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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 --TUESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1781
A letter, of 15th, from General Washington;
A letter, of 28th September, and one, of 9th October, from John de Neufville & Son, were read;1
[Note 1: 1 The Washington letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, IX, folio 511; it is printed in part inThe Writings of Washington (Ford) IX, 110. De Neufville's letter of September 28 is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 145, folio 41; that of October 9 is on folio 45.]
A letter, of the 10th, from J. Bradford, was read, enclosing a schedule of the settlement with Captain Duarti, for theNostra Senhora del Carmo and St. Antonio and cargo, and Captain Duarti's discharge;
Ordered, That the same be referred to the Board of Treasury.
The delegates for the State of New York, laid before Congress a letter of 14, from John M'Kesson, which being read, it was thereupon,2
[Note 2: 2 Bradford's letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, IV, folio 73; McKesson's is in No. 78, XVI, folio 127.]
Resolved, That a procurator be appointed, during the pleasure of Congress, to prosecute in behalf of Congress for all debts due to, or frauds committed against these United States in the State of New York.
Resolved, That Egbert Benson, esq. be appointed to the office of procurator as aforesaid.
Ordered, That the letter aforesaid be referred to the Board of Treasury to take order.
A report from the Board of War was read; Whereupon,
At a Board of WarJanuary 19, 1781
Present Mr. Peters
Genl. Cornell.
The Board beg leave to lay before Congress a letter from Col Armand on the subject of his legion in which he proposes,
That a furlough be granted him for such time as Congress may think proper and leave granted hun to go to France for the purpose
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of procuring on his own credit, clothing, arms, accoutrements and horse furniture for his legion, Congress agreeing to pay him the amount of the articles procured, in four years with interest at five pr. cent per annum.
He represents the impracticability of getting men under the former resolution of Congress on this subject and therefore request that monies for recruiting be given to the Officer left in command of the legion for the purpose of inlisting.
That means may be taken to procure horses for the Dragoons.
He represents that the Corps is in want of a Lieutenant Colonel and wishes that Lt Col Ternant may have this appointment, when exchanged, and that this may be done without additional expence to the United States, as this Gentleman is already in the service in the rank proposed. That the remains of the Corps may be stationed at some convenient place for the purpose of equipment and discipline.
On those representations should Congress approve of them it may be proper to resolve:
Resolved, That Congress approve of Colonel Armand's proposals as made in his letter of the 19th instant to the Board of War, respecting procuring cloathing and equipment of his legion on his own credit; the monies advanced for the purchase of the articles procured, to be repaid in four years, with interest, at five per cent per annum; the articles procured to be plain and useful, without unnecessary decorations or expence:
That Colonel Armand have leave to go to France; and for this purpose a furlough be granted him for six months:
That the Board of Treasury report a warrant in favour of the paymaster of the Board of War, for the sum deemed necessary by the Board to recruit the legion commanded by Colonel Armand to its complement:
That Lieutenant Colonel Ternant be appointed lieutenant colonel of Colonel Armand's legion and take his rank and command therein when exchanged.
That the quartermaster general be directed to procure a sufficient number of horses, to remount such of the cavalry
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as are destitute of horses agreeably to directions to be given by the Commander in Chief for the next campaign, and that Colonel Armand's legion be furnished with its proportion out of the number so procured by the quartermaster general:1
[Note 1: 1 These resolutions as an extract from the minutes are in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 164, folio 462.]
That the remainder of Colonel Armand's legion, now in service, be stationed, for the purpose of discipline and equipment, at such place as the Commander in Chief shall think proper:
Should Congress not deem it expedient to adopt the before mentioned resolutions, they will be pleased to resolve.
That a Committee be appointed to confer with Colonel Armand on the subject of his letter to the Board of War, relating to the arming, equipping and recruiting his partizan Corps.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, VI, folio 97.]
That so much of the report as relates to the appointment of Lieutenant Colonel Ternant to be lieutenant colonel of the legion commanded by Colonel Armand, be referred to the Commander in Chief.
According to the order of the day, Congress was resolved into a Committee of the Whole, to consider further the reports on finance, and after some time the President resumed the chair and Mr. [John] Mathews reported that the Committee have had under consideration the reports to them referred and have made some progress, but, not having come to a conclusion, desire leave to sit again.
Ordered, That to Morrow, after reading the Journal, Congress be resolved into a Committee of the Whole to consider farther the reports on Finance.3
[Note 3: 3 From this point the entries are by George Bond.]
A report from the Board of Treasury was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on Thomas Smith, commissioner of the continental loan office for the State of Pensylvania,
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in favor of John L. Clarkson, clerk to the Board of Treasury, for twenty four thousand and fifty dollars old emissions, to enable him to pay for a sett of principal books, paper and sundry other articles for the use of the auditor general's office, [and to pay for a stove already fitted up for the use of the said office] and for which the said John L. Clarkson is to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, V, folio 39; the portion in brackets is in the report but not in the Journal.
Thomson here resumes the entries.]
Resolved, That the order of yesterday for changing the new money be and hereby is repealed.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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