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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 --MONDAY, APRIL 2, 1781
A letter, of 24 March, from General Washington, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War.
A letter, of 26 March, from Major General the Marquis de la Fayette, was read.1
[Note 1: 1 Washington's letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, X, folio 23; Lafayette's is in No. 156, folio 117.]
A letter, of 31 March, from the Board of War, was read:2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 148, I, folio 349.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury, to report immediately.
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Ordered, That a member be added to the committee on the letter, of March 16, 1780, from Doctor Franklin, respecting Captain Hutchins, in the room of Mr. [Alexander] McDougall:
The member, Mr. [James] Duane.
The report of the committee, ∥consisting of Mr. Sullivan, Mr. McKean and Mr. Houston,∥ on the letter, of 19 March, from the governor of New York, was taken into consideration; Whereupon,
Resolved, That the two regiments of militia proposed to be embodied in the State of New York, to serve till the first day of December next, as mentioned in Governor Clinton's letter of the 19 of March last, be paid and subsisted while in service, at the general expence, on the same terms as the troops on the continental establishment:
That the two regiments of infantry proposed to be raised in the said State to serve for three years, as mentioned in the aforesaid letter, be paid, subsisted and clothed while in service, at the general expence, on the same terms as the troops on the continental establishment;
[Provided, That the two last mentioned Regiments be placed under the entire direction of the Commander in Chief in the same manner as continental troops from the other States.
Provided the said State shall first fill up their quota of troops for the continental army; and that the regiments, particularly the two last mentioned, be officered as far as may be by the reduced officers belonging to that State, and that the officers be proportioned to the number of men actually in service.]1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of William Churchill Houston, except the portion in brackets, which is in the writing of John Sullivan, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, I, folio 305.]
A report from the Board of Admiralty was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, That the Board of Admiralty fit the frigateAriel for sea, with all convenient despatch.
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A motion was made by Mr. [Thomas] Burke respecting some French seamen on board of theAriel:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Admiralty to take order.
A report of the Board of Treasury on the letter, of 31 March, from the Board of War, was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, That two warrants issue on Thomas Smith, commissioner of the continental loan office in the State of Pensylvania, in favour of John Pierce, paymaster general, to be paid in preference of all other warrants not specially directed; to wit: one for the sum of one hundred and sixteen thousand three hundred and twenty-eight dollars of the old emissions; and one for twenty-eight thousand seven hundred and thirty-one dollars of the new emission.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, V, folio 215.]
Another report from the Board of Treasury was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, That on the application of Mr. [Isaac] Motte, one of the delegates for the State of South Carolina, a warrant issue in his favour on Thomas Smith, commissioner aforesaid, for twenty-five thousand dollars of the old emissions, for which the State of South Carolina is to be accountable.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, V, folio 217.]
On motion of Mr. [John] Sullivan, seconded by Mr. [Samuel] Adams:
Ordered, That a committee of three be appointed to examine into the issues of the respective departments in the army, compare them with the proper returns, and report to Congress such irregularities and abuses as may have taken place, and the proper measures to be adopted for preventing the like in future:
The members, Mr. [John] Sullivan, Mr. [James Mitchell] Varnum, Mr. [Jesse] Root.
The committee on the letter, of 15 September last, from Major General A. McDougall;
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The Committee to whom were referred the Letters from Major General McDougal of the 15th of Sept. and the 25th of Octor. last beg leave to report,
That the account of General McDougal mentioned in his said Letters, appears to have been expenses incurred by him in attending Congress with a memorial from the General officers principally respecting their own emoluments, for which reason your committee cannot discover any good cause for allowing this charge more than the expenses of other applicants attending numberless memorials and applications to Congress, the payment of which in their Opinion cannot be warranted upon any just principle.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Abraham Clark, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, IV, folio 21. It is indorsed: "August 24, 1781. Not to be acted upon."]
The committee on the letter, of 12 March, from C. Pettit;
The committee to whom were referred the letter, of December 2, from the honble Doctor Franklin and the memorial from the honble the minister plenipotentiary of France;
The committee to whom was committed the report of committee on the letter, of 25 August, from F. Hopkinson, together with the letters and papers from E. Forman and J. Gibson; and
The Committee of Commerce, to whom was referred the memorial of J. Henderson in behalf of O. Pollock; delivered in their several reports.
The commercial Committee to whom was referred the memorial of John Henderson of the -- day of -- in behalf of Oliver Pollock Agent of the United States at New Orleans report as follows:
That the first Claim set forth in the said memorial being for the amount of monies advanced by Mr. Pollock (and not included in his account lately settled) for the transportation and march of a party of soldiers from New Orleans to the country of the Illinois not being accompanied by any vouchers the settlement thereof ought properly to be postponed until the vouchers are transmitted.
That the second claim being for interest on Mr. Pollock's advances for the United States from the dates of such advances, the Committee refer it to Congress, snbmitting the following resolution in case Congress should think the demand of Interest just and reasonable,
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Resolved, That the Board of Treasury pass to the credit of Oliver Pollock Continental agent at New Orleans the Sum of five thousand three hundred thirty eight dollars and three fourths of a dollar specie value, an allowance to him of Interest on his advances to the United States as appears by his account lately liquidated.
That the third claim therein being the amount of Mr. Henderson's expences incurred since he has been soliciting the settlement of Mr. Pollock's account, they submit to Congress together with the following Resolution in the event that claims of this nature shall be thought by Congress just and reasonable.
Resolved, That the board of Treasury pass to the further Credit of Oliver Pollock the sum of -- in specie value being an allowance to him for the expence incurred by his Agent John Henderson on his voyage here and whilst employed here in soliciting a settlement of said Pollock's accounts with Congress.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 50, folio 311.]
War OfficeApril 2nd. 1781
Sir.
Upon the receipt of a letter from his Excellency the Commander in Chief we think it our duty to enclose to Congress for their information an extract thereof. And beg leave to observe there is at this time no Cleathier General and in our opinion an immediate appointment is absolutely necessary. At the same time we wish to leave the propriety of a new choice to Congress.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, VI, folio 363. It was read on this day as the indorsement indicates.
The following report from the Board of Admiralty is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 37, folio 401, and was read on this day, as the indorsement shows:
The Board beg leave to inform the United States in Congress assembled, that yesterday morning they received a Billet from Captain John P. Jones of which the enclosed is a Copy.
The Board not being officially informed respecting the terms on which theAriel was sent to America, or by whose directions the future destination of said ship is to be determined, they wish to receive the sense of Congress on this subject and also, their orders respecting the Frenchmen on board that ship.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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