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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, JANUARY 31, 1781
A letter, of 18, from the governor of Connecticut, was read, enclosing a letter, of 14 December, from William Imly, appointed commissioner of the continental loan office in that State, in the room of J. Lawrence resigned:
Ordered, That the same be referred to the Board of Treasury, to report on the salary or commissions proper to be allowed to officers of the continental loan offices.
Another letter of 18, from Governor Trumbull, was read, enclosing a resolution, passed by the general assembly of that State, the 29 November last, respecting the requisitions of Congress; and wherein it is represented, "that upon good information, there is reason to apprehend that there has been great loss and spoil of cloathing belonging to the United States, for want of proper care and attention to that department;" also a resolution of the said general assembly, passed in October last, respecting the cession and relinquishment of western territory to the United States.
Ordered, That the resolution of November be referred to a committee of three;
The members, Mr. [James] Duane, Mr. [George] Clymer and Mr. [William] Sharpe.
Ordered, That the resolution of October, together with the acts and resolutions of the State of New York and the Commonwealth of Virginia, on the same subject, be referred to a committee of seven;
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The members, Mr. [John] Witherspoon, Mr. [James] Duane, Mr. [Jesse] Root, Mr. [Samuel] Adams, Mr. [John] Sullivan, Mr. [Thomas] Burke, Mr. [George] Walton.
A letter, of this day, from Captain Anthony Selin, was read:1
[Note 1: 1 The Connecticut letter enclosing resolutions is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 66, II, folio 174; the resolution of October is on folio 178 and that of November on folio 117; Selin's letter is in No. 78, XXI, folio 5.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War to take order.
The committee to whom was referred the letter of Joseph Howell, auditor of accounts for the main army, and the report of the Board of Treasury thereon, delivered in a report; Whereupon,
Resolved, That the auditor of accounts for the main and separate army, be, and hereby are authorised to allow to each of their clerks, from and after the first day of August last, forty-one dollars and two-thirds of a dollar a month, in bills emitted pursuant to the act of the 18 of March last, and one ration a day.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, in the writing of Artemas Ward, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, III, folio 245.]
The committee to whom was referred the memorial of Samuel Hodgdon, delivered in a report; Whereupon,
Resolved, That the commissary of military stores, or first officer in that department, be, and hereby is allowed, from and after the first day of August last, one hundred and fifteen dollars a month, in bills emitted pursuant to the act of the 18 of March last; and that the deputy commissary or second officer in that department, be, and hereby is allowed, from the said first day of August, the sum of ninety dollars per month, in bills aforesaid; in lieu of the sums allowed them respectively by the resolution of the 12th instant.3
[Note 3: 3 This report, in the writing of Artemas Ward, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, III, folio 145.]
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The committee to whom was referred the extract from a report of the Board of Treasury, of January 2; and
The committee to whom was referred the report of the Board of Treasury, of the 22, relative to the owners of Rum, &c., delivered in their several reports:
The Committee to whom was referred the extract of a report from the Board of Treasury of the 2d January beg leave to report,
That on considering the several principles proposed for liquidating the debts due by the United States they know of no rule so nearly coinciding with the rule of fight and justice, or so well calculated to give general satisfaction as that by which the value of the debts may be ascertained in gold and silver as reduced from the old Continental money in which they were incurred at the exchange current at the times when and places where they were so incurred.
They therefore offer the following resolution as a rule to be observed in the liquidation of all the unsatisfied demands against the United States, Loan office certificates excepted, which are otherwise provided for, and excepting specific supplies furnished by the several states and credited towards the respective quotas, and this to supersede, and repeal all other regulations of Congress now subsisting which respect either the prices of articles furnished the United States or the modes of settlement.
Resolved, That the Treasury Board from the best informations they can obtain, and as soon as may be, prepare for the consideration and correction of Congress a table of the actual popular and mercantile value of the old Continental currency as compared with gold and silver in all its stages of depreciation to the present time in the states respectively.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 26, folio 247. It is indorsed by Thomson: "Report of Committee on the report of Board of Treasury January 2 respecting the value of articles furnished by individuals to the public. A mode of ascertaining the value." It appears in the list of postponed reports in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 31, 371.]
The Committee to whom was referred the report of the Board of Treasury respecting the pay of certain quantities of rum furnished to the Army in 1780, Report,
That they have attentively considered the report of the Board of Treasury and are of opinion that the just rule of settlement will be
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to pay the creditors in specie equal to the price of the article in old Continental bills, at the current rate of exchange at the time and place of receiving the articles and interest or to pay the sum in the old Continental bills with the depreciation since arisen and interest.
But as payment cannot be made in either specie or old Continental bills, and as the creditors decline accepting the new Continental bills equal to specie and as your Committee conceive that Congress will not at this time admit any distinction to be made between the new bills and specie, Congress must either wholly suspend payment or make advances in part payment to be in accompt. If Congress should be of the latter opinion then it may be proper to resolve--
That the Board of Treasury be directed to draw warrants for new Continental bills in favor of the creditors of these States to whom balances shall be found due in part payment of such balances to be in accompt.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Jesse Root, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, IV, folio 17.]
Ordered, That the letter, of October 14, from the honble J. Adams, be referred to the Committee of Commerce.
Congress was resolved into a Committee of the Whole, and after some time the President resumed the chair and Mr. [John] Mathews reported that the Committee have considered farther the reports on finance and have come to certain resolutions, which he was directed to submit to the consideration of Congress; but not having yet come to a conclusion desire leave to sit again.
The report of the Committee of the Whole being read:
In Committee of the Whole Jany 24. 1781.
Mr [John] Mathews in the chair.
Resolved as the opinion of this Comee.
That it be recommended to the several States as indispensibly necessary, thatthey pass laws granting to Congress, for the use of the United States, to be paid quarterly into the hands of such persons as Congress shall appoint to receive the same; and to be appropriated to the discharge the principal and interest of the debts already contracted or which may be contracted on the faith of the United States for supporting the present war, and to continue until such debts
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shall be discharged, a duty offour five per cent upon the value of all goods,as well prize goods as others, at the time and place of importation, upon all articles of foreign growth or manufactures which may be imported into any of the States from any foreign port, island or plantation after the first day of May 1781, except arms, ammunition, cloathing and other articles imported on account of the United States, or any of them, and except wool and cotton cards, and wire for making them; and also except salt during the war.
That it be further recommended to the respective legislatures to call out of circulation as soon as shall be consistent with their public faith pledged for remitting the same, all their state emissions, and not to issue any more but by advice or consent of Congress, that the paper bills in circulation flowing from one source may be readily ascertained.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Charles Thomson, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 26, folio 249. See the resolutions finally adopted February 3.]
Ordered, That the same be considered to Morrow:
Ordered, That to Morrow Congress be again resolved into a Committee of the Whole, to consider farther the reports on finance.
A letter, from Governor Livingston, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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