a report; Whereupon,
Treasury OfficeJany. 13th. 1781
The Board of Treasury beg leave to report,
That they have had under their consideration the report of the Chambers of accounts and the Auditor General on the account of John Ross referred to them by Congress on the 3rd. of January with directions to liquidate the account and devise ways and means for paying the balance due to him beg leave to submit the same to the decision of Congress on the point submitted by the Auditor General
The Board however are of opinion from the certificates adduced that Mr. Ross has complied on his part with every requisition in the settlement of his accounts under the direction of Doctr. Franklin required by a special resolution of Congress for that purpose dated August 11th. 1778 and it would seem unreasonable for him to wait for the payment of his balance which from anything that appears to the contrary is well and justly settled until Doctr. Franklin who is in possession of the papers on which that balance is founded may send them forward. The Board are further of opinion that a continuation of the interest from the date of the settlement Viz. on the 1st. of July, 1779, to the present time ought to be made, which, by the report amounts to the sum of £1368. 3.. 9 which with the former balance is £19,445.. 11.. 11 Sterling, the following resolution is therefore submitted:
Resolved, That bills of Exchange be drawn on theMinister Plenipotentiary of the United States of North America at the court ofto the amount of nineteen thousand four hundred and forty five pounds eleven Shillings and eleven pence Sterling to discharge
Page 68 | Page image
the principal and interest of the public debt due to John Ross, and that the Board of Treasury be authorized and directed to carry this resolution into effect.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, V, folio 33.]
Ordered, That the Board of Treasury direct the balance of nineteen thousand four hundred and forty-five pounds, eleven shillings and eleven pence sterling to be entered to the credit of John Ross in the books of the United States, and that the said balance bear an interest of six per cent. per annum until paid.
Congress took into consideration the report of the committee on the letter of 5 of November last, from General Washington, enclosing a memorial from the officers in the hospital department; and, thereupon, came to the following resolutions:
Whereas, by the plan for conducting the hospital department, passed in Congress the 30th day of September last, no proper establishment is provided for the officers of the medical staff, after their dismission from public service, which, considering the custom of other nations and the late provision made for the officers of the army, after the conclusion of the war, they appear to have a just claim to; for remedy whereof, and also for amending several parts of the above-mentioned plan:
Resolved, That all officers in the hospital department, and medical staff, hereinafter mentioned, who shall continue in service to the end of the war, or be reduced before that time as supernumeraries, shall be entitled to, and receive, during life, in lieu of half-pay, the following allowance, viz.
The director of the hospital equal to the half-pay of a lieutenant colonel:
Chief physicians and surgeons of the army and hospitals,each equal to the half pay of a major and hospital physicians and surgeons, purveyor, apothecary, and regimental
Page 69 | Page image
surgeons, each equal to the half-pay of alieutenant captain:and regimental mates each equal to the half of a pay of lieutenant
That there be allowed to the purveyor, apothecary, and assistant purveyors, each, forage for one horse:
That the power given in the before-mentioned plan, to the chief physician and surgeon of the army, to remove regimental surgeons and mates in case of absence without leave, shall in future extend no further than a power of suspension, until such delinquent shall be reported to a proper officer for bringing him to trial by court martial:
That the apothecary may deliver medicines, instruments and dressings, and other articles of his department, to the hospitals, on orders in writing from a physician and surgeon having the care of any particular hospital, where the director or one of the chief physicians and surgeons shah not be present to give the same:
That the power given to the director and chief hospital physicians, with respect to the appointment of matrons, nurses, and other persons necessary for the regular management of the hospitals, be extended to each of the physicians and surgeons of the hospitals, in the absence of the director and chief physicians and surgeons.
NegativedThat notwithstanding the prohibition against officers of the hospitals using any of the Stores provided for the sick, the said officers may occasionally draw out of the hospital Stores under their particular direction by written orders on the Stewards of the same, such small articles for their comfortable subsistence as they may stand in need of, provided such articles are not immediately wanted for the use of the sick: of which articles so issued, the Stewards shall keep regular accounts, charging each officer with the articles drawn at the current price the same bears at that time, which shall be deducted out of his pay in the settlement of his account, copies of which accounts, each respective Steward, under obligation of his oath of Office, shall transmit every six months to the Purveyor,
Page 70 | Page image
which being charged in a general account by him, shall be lodged in the Treasury Office
That the Director, Chief Physicians of the army and hospitals, and other Physicians and officers in the hospital department, as well those lately dismissed from service, as those re-appointed in the last arrangement who were in office between the first day of Septr. 1777, and the 30th. day of September last, shall have the depreciation of money made good to them on their pay for such part of the above mentioned time as they were actually employed in public service.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Abraham Clark, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, VI, folio 331.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
PREVIOUS SECTION .. NEXT SECTION .. NAVIGATOR
| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |