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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 --SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 1781
A report from the Board of War on the letters, of 21, 24, 27 March, from Colonel Pickering, was read:
War OfficeApril 6, 1781.
Sir
We have the honor to lay before Congress the enclosed papers for their consideration on the subject of the proposed Alterations in the Systems of the Provision Departments. The whole matter is so clearly stated in these papers, that it is unnecessary for us to enlarge thereupon.
Should Congress be of opinion that the Duties of the Quarter Master General are so great as not to admit ofany further burthen the whole being thrown upon him, we conceive that it will very little interfere with the business of his department if it was directed
That the Deputy or Assistant Quarter Masters at any fixed Posts shall without any additional Salary do the duty of Commissaries of Prisoners whenever there is a Necessity therefor by the arrival of Prisoners at their Posts.
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That in all business relating to Prisoners they shall take the Direction of the Commissary General of Prisoners to whom and to the Board of War monthly returns of all prisoners under their care shall be duly transmitted. That all Commissaries of Prisoners at any fixed posts be and they are hereby discharged.
That in future the office of Assistant Quarter Master General be abolished and the Quarter Master General shall himself examine or direct his deputy at the place where Congress shall sit to receive and examine all Estimates and applications for Monies required for the use of the Department, previous to their being laid before the Board of War for their Approbation and report to Congress.
P. S. Should Congress be of opinion that the Commissary General of Purchases is unnecessary and do not choose to adopt the plan on the extensive scale it may be proper to Resolve
That the Office of Commissary General of Purchases be abolished and the duties prescribed in the Regulations for that Department devolve on and be executed by the Commissary General of Issues.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, VI, folio 409.]
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three:
The members, Mr. [Theodorick] Bland, Mr. [Artemas] Ward, Mr. [Isaac] Motte.
The committee ∥consisting of Mr. Varnum, Mr. Houston, and Mr. Mathews∥, to whom was referred the motion of Mr. [James Mitchell] Varnum, delivered in a report; Whereupon,
The United States in Congress assembled, having taken into consideration the report of the Board of Admiralty of the 28 March last, respecting the conduct of John Paul Jones, Esq. captain in the navy, do
Resolve, That the thanks of the United States in Congress assembled, be given to Captain John Paul Jones, for the zeal, prudence, and intrepidity, with which he hath supported the honor of the American flag; for his bold and successful enterprizes to redeem from captivity the citizens of these states, who had fallen under the power of the enemy; and in general for the good conduct and eminent services by which he has added lustre to his character and to the American arms.
That the thanks of the United States in Congress assembled, be also given to the officers and men who have faithfully
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served under him from time to time, for their steady affection to the cause of their country and the bravery and perseverance they have manifested therein.
That a medal of Gold emblematical of the victory obtained over the British ship of war theSerapis be presented to Captain John Paul Jones, and that the Board of Admiralty take order therein.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of William Churchill Houston, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, I, folio 155. The last paragraph is marked "negatived." At the end of the report is written by some one not on the committee: "God send it to be true."]
On motion of Mr. [Abraham] Clark, seconded by Mr. [John] Sullivan,
Resolved, That the commissioners of the continental loan offices in the several states be, and they are hereby, directed to exchange with the treasurers of their respective States, all such bills of credit of the old emissions as now are or may come into their hands, by the sale of bills of exchange or on loan for bills of credit of the new emissions issued in the same State, in order that the said bills of the old emissions may be drawn out of circulation as soon as possible.
A report from the Board of War was read; Whereupon,
War OfficeMarch 29, 1781
Sir
The Board have considered the reference of the Memorial of Major Tudor and deem his account just. There are great numbers of officers in his situation having old recruiting accounts and advances made by them to settle. If Congress deem it proper that these accounts should be paid at this time they will direct it to be done, but probably the best method will be, as the finances will not admit of payment of the whole, to direct the Auditor of the army to settle the accounts according to the Table of Depretiation and give certificates of such settlements which will entitle the Officers possessing them to payment when the public are enabled to make it. If this should be agreeable to the opinion of Congress, it will be proper to resolve,
Ordered, That the auditors of the army settle all accounts for monies heretofore advanced by officers out of their private funds for their regiments or companies, and which are now
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due agreeable to the scale of depreciation established by the Treasury Board, and give certificates in specie of the sums due, that the officers entitled thereto may receive the same when the state of the public finances will admit of payment thereof: provided that no charges be allowed by the said auditors, but for such pay or articles as the soldiers were entitled to receive by resolutions of Congress, and which were not supplied by the United States, or the State to which they respectively belonged.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, V, folio 1.]
A motion was made by Mr. [Samuel] Adams, seconded by Mr. [Theodorick] Bland,
That the Board of Admiralty be directed to enquire into and report to Congress, the cause of the detention of the prize-money due to the seamen in the service of the United States in Europe and America.
On the question to agree to this, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Samuel] Adams,
{table}
So it was resolved in the affirmative.
A report from the Board of Treasury was read; Whereupon,
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Treasury OfficeApril 12th. 1781
The Board of Treasury, to whom was referred on the 7th. inst a letter from Brigadier General Morgan dated the 24th. ultimo requesting payment for a quantity of corn furnished Col Archibald Steel late Dy. quarter master general to the Southward as appears by his Certificates therein enclosed at the request of General Gates, have considered the same, and are of opinion that as the General furnished the Corn for the public service at a time when public credit rendered it difficult to procure supplies of that kind for the service he ought to receive immediate payment for the same: and Colo Pettit having applied to the Board for the sum of 96,408 dollars Virginia paper money in the hands of the Managers of the United States Lottery for the use of the quarter masters department, to be applied towards the payment of old debts due in the State of Virginia or, on current business: The Board are of opinion, that as this sum will be more than sufficient to discharge in full Genl. Morgan's demand, the residue may be applied to the most pressing purposes of the department, and therefore submit the following Resolution:
Resolved, That a warrant issue on the Managers of the United States Lottery in favor of Charles Pettit assistant quarter master general on account of Major General Greene late quarter master general for ninety six thousand four hundred and eight dollars Virginia paper money, forty-seven thousand seven hundred dollars of which he is to apply to the payment of Brigadier General Morgan's demand for the corn furnished Col Archibald Steel late Dy. Qr. Master Genl. to the Southward: and the residue to be applied to the most pressing purposes of the department, in the State of Virginia, at the discression of the assistant quarter master, for which sum of ninety six thousand four hundred and eight dollars the said Major General Greene late quarter master general is to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, V, folio 235.]
Ordered, That the following warrants issue on the managers of the United States lottery, one in favour of Charles Pettit, assistant quartermaster general, on account of Major General Greene, late quartermaster general, for twenty-four thousand dollars Virginia paper money, to be applied to the payment in part of the debt due to Brigadier General Morgan for corn furnished Archibald Steel, late deputy quartermaster to the southward; and another in favour of John Pierce, paymaster
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general, for seventy-two thousand four hundred and eight dollars like money, for the use of his department;
That on the application of George Bond, deputy secretary, a warrant issue in his favour on Thomas Smith, commissioner of the continental loan office for the State of Pensylvania, for ten thousand dollars old emissions, to defray the contingent expences of the Secretary's office, and for which sum the said George Bond is to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This paragraph is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, V, folio 239.]
That all the Quarter Masters' and Commissaries' certificates be immediately called in, and those given previous to theday oflast be liquidated, according to the value of the articles supplied at the time of their being so supplied and Loan office certificates given in lieu thereof agreeable to such liquidation, in specie; and for those given in specie subsequent to the saiddayof Loan office certificates be likewise given according to the sums specified on the face thereof.
That in payment of all taxes on account of the United States the possessor of such certificate shall be authorized and empowered, when called on for such tax to write off on the back of the said certificates the amount of his then tax to be paid, which receipt shall be attested by the collector of the said tax, and so from time to time proceed until the whole shall be thus written off when the said certificate shall be delivered up to either of the Loan offices to be cancelled.
That in future all taxes to be levied by the several States on account of the United States, be seperate and distinct from that for the support of their internal government.
That all other debts now due from the United States (except such as are owing in Europe,) be in like manner liquidated and settled, the certificates to be made payable in three years, with interest at ten pr. cent.
That the faith of the United States be solemnly pledged to appropriate from year to year so much of the monies arising from the impost granted to the U. S. as shall be necessary for the annual discharge of the interest arising on the debts so funded.
That a subscription be opened at the several Loan Offices in the U. S. for borrowing for the term of ten years the sum of five million of dollars in specie at an interest of 10 pr. ct for the payment of which Interest the remainder or so much of the produce of the aforesaid impost shall be in like manner pledged, each subscriber to receive a
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note for the whole of his subscription at the time of his subscribing, depositing at the same time one-fourth part of his subscription, and the remainder to be paid in at three different quarterly payments. Provided always, that if any subscriber shall neglect or refuse to pay in his quota of the said subscription within ten days after the same shall become due, then and in such case, the note he shall so as aforesaid have received shall be deemed null and void and he be entitled to no more than he shall have actually paid in, and receive a new note accordingly.
That for the more certain discharge of the principal so to be borrowed as aforesaid a tract of 5,000,000 of acres of the lands that have been granted to the U.S. be laid off and mortgaged to the aforesaid subscribers, with a condition therein contained to this purport, that if the U.S. shall within one month after the expiration of the aforesaid ten years pay and satisfy to the said subscribers the full principal and interest of the sums respectively due tothe said subscribers be paid and satisfied that them, then and in such case the aforesaid mortgage be cancelled; otherwise the equity of redemption be absolutely and to all intents and purposes foreclosed.
That the precious metals uncoined be received in payment of subscriptions. Gold atand silver at.1
[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of John Mathews, was offered this day according to the indorsement. It is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, I, folio 159.]
The Committee to whom was referred the letter of the Quarter Master General, beg leave to submit the following resolution:
That the certificates issued by the Commissary and Quarter Master General under the authority of Congress, to be paid in specie or other money equivalent shall be received from the States within which the same shall have been issued, towards the discharge of their respective quotas called for by the requisition of Congress of theof March last, computing the Interest due thereon to the time assigned for discharging such quota: and that certificates issued to creditors of these United States by Commissaries and Quarter Masters, previous to issuing the certificates above mentioned shall also be received towards the discharge of such quotas after the same shall be reduced to the specie value of the Articles for which the same were given, agreeable to and in the manner prescribed by a resolution of Congress of the 26th. of August last, and in all cases where the real value of the Articles for which such certificates were granted, cannot be ascertained by the rule prescribed in the last mentioned resolution: The value of such certificates in specie shall be computed and settled at the rate of depreciation established by Congress on the 28th. day of June last, for payment of loan office certificates.
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That it be earnestly recommended to the several Legislatures to take effectual measures for settling the value of, and receiving the certificates last mentioned in such manner that equal justice may be done both to the public and to individuals.
That such parts of the letter referred as relates to the issuing Commissaries, and to the Quarter Masters Department, be referred to the Board of War.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Abraham Clark, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, V, folio 161. It was delivered on this day, and is in the list of postponed reports in No. 31, folio 371--2.]
Adjourned to 10 o'clock on Monday.
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