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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 --WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 1781
A letter, of this day, from Doctor William Shippen, director general of the hospital, was read, requesting leave to resign:2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XXI, folio 1.]
Ordered, That his resignation be accepted.
Two papers, signed Patrick Garvey, were laid before Congress and read:
Ordered, That the same be referred to the Medical Committee.
A letter, of this day, from the honble J. Laurens, was read.
A letter, of 2, from A. Lee, was read:3
[Note 3: 3 Laurens' letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 165, folio 37; it is printed in theDiplomatic Correspondence of the Revolution (Wharton) IV, 225. Lee's letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XIV, folio 401.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
The delegates of Virginia laid before Congress a memorial to them from Major C. Holmer:4
[Note 4: 4 This memorial is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, IV, folio 153.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury to take order.
A letter from James McComb was read:5
[Note 5: 5 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XVI, folio 117.]
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of five.
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The members, Mr. [Samuel] Adams, Mr. [Jesse] Root, Mr. [John] Witherspoon, Mr. [Thomas] McKean, Mr. [George] Clymer.
Ordered, That the committee on the letter, of October 30, from the Board of War, be discharged, and that the said letter, with the papers enclosed, be referred to the Board of War.
Ordered, That a member be added to the committee on the letter, of November 19, from Major General Greene, in the room of Mr. [Ezekiel] Cornell.
The member, Mr. [Artemas] Ward.
A letter and memorial, from John Ross, were read, with a copy of his account against the United States:1
[Note 1: 1 This letter and memorial are in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, VIII, folios 280 and 284.]
Ordered, That the same be referred to the Board of Treasury to liquidate the account and devise ways and means for paying the balance due to him.
A report from the Board of Treasury was read:
Ordered, That on the application of Mr. [William] Few, a delegate for the State of Georgia, a warrant issue in his favour ont 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.
The Board having taken into consideration the Memorial of Henry Geiger of the 20th of December 1780 (referred to them by Congress) beg leave to report:
That the Memorialist appears to be in the same situation with numbers of others, who furnished supplies to General Lincoln for the Southern Army, in payment of which they received his draughts on the President of Congress.
That the State of the Treasury is such at present as not to admit of the payment of these drafts in money.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, V, folio 3.]
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The Board of War, to whom was referred the letter of October 13 from Brigadier J. Reed, delivered in a report; Whereupon,
Resolved, That for the future, Brigadier General James Reed receive the emoluments of officers retiring from service by virtue of the resolutions of Congress on that subject; and that it be recommended to the executive of the State of New Hampshire to make up to him the depreciation of his pay from the time of his appointment to this day; and to pay him in future, on account of the United States, the sum he is entitled to receive, from time to time, by virtue of the said resolutions.1
[Note 1: 1 A copy of this resolve is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XXI, folio 125. The Board of War's report, dated January 2, is in No. 147, VI, folio 29.]
Congress took into consideration the draft of the letter of credence for the honble J. Adams, which was agreed to.
The committee appointed to prepare letters of credence to the honourable J. Adams reported drafts which were agreed to as follows:2
[Note 2: 2 This report is entered only in the manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs. A copy of the first letter in Thomson's hand, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, I, folio 17, and of the one to the Prince of Orange in No. 25, I, folio 267. The letter to the Prince of Orange is printed in theDiplomatic Correspondence of the Revolution (Wharton) IV, 225.]
To their High Mightinesses the States General of the United Netherlands.
HIGH AND MIGHTY LORDS,
The United States of North America in Congress assembled, impressed with a high sense of the wisdom and magnanimity of your High Mightinesses, and of your inviolable attachments to the rights and liberties of mankind, and being desirous of cultivating the friendship of a nation eminent for its wisdom, justice and moderation, have appointed the honourable John Adams, late a delegate in Congress from the State of Massachusetts, and a member of the council of that State, to be their minister plenipotentiary to reside
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near you, that he may give you more particular assurances of the great respect they entertain for your High Mightinesses. We beseech your High Mightinesses to give entire credit to every thing which our said minister shall deliver on our part, especially when he shall assure you of the sincerity of our friendship and regard. We pray God to keep your High Mightinesses in his holy protection.
Done at Philadelphia, this third day of January, in the year of our Lord, 1781, and in the fifth year of our Independence. By the United States of America. Your Friends,
S. Huntington,President.
Attest
Ch. Thomson,Sec'y.1
[Note 1: 1 A draft of this letter, in the writing of Jesse Root, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, I, folio 9, and is as follows:
High and Mighty Lords:
The thirteen united States of North America in Congress assembled impressed with a high sense of the Wisdom and magnanimity of your high Mightinesses and of your inviolable attachment to the rights and liberties of mankind--and willing to testify our approbation of the regulations adopted by your high Mightinesses for protecting the freedom of Commerce and the Rights of nations--Have appointed the Honble. John Adams Esqr late a Delegate in Congress from the State of Massachusetts bay and a member of the Council of said State, our minister plenipotentiary at your Court that he may give more particular assurances of the great respect which we entertain for your high Mightinesses and of our earnest desire to cultivate friendship and to enter into a treaty of Commerce with a power eminent for its wisdom justice and moderation on terms of equality and reciprocity--
We beseech your H. M. to give entire credit to everything which our said Minister shall deliver on our part especially when he shall assure you of the sincerity of our friendship.
We pray God to keep your H. M. in his holy protection
Done by the 13 united States of North America assembled in Congress at Philadelphia theDay of]
To His Most Serene Highness the Prince of Orange.
HIGH AND SERENE PRINCE,
The United States of America in Congress assembled, impressed with a deep sense of your wisdom and magnanimity, and being desirous of cultivating the
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friendship of your Highness, and of the seven United Provinces of the Netherlands, who have ever distinguished themselves by an inviolable attachment to freedom and the rights of nations, have appointed the honourable John Adams, late a delegate in Congress from the State of Massachusetts, and a member of the council of that State, to be their minister plenipotentiary at your Court, that he may give you more particular assurances of the great respect they entertain for your Highness and for the people over whom you preside as Stadtholder. We beseech your Highness to give entire credit to every thing which our said minister shall deliver on our part, especially when he shall assure you of the sincerity of our friendship and regard. We pray God to keep your Highness in his holy protection.
Done at Philadelphia, &c.
Congress took into consideration the report of the committee on the petition from Thomas Lee and John Coffin Jones; and thereupon,
The Committee appointed to consider the petition of Thomas Lee and John Coffin Jones Report,
That it appears to your Committee that on the 13th day of January 1780, Messrs. Otis and Henley Agent Clothiers, under the Board of War, made a certain contract with the said Lee and Jones for a quantity of Clothing for the army. That the Board of War upon being informed thereof, declined confirming the Contract only from an apprehension that they should not be able to make payment; but advised that the matter should be laid before Congress. That Congress considered the same in--last and adopted the contract and ordered payment to be made accordingly. That the Contract has afforded a large supply of clothing for the army this winter. The time of payment has expired near six months ago. Messrs Otis and Henley became personally responsible and the Credit of Messrs. Lee and Jones as merchants is at stake.
Your Committee therefore submit the following resolution,
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Resolved, That the Board of Treasury be, and hereby are directed to draw bills of exchange in favour of the saidJoseph Carleton paymaster to the Board of War Lee and Jones, at six months sight, upon the Hon. John Adams, for the full amount of the balance, principal and interest, due on the contract made with them for a quantity of cloathing for the army, by Otis and Henly, in behalf of the United States, on the 13th January, 1780, to be delivered to the said Otis and Henly, and for which they are to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of William Floyd, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 39, III, folio 523.]
SIX O'CLOCK
Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to confer with the supreme executive of the State of Pensylvania, on the subject matter of the intelligence received this day.
The members, Mr. [John] Sullivan, Mr. [John] Witherspoon and Mr. [John] Mathews.2
[Note 2: 2 A letter of December 20, 1780, from the Governor of Massachusetts, was read on this day, according to the indorsement. It is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 65, I, folio 472.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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