| 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 --MONDAY, JANUARY 1, 1781
A letter, of December 20, from General Washington, was read:1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, IX, folio 405. It is printed in TheWritings of Washington (Ford), IX, 68.]
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three:
The members, Mr. [John] Sullivan, Mr. [James Mitchell] Varnum, Mr. [Theodorick] Bland.
The delegates for Virginia laid before Congress a letter, of 28, from Colonels Mathews and Febiger, which was read; Whereupon,2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XVI, folio 109.]
On motion of Mr. [James] Madison, seconded by Mr. [John] Sullivan,
Resolved, That in the new arrangement of the army it is the sense of Congress, that the officers of the continental lines, who have been exchanged since the said arrangement, or are now in captivity, ought to be considered and arranged according to their respective ranks, in the same manner with those who have not been prisoners.3
[Note 3: 3 A copy of this resolution, as an extract from the minutes, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, II, folio 174.]
A letter, of 23 December, from the Board of War, was read:4
[Note 4: 4 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 148, I, folio 265.]
Ordered, That it be referred back to the Board of War.
A letter, of 27 December, from General Washington, and a letter offrom the president of the State of New-hampshire, were read.5
[Note 5: 5 Washington's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, IX, folio 421; the New Hampshire letter, dated December 19, 1780, is in No. 64, folio 162.]
Page 2 | Page image
The report of the committee on Mr. J. Adams' letter of 23 August, was called for, and, after debate,
Ordered, That it be recommitted.
A motion was then made by Mr. [James] Madison, seconded by Mr. [Thomas] Bee,
That so much of the letter from Mr. Adams as relates to the probable operations of the enemy against the southern states be transmitted to the Commander in Chief; and that he be informed that it is the desire of Congress that he should immediately make such a distribution of the forces under his command, including those of our allies under the Count de Rochambeau as will most effectually counteract the views of the enemy and support the southern states.
A motion was made by Mr. [William] Sharpe, seconded by Mr. [James Mitchell] Varnum, to strike out the latter clause from the word "chief" to the end, and on the question, shall those words stand, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Richard] Howly,
{table}
So it passed in the negative, and the words were struck out.
It was then moved by Mr. [Thomas] Burke, seconded by Mr. [William] Sharpe, to insert, in lieu of the words struck out;
Page 3 | Page image
"And that he be desired to give his opinion to Congress on the expediency of ordering the forces of his Most Christian Majesty, now at Newport in Rhode Island, to take post in Virginia."
Which was agreed to, and on the question,
Ordered, That so much of the letter from Mr. Adams as relates to the probable operations of the enemy against the southern states be transmitted to the Commander in Chief, and that he be desired to give his opinion to Congress on the expediency of ordering the forces of his Most Christian Majesty, now at Newport in Rhode Island, to take post in Virginia.1
[Note 1: 1 All of the proceedings for this day on the letter of Mr. Adams were also entered in the manuscript Secret (Domestic) Journal.]
A motion was made by Mr. [John] Sullivan, seconded by Mr. [James Mitchell] Varnum,
That Lieutenant Colonel William Smith be continued as sub-inspector with his present rank in the army of the United States, to be employed as the Commander in Chief shall direct;
On which, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Theodorick] Bland,
{table}
So it was resolved in the affirmative.
Page 4 | Page image
The committee on the Memorial of W. Peck, and
The Committee to whom the Memorial of Col William Peck was referred, beg leave to Report, That there is a Balance due to the said Peck of three thousand five hundred and thirty three dollars and nineteen ninetieths of a dollar, in specie, being the balance for his pay and subsistence while in the service of the United States. Your Committee therefore submit the following Resolution, Viz.--
Resolved, that a warrant issue on Mr Wm Imlay Loan Officer in the State of Connecticut, in favor of Col William Peck for three thousand five hundred and thirty three dollars and nineteen ninetieths of a dollar in bills of the new emission, or other Money equivalent, in full for the balance of his Accounts.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of James Mitchell Varnum, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, V. 63. It was set aside January 8.]
The committee appointed to prepare a letter of credence for the hon. J. A[dams] delivered in their several reports.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
PREVIOUS SECTION .. NEXT SECTION .. NAVIGATOR
| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |