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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, FEBRUARY 13, 1781
A letter, of 25 January, from the governor of Rhode Island, was read, with an act passed by the legislature of that State enclosed.
A letter and petition from Rouz & Co. were read:
Ordered, That they be referred to the committee on the petition of Oliver Bowen.
A letter, of 3, from Leonard Gansevoort, was read, signifying his acceptance of the office of commissioner of the extra chamber of accounts in the northern department.
A letter, of this day, from B. Harrison, was read:1
[Note 1: 1 The Rhode Island letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 64, folio 494; Gansevoort's letter is in No. 78, X, folio 289; Harrison's is in No. 78, XII, folio 117.]
Ordered, That a committee offive six be appointed to confer with Mr. Harrison on the subjects mentioned in the said letter.
The members, Mr. [Samuel] Adams, Mr. [Alexander] McDougall, Mr. [Joseph] Montgomery, Mr. [John] Sullivan, Mr. [James] Madison, Mr. [Thomas] Burke.
A letter, of the 10, from Thomas Nelmes, was read:2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XVII, folio 123.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury to report.
A memorial, from J. Henderson, agent of O. Pollock, was read, with sundry papers enclosed:3
[Note 3: 3 This memorial is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, IV, folio 169.]
Ordered, That the same be referred to the Committee of Commerce.
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A letter, from Baron d'Arendt, was read.1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, VII, folio 355.]
Congress took into consideration a report of the Board of War on the memorial of Baron d'Arendt; and, Thereupon,
At a Board of WarJany. 16th. 1781
Present Mr Peters Genl Ward Genl Cornell
The Board of War to whom was referred the Memorial of the Baron Arendt so far as respected his Military claims, beg leave to report to Congress.
That by Resolve of Congress of the 19th March 1777. the Baron Arendt was appointed Colonel of the German battalion in the room of Col Hausegger. That while on duty in the same year he became ruptured by art accident and so soon as he was fit to resume a command, he was ordered by Genl Washington to take charge of the garrison of Mud Island the command whereof he was obliged to leave by an injury received in the course of duty.
That on the 18th August 1778, the Baron obtained a furlough from Congress, for twelve months, to the end that he might during that time, cross the Sea for the benefit of his health.
That it appears by two letters produced to the Board from the honble William Lee to the Baron Arendt dated at Frankfort on the Maine the 3rd. and 5th. July 1779. that at the request of Mr Lee, the Baron being then on his way to America returned to the Court of Prussia to solicit Arms and Military Stores for the State of Virginia, and in one of the said letters Mr Lee agreed to "recommend it to the State of Virginia to reimburse the Baron for the expences of his journey, when he returned to America, provided that those expences did not exceed twenty five Louis d'ors".
It appears by the Baron's Memorial that he thought this request was sufficient to justify him in discontinuing his intended return to America, as he presumed Mr Lee by being a Commissioner of the United States had sufficient authority to warrant him in making the request.
Should Congress be of this opinion, they will please to resolve,
That the reasons assigned by the Baron Arendt for not returning to America before the expiration of the furlough granted him by Congress are satisfactory.
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That the Treasury Board be directed to report a Warrant for the pay and subsistence of the Baron Arendt as a ColonelNegatived in the service of the United States from the time of his last receipt of the same, to the first of January 1781.
That the Baron Arendt be informed Congress have a due sense of his merit, but that it is impracticable, consistent with the arrangements of the Army, to employ him therein, suitable to his rank and therefore that he cannot be considered as in service after the said 1st of January 1781.
Should Congress be of opinion that Mr Lee's request to the Baron to go on a private negotiation was either not intended by that gentleman to interfere with his military obligations, or was, otherwise insufficient to justify the Baron's delay, it may be proper to resolve:
That Baron Arendt be informed that Congress cannot employ him in a station suitable to his merit and rank, in the Army of the United States, consistent with the late arrangements thereof.
Ordered, That the Board of Treasury settle the account of Baron d'Arendt, charging him with twenty-five louis paid him by Doctor Franklin, and report a warrant for the balance of pay and subsistence due to him as a colonel in the service of the United States, from the time of his last receipt of the same to the time of the expiration of his furlough, after which time Congress did not consider him in service.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, VI, folio 83.]
A letter, of this day, from E. Forman and J. Gibson, was read;2 Whereupon,
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 62, folio 636.]
According to the order of the day Congress proceeded to the consideration of the papers referred to in their letter, of the 6th, and some time was spent thereon.
The committee to whom was referred the letter, from Governor Jefferson, of January 15th, and the committee on the letter of R. Patten, delivered in their respective reports.3
[Note 3: 3 This paragraph is entered by George Bond.]
The Committee to whom was referred the letter of Mr Robert Patten beg leave to submit the following Resolution:
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Resolved, That the Officers of the Continental Army described in the Act of the 1st of January last, are those who were continued in the Army by virtue of the arrangements which took place, in consequence of the resolutions of Congress of the 17th of May, and 24th of Novr 1778, and that they are respectively entitled to rank and promotion as if they had been with their Corps1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Alexander McDougall, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, V, folio 43. It is in the list of postponed reports in No. 31, folio 371.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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