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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 --SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1781
The committee to whom was referred the letter, of the 2d, from William Geddes, delivered in a report, which was read.
The Committee to whom were referred the letter of the 2d. instant from Wm. Geddes, beg leave to report the following resolution:
That the setting aside the election of William Geddes and the appointment of another person to the office of paymaster general wasfounded grounded upon reasons of expediency and propriety, and all reports circulated injurious to the character or reputation of the said William Geddes on that account arefalse and unfounded.3
[Note 3: 3 This report, in the writing of William Sharpe, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, II, folio 405. It appears in the list of postponed reports in No. 31, folio 371.]
Congress was resolved into a Committee of the Whole, to consider farther the report on finance, and after some time the President resumed the chair, and Mr. [John] Mathews reported, that the committee have considered farther the
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reports on finance, but not having come to a conclusion, desire leave to sit again.1
[Note 1: 1 The following motion, without date, in the writing of John Mathews, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, IV, folio 37:
That an eighth of a dollar p. ton, Carpenters tonnage be paid upon all vessels arriving in any port of these United States coming from foreign ports loaded with any foreign commodities or in ballast.
postpond.
The following motion, in the writing of Thomas Burke, was, the indorsement shows, postponed on this day. It is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, IV, folio 371:
Resolved, That the duties which the States are requested to empower Congress to levy by the act of the 3rd. Instant be payable in specie only--and that all imported articles prizes and prize goods be rated for the purpose of ascertaining the said duty, in specie and that it be recommended to the States to make provisions in their respective laws conformable to this resolution.
The following motion, in the writing of Henry Wynkoop, was referred to the Committee of the Whole as the indorsement shows. It is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, IV, folio 39:
Resolved, That it be recommended to the respective Legislatures to repeal all penal clauses, that may be inserted in any of their Laws enacted for the purpose of funding and redeeming the Bills of Credit emitted by the Resolutions of Congress of the 18th. of March last.
That all Taxes, Duties or Imposts which now are or heretofore have been recommended to the States since the 18th. of March last be considered as estimated in specie or the actual value thereof and that their respective Quotas and Proportions, be charged to them, by the Treasury Board accordingly.
And that it be recommended to the Legislatures to adopt such Modes and Regulations as shall best suit their respective situations and circumstances for effectually procuring the payment of all Taxes, Duties or Imposts either in specie or the actual value thereof in paper Bills of Credit.
That the Commissioners of the respective Loan offices be impowered and directed to attend particularly to the exchange between specie and the paper Bills of Credit actually existing from time to time in those States within which they respectively reside, and transmit weekly Rates thereof to the persons appointed to collect the Duties and Imposts upon goods and merchandize imported into those States to which the Loan Officers respectively belong; which rates shall be the Rule to direct the said Colectors in the receiving of all the aforesaid duties in specie or paper Bills, and shall be transmitted once in every month by the respective Loan Officers to the Treasury of the United States.
That it be recommended to the Legislatures of each State to emitt such proportion of the Bills of the 18th. of March, in Bills of such Denomination under one Dollar as shall suit their respective purposes for small change and to the Amount of such sum as they conceive the Circumstances of their respective States may require; and that they be requested without delay to transmitt such amount to the Treasury of the United States to enable that Board to prevent the Issuing of any greater quantity to each State than the amount allotted to them respectively by the Resolutions of the 18th. of March last including the sum emitted for Change as by this Resolution recommended.]
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Ordered, That on Monday next Congress be resolved into a Committee of the Whole, to consider farther the reports on finance.
The Board of War, to whom was referred the letter of Alexander Skinner, delivered in a report; Whereupon,
At a Board of WarFeby. 10th. 1781
Mr Peters
Gen Cornell
The Board having considered the letter from Doct Skinner referred to them, beg leave to lay before Congress an estimate they Countersigned on the 2nd. of Novr. last and sent to the Board of Treasury for £10,414:5:2 of the new emissions to procure the articles therein specified for the Southern Army.
As the saddles intended for Col. Lee's partizan Corps, which are indispensably necessary, were included in the estimate, and as the other articles mentioned are equally essential, the Board beg leave to report:
Ordered, That a warrant issue in favour of Chas. Pettit, assistant quartermaster, for twenty-seven thousand seven hundred and seventy-one dollars of the new emissions, to enable Colonel S. Miles to procure for the southern army the articles contained in the Board of War's estimate of 22d [2d] November last.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, VI, folio 139.]
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, in favour of Chas. Pettit aforesaid, on account of T. Pickering, quartermaster general, for five hundred thousand dollars old emissions, for the use of Colonel Carrington, deputy quartermaster for the southern army, and for which the said T. Pickering, quartermaster general, is to be accountable.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, VI, folio 97.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock on Monday.
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