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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 27, 1781
Mr. [Thomas] Rodney, a delegate for the State of Delaware, attended and took his seat in Congress.
A letter, of 10, from James Craig, chief hospital physician, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Medical Committee.
A letter, of 26, from Jon: Bryan, was read:2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, IV, folio 117.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
The Medical Committee laid before Congress an account of Doctor Francis Allison, and vouchers for pay and subsistance amounting to 11419 50/90 dollars, including 1676 35/90 dollars charged for expences, with the following report:
That the said account be referred to the Board of Treasury to report a draught for payment of the same, except the 1676 35/90 dollars charged for expences, which the committee are not satisfied ought to be paid; and also to report a draught for the amount of cloathing stated in the report to be due to him, at the reduced prices for the years 1779 and 1780.
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Resolved, That Congress agree to this report.
A letter, of 22, from C. Griffin, one of the judges of the Court of Appeals, was read;1 Whereupon,
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, X, folio 293.]
Ordered, That to Morrow be assigned for electing a third judge of the Court of Appeals.
The committee, to whom was referred the letter of 30 May, 1780, from Mens. de Sartine, delivered in a report; Whereupon,
Resolved, That Congress entertain a high sense of the distinguished bravery and military conduct of John Paul Jones, esq. captain in the navy of the United States, and particularly in his victory over the Britishfrigate ship of warSerapis, on the coast of England, which was attended with circumstances so brilliant as toinspire excite general applause and admiration:
That the minister plenipotentiary of these United States at the Court of Versailles communicate to his Most Christian Majesty the high satisfaction Congress have received from the information of Mons. de Sartine, that the conduct and gallant behaviour of Captain J. P. Jones have merited the attention and approbation of his Most Christian Majesty;and that every instance of his majesty's favour not inconsistant with those articles by which these States have confederated and which may tend to unite more closely the people of two nations already united by such strict bonds of common interest will be highly acceptable to Congress andparticularly that his Majesty's offer of adorning Captain Jones with the cross of military merit, (is highly acceptable to Congress.)2
[Note 2: 2 This report, in the writing of William Sharpe, except the part in parenthesis which is in Samuel Huntington's hand, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, II, folio 297.]
A report from the Board of Treasury was read; Whereupon,
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Ordered, That on the application of Mr. [William] Few, a delegate for the State of Georgia, a warrant issue in his favour on Thomas Smith, commissioner of the continental loan office for the State of Pensylvania, for fifteen thousand dollars old emissions, for which the said State of Georgia is to be accountable;1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, V, folio 137.]
That a warrant issue on Thomas Smith, commissioner aforesaid, in favour of John Pierce, paymaster general, for one thousand and eighty-six dollars and 60/90 of a dollar in the bills of credit emitted pursuant to the act of the 18 of March last, to enable him to discharge the balance of the account of the Baron d'Arendt for his pay and subsistance as colonel of the late German battalion in the service of the United States from the 19 of September, 1778, to the 19 September, 1779, commencing from his last payment and departure from America to the expiration of his furlough, and for which sum of 1086 60/90 dollars aforesaid the said John Pierce, paymaster general, is to be accountable;
Treasury Office,February 20th, 1781.
In Execution of the order of Congress of the 14th instant upon Mr. Ross's Memorial "to devise ways and means for payment of his account" the Board beg leave to report,
That they have carefully looked into the State of the public Funds with a view to point out a mode for paying Mr. Ross's account, the most convenient to the Publick and acceptable to him whom they have consulted; but they have not been able to devise any that is unattended with Embarrassment.
Considering the great number of bills of Exchange which have been drawn on the Minister of the United States in France, it was thought most eligible to propose payment in the public Tobacco in Virginia and Maryland, but Mr. Ross declined it alledging that it was totally inconvenient.
The Board would have offered payment in the Bills of the New Emission had they not been advised that Congress intended the first Proceeds of that Fund for the use of the army. No other mode of
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Payment therefore can be devised by the Board but drawing Bills of Exchange uponand Mr. Ross having informed the Board that his Necessities require that he should have Bills at Short Sight for one half his Demand and is willing to take Bills at a longer Sight for the Remainder.
The Board are therefore of Opinion,
That Bills of Exchange be drawn onfor the sum ofsterling--half thereof atDays Sight and the Residue at Months Sight in full discharge of his Account for Supplies furnished the United States from France and the Interest thereon arising (including two Months allowed for Presentation for Acceptance.)
The Board of Treasury on considering the Letter from the Board of War of the 15 instant to Congress and referred to this Board with Directions to "devise Ways and Means for furnishing the Money mentioned in the Estimate and report" beg leave to propose it (as their Opinion) in the present exhausted State of the Treasury,
That the Commercial Committee be directed to make Sale of as much of the Public Tobacco collected by the States of Virginia and Maryland as will be sufficient to raise the Sum of 116,010 dollars of the New Emissions, to be paid into the Hands of the Quarter Master General and Commissary General of Military Stores for the Purpose of purchasing the Articles mentioned in the said Estimate.
At the same Time the Board inform Congress that by Returns from John Hopkins, Commissioner of the Continental Loan Office in Virginia, dated the 31st of December last, it appears that the sum of 423,412 dollars and 47/90 of a dollar of the Bills of the old Emission and 5400 dollars of the New were in his Office.
And by Returns from Nicholas Gilman, Commissioner of the Loan Office for the State of New Hampshire, dated the 2d day of December last, it appears the Sum of 50,907 dollars and 50/90 of a dollar of the old Emissions were in his Office.
The Board having considered the Letter from the Board of War of the 19 instant inclosing an Estimate of the Sum Necessary for the Repair of the Arms and Cartouch Boxes of the Pennsylvania Line beg leave to report
That a warrant issue on Thomas Smith, commissioner aforesaid, in favour of Colonel Benjamin Flower, commissary general of military stores, for two thousand two hundred and
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ninety-two dollars of the new emissions, to enable him to make the necessary repairs to the arms lately belonging to the Pensylvania line, and for which sum the said Benjamin Flower, commissary, is to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, V, folio 119.]
According to the order of the day, Congress proceeded to the election of a Secretary of Marine, and, the ballots being taken, Major General Alexander McDougall was elected.
Ordered, That the election of the other secretaries be postponed.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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