| 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 --THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1781
A letter, of 31 January, from Doctor Gould, was read:2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, X, folio 285.]
On motion of the medical committee,
Resolved, That the purveyor of the hospital be, and hereby is empowered and directed to collect, or cause to be collected and secured under his care, until properly issued, all public hospital stores and medicines in Virginia, late under the direction of Dr. Rickman, or others acting under the United States, and all persons in possession of such public stores or medicines, are hereby required to deliver the same to the said purveyor, or his order, upon demand.
Page 104 | Page image
That the medical committee be authorized during the absence of the director to direct a number of the hospital physicians and mates to repair immediately to Virginia and take the charge of the hospitals in that state1
[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of Abraham Clark, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, I, folio 121.]
A motion was made by Mr. [Theodorick] Bland, seconded by [Mr. George] Walton, respecting the hospitals for the southern army:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Medical Committee.
Ordered, That Mr. [Alexander] McDougall be added to the committee on the letter, of 20 December, from General Washington.
A report from the Board of War was read: Whereupon, Congress came to the following resolution:
At a Board of WarJany. 31st. 1781
Mr Peters
Genl. Cornell
The Board having taken into consideration the very great and unnecessary expence arising to the public from the abuse of the practice of sending officers on Command, beg leave to report:
Whereas, by the late arrangement of the army, there is a supernumerary officer allowed to each regiment, to reside in the State to which such regiment belongs, for the purpose of transacting all necessary business for the regiment; therefore,
Resolved, That the resolution of the 4th of September, 1778, allowing officers three dollars a day for expences on business not incidental to their offices, be, and is hereby repealed, from and after the first day of March next;
And that copies hereof be transmitted to the Commander in Chief and the commanding officer of the Southern army2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, VI, folio 115.]
Mr. [Artemas] Ward laid before Congress an account of the select men of Springfield and West Springfield against the United States:
Page 105 | Page image
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A letter, of this day, from the president of the supreme executive council of the State of Pensylvania, was read, requesting that a committee may be appointed to meet and confer with the said council:1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 69, II, folio 327.]
Ordered, That a committee of three be appointed for the purpose above mentioned.
The members, Mr. [John] Witherspoon, Mr. [Oliver] Wolcott, Mr. [Thomas] McKean.
Congress took into consideration the report of the Committee of the Whole, and the first resolution being read, "that it be recommended to the several states as indispensably necessary, that they pass laws, granting to Congress, for the use of the United States, &c. a duty of five per cent. on goods, &c. imported," &c.
A motion was made by Mr. [Thomas] Burke, seconded by Mr. [John] Mathews, to strike out the words "pass laws granting to," and in lieu thereof, insert "vest a power in," and after the word "Congress," to insert the words "to levy;" and on the question, shall the words moved to be struck out stand? the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Thomas] Burke:
{table}
Page 106 | Page image
So the states were equally divided, and the words were struck out.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
PREVIOUS SECTION .. NEXT SECTION .. NAVIGATOR
| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |