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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 --FRIDAY, MARCH 30, 1781
A letter, of this day, from J. Pierce, paymaster general, was read;3 Whereupon,
[Note 3: 3 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 165, folio 597.]
A motion was made by Mr. [John] Mathews, seconded by Mr. [Isaac] Motte,
That the honorable the house of assembly of Pennsylvania be requested to appoint a committee of their body to confer with a committee of Congress, on the recommendation of Congress to the several states to amend their laws, making the bills of credit, emitted under the authority of Congress, a legal tender. That a committee of three be now appointed to attend on the said proposed conference.
On the question to agree to this, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [George] Clymer,
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So the question was lost.
A letter, of 29, from the Board of War, was read:1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 148, I, folio 335.]
Ordered, That the same, together with the letter from J. Pierce, be referred to a committee of three; and that the resolution, of 27, empowering the Board of War to draw warrants, be suspended:
The members, Mr. [James Mitchell] Varnum, Mr. [Abraham] Clark, Mr. [Nicholas] Van Dyke.
A letter, of this day, from Thomas Edison, was read:2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, VIII, folio 361.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A letter, of 29, from Wm. Geddes, was read;3 Whereupon,
[Note 3: 3 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, X, folio 315.]
Ordered, That William Geddes have leave of absence for a few weeks.
According to the order of the day, the report of the committee on the letter from Major General McDougall was taken into consideration, and the same after debate, being postponed;
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The Committee to whom was referred the Letter of Alexander Mc.Dougal dated the 9th of March 1781, beg leave to report,
That your committee, having Conferred with the said Alex: Mc.-Dougal upon the subject of his Letter; and received his Explanation thereof more fully, are of opinion, that it would be unreasonable in Congress to desire this Acceptance of the Appointment of Secretary of the Marine, if by such Acceptance he may be deprived of his command in the army and forfeit the pay and future Emoluments annexed to his Rank; as he would thereby give up a better and more permanent Support for his Family; a circumstance, considering the losses he hath sustained and the Dependence of his Family upon him, very important in its consequences.
That your committee cannot determine as to the views of Congress in appointing the said Alex: Mc.Dougal to the Office of Secretary of the Marine, if it be thought that such an appointment is incompatible with his command in the army: and therefore your committee suppose that no such Incompability exists, and that the experience and ability of the said Alex: McDougal, in the present Situation of the Marine are essentially necessary in that Department. Whereupon, your committee are of opinion that the said Alex: McDougal ought to receive the full Emoluments of the Office so long as he preforms the duties. of the Secretary of the Marine.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Meriwether Smith, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, IV, folio 19.]
A motion was made by Mr. [Thomas] Bee, seconded by Mr. [William] Sharpe:
That during the time Major General McDougall shall continue to act as Secretary of Marine, his pay and emoluments as an officer in the army shall cease; but he shall not thereby be deprived of rank or the privilege of returning to his command whenever Congress or the Commander in Chief shall think his services necessary in the field.
On the question to agree to this, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [William] Sharpe,
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So it passed in the negative.
On motion of Mr. [Thomas] Burke, seconded by Mr. [Richard] Howly,
Resolved, That the United States in Congress assembled, have a due sense of the zeal of Major General Alexander McDougall, for the safety and honour of America, and applaud his magnanimity in declining to "retire from the toils and perils of the field in the present critical condition of the United States in general, and that of New York in particular:" that they are well convinced of his wishes and disposition to render to the public every service in his power; but as Major General McDougall, for good reasons, cannot detach himself from his command in the army, and as the duties of the office of Secretary of Marine, to which he has lately been elected by Congress, may interfere with the execution of military duty, the United States in Congress assembled do not therefore expect his acceptance of that office.
War OfficeMarch 30 1781
Sir,
The Board have considered the Memorial of G Bensell and B Bankson referred to them by Congress and beg leave to observe that it is the opinion of the Board the Clerks' salaries of five hundred dollars per annum Specie paid at the real value is fully adequate: the
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clerks in the War Office neither ask or expect any more. The Commissary General of Issues did make application to the Board that they would report a warrant in his favor, and it is as true they did refuse and they have no stronger reasons to offer in justification of their conduct than will appear from the Commissary General's abstract, and the order given him by the Board copies of which are enclosed to which we beg the particular attention of Congress.
The Board do not entertain the least doubt of the Memorialists being distressed for want of pay and suppose many others in the Department may complain on the same subject with an equal degree of justice.
If after considering the foregoing facts and enclosures, notwithstanding the Board see no reason for altering their former opinion, Congress should be of opinion that partial payments ought to be made, the Board will cheerfully acquiesce in any measure they may please to order.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, VI, folio 355. It is indorsed as having been read this day.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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