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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 --THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 1781
A letter, of December 8, from John Boreman; and
A letter, of November 29, from Doctor Forster to the Medical Committee, were read:3
[Note 3: 3 Boreman's letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, IV, folio 61; Foster's is in No. 78, IX, folio 491.]
A report from the Board of War was read; Whereupon,
At a Board of WarJany. 3rd. 1781
Present
Mr Peters, Genl Ward, Genl Cornell
The Board beg leave to inform Congress that they have for some time past been in the practice of drawing warrants on the Paymaster
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General in favor of officers who chance to be in the city, and as the Board find by experience, that this practice is the source of a variety of evils, they submit the following report.
Ordered, That the Board of War draw no warrants on the paymaster general, except for the invalid regiment, and the regiments of artificers in the department of the commissary general of military stores, until the farther order of Congress.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, VI, folio 35.]
The committee to whom was referred the memorial of Peter January delivered in a report; Whereupon,
The Committee to whom was referred the Memorial of Peter January beg leave to report
That they have received full satisfaction as to the character of Mr January and his attachment to the cause of America, as also to the truth of the facts set forth in his Petition and therefore propose the following Resolution.
Resolved, That a passport be given to Peter January to enable him to go toGreat Britain or Ireland and to bring his property from thence to America, he finding security to engage in no trade further than what is necessary to the transportation of his property now in that kingdom.2
[Note 2: 2 This resolution was also entered in the manuscript Secret (Domestic) Journal. The report, in the writing of Theodorick Bland, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, III, folio 279.]
The committee on the letter from James McCombe delivered in a report, which, being read, was re-committed.
The Committee to whom was referred the letter of James McComb Clothier of the State of New Jersey, report the following resolution.
That the Treasury Board be directed to draw bills onin favor of said James McComb to the amount of twelve hundred pounds
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sterling atdays sight for which the State of New Jersey is to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Jesse Root, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, IV, folio 11. Another draft of the report, also in the writing of Jesse Root, undated, is in No. 36, IV, folio 497, as follows:
The Committee to whom was referred the letter of James McComb Clothier of the State of New Jersey Report That they have considered said letter--find that the line of the army belonging to that State are in distress for want of Cloathing and that the agent of said State Labors under particular difficulties in procuring the same immediatly; thereupon submit the following resolutions vizt.
That the Board of Treasury deliver to the Board of War Bills of Exchange on Dr Franklin to the amount of twelve hundred pounds sterling to be applied to the purchasing of Clothing for this use and that the Board of War deliver to the said James McComb Clothing for the use of said State to the amount of the aforesaid sum as soon as the same be procured upon his paying for them to the Board of War.]
A report from the Board of War was read; Whereupon,
At a Board of WarJany. 4th. 1781
Present
Mr Peters Genl. Ward Genl. Cornell
The Board having received an application from Cornet Braymans praying leave to resign his commission and requesting a sum of money to enable him to return to France and it appearing that he has a balance due him of three hundred dollars of the new emissions for his pay and depreciation, the Board beg leave to report,
Ordered, That the resignation of Cornet Braymans, of Colonel Armand's corps, be accepted: that the Board of Treasury report a warrant in favour of Cornet Braymans, for three hundred dollars, of the new emissions, in full for his pay, depreciation, and every other claim he may have against the United States as an officer.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, VI, folio 39.]
Congress took into consideration the report of the Committee on the Post Office; Whereupon,
The Committee on the Post Office to whom was referred the letter [from] Mr. Bache, postmaster general, of the 16th inst. beg leave to submit the following resolution:
Resolved, That so much of the act of the 12th of December last, for regulating the Post Office, as directs "that for the future the pay of post-riders be double the sum they received
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before the present war," be suspended until further order of Congress.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 61, folio 485. It was delivered December 22, 1780, as the indorsement shows.]
Congress took into consideration the report of the committee on the petition of M. M'Connell, &c. and others, under similar circumstances, wherein it is represented,
The Committee to whom was referred the petition of McConnel Taggart, &c, with other cases under similar circumstances, Report--
That the resolution of the 25th. of Feby. last referred to in the resolution of the 26th of August last respects only the prices at which the several States should be credited for the specific supplies exclusive of the cost of transportation--and doth not with Justice apply to individuals in all cases--
That the petitioners, in the summer past, had, in the vicinity of the army near West Point, a quantity of rum, &c. which they had transported thither at their own expence from a considerable distance; that by order of the commanding officer at West Point, some of the rum, &c. was received upon special contract, and some was taken without any particular contract, for the use of the garrison; that the price agreed for is no more than the current price at that time in that place, and not greatly exceeding the price fixed by the resolution of the 25 February, after deducting the charges of transportation: that cases such as these, being singularly circumstanced, ought not to be confined to the rule prescribed in the resolution of the 26 August: Whereupon,
Resolved, That the cases above referred to, and others under similar circumstances, where supplies have been furnished by individuals for the use of the army, upon particular contracts, be settled and paid agreeably to such contracts, making good the depreciation; and that where such supplies are taken without any particular contract, they be settled
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and paid according to their just value, to be estimated by the current price of such articles at the time and place, when and where taken, with the depreciation, to be calculated in both cases by the rules established for that purpose.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Jesse Root, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, IV, folio 13. A copy of the report from the Journal is in No. 42, VII, folio 414.]
The committee appointed to confer with the managers of the Bank laid before Congress "An Account of the first payment received on the loan subscription":2
[Note 2: 2 This account is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 34, folio 297.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury to devise ways and means of repaying the same to the managers of the bank.
A letter from Abraham Skinner, with sundry papers, was read:3
[Note 3: 3 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 53, folio 149.]
Ordered, That the same be referred to a committee of three.
The members, Mr. [John] Sullivan, Mr. [Abraham] Clark, Mr. [William] Sharpe.
A report from the Board of War was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, That fifty thousand dollars of the old emissions be furnished to Colonel Miles, Deputy Quartermaster for the State of Pennsylvania, for the purpose of supplying Captain Brown, of Harrison's regiment of artillery, with monies to bear the extra expences of a number of waggons under his charge on their way to the southern army.4
[Note 4: 4 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, VI, folio 31.
A remonstrance of the Legislative Council and General Assembly of New Jersey, of January 3, against the sale of lands by Virginia was presented on this or an approximate date. it is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 68, folio 565.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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