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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, MAY 10, 1781
A memorial of the honorable the minister of France was read:4
[Note 4: 4 A translation of this memorial, in the writing of Charles Thomson, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 37, folio 463. Another translation is printed in the Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution (Wharton), IV, 406.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Admiralty.
The committee on the letter, of May 8, from Gaml Painter;
The committee on the memorial of Udney Hay; and
The committee to whom was referred the consideration of the memorial of Udney Hay report that the said memorial be referred to the Commander in Chief with instructions to appoint a board of
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general officers to consider and determine upon the said memorial and make report to Congress.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, undated, in the writing of Artemas Ward, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, III, folio 131.]
The committee of the week on a letter, of 25 April, from M. Arbuthnot, on board the Royal Oak, off New York, delivered in their several reports; Whereupon,
The Committee on the public Depatches Report
A letter from Adml Arbuthnot complaining of the ill treatment of the British prisoners in the new Goal in Philadelphia.
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Admiralty to take order.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, in the writing of John Mathews, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 32, folio 425.]
Ordered, That the letter from Gaml Painter be referred to the Board of War;
That the memorial of Udney Hay be referred to the Commander in Chief, with instructions to appoint a board of officers to consider and determine upon the said memorial and make report to Congress;
That the letter from M. Arbuthnot be referred to the Board of Admiralty.
The Committee of Commerce delivered in a report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on Thomas Smith, commissioner of the continental loan office for the State of Pensylvania, for two hundred dollars new emission, in favour of the Committee of Commerce, to enable them to make a payment to George Redhead, who is employed by them to adjust the accounts of the former commercial committees, for which sum the committee is to be accountable.3
[Note 3: 3 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 31, folio 211.]
Resolved, That the order of the day for electing a President be postponed.
A letter, of 8, from the governor of South Carolina, was read:4
[Note 4: 4 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 72, folio 534.]
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Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three:
The members, Mr. [Thomas] Bee, Mr. [Daniel] Carroll, Mr. [Richard] Howly.
The Medical Committee, to whom was referred the memorial of Doctor William Barnet, delivered in a report; Whereupon,
The Medical Committee to whom was referred the memorial of Doctor William Barnet, beg leave to report,
That by a certificate from Dr. Thomas Bond Junr, purveyor of the hospital, herewith delivered, it appears that Dr. William Barnet in the Month of April 1776 furnished the first Jersey regiment, and the general hospital with sundry medicines amounting at that time to £148, 17.0 and also in the month of June 1780 with medicines to the amount of £3, 15.0. making in the whole £152:12.
That Dr. Barnet is willing to accept a Loan office certificate for the balance due to him, provided he is allowed interest for the same from the time he supplied the medicines; which interest at 6 pr. ct: on the amount of the supplies furnished in April 1776, being five years, amounts to £44. 12. 11 this added to the principal will make the sum due at this time £197. 4. 11 equal to 525 89/90 dollars. Upon which the following resolution is submitted:
Ordered, That the Board of Treasury cause a loan office certificate to be issued to Doctor William Barnet, Junr, for five hundred and twenty-five dollars and eighty-nine-ninetieths specie value, in full of his account for medicines furnished the first Jersey regiment and general hospital at different times.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, I, folio 469.]
Motion was made by Mr. [James] Madison, seconded by Mr. [Daniel] Carroll, for drawing warrants in favour of the paymaster general on the loan officers of the States of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia, to enable him to pay the lines of the said States respectively part of the arrears due to them:
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three:
The members, Mr. [Theodorick] Bland, Mr. [Daniel] Carroll, Mr. [Nicholas] Van Dyke.
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A report from the Board of War was read; Whereupon,
War Office May 9, 1781
Sir,
The Board find on conversing with Mr. Pierce the Paymaster General that any warrant drawn on him for the western troops will have no operation for want of money and therefore we submit to Congress the propriety of directing,
Ordered, That Thomas Smith, commissioner of the continental loan office for the State of Pensylvania, pay on account of the warrants drawn upon him in favour of the paymaster general twenty-five thousand dollars in bills of the new emissions, in preference to all other warrants not specially directed;
Of this sum nineteen thousand and twenty-four dollars are appropriated for the western army and the rest is pressingly requisite to pay a number of prisoners and others whose cases are extremely distressing.
And whereas, part of the western army is composed of troops from the State of Virginia and provision was made for payment of these troops by warrants drawn on the Southern States, Ordered,
That all the money paid to the Virginia troops at Fort Pitt, out of the sums received from the commissioner of the loan office for the State of Pensylvania, be replaced out of the sums he may receive from the commissioner of the loan office for the State of Virginia.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, V, folios 121, 122.]
A letter, of 9, and a report from the Board of War on the memorial of Lieutenant Bar, were read.
War Office, May 9. 1781
Sir,
The Board have been honored with a reference from Congress of the memorial of Capt: Barr. This Gentleman represents that he was left out of the arrangement by mistake, and that he never consented to retire, which he can verify if he had an opportunity of going to headquarters, which from his want of money he cannot accomplish. We think his case a very hard one, as are also the cases of all the gentlemen who have retired. But we cannot undertake
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to recommend a warrant in his favor unless Congress will give us authority to draw warrants in favor of all the retiring officers in part of their pay. If Congress can distinguish between his situation and that of other retiring officers, or if they will please to direct warrants for three months pay to be drawn in favor of all the retiring officers, we shall be happy to comply with their directions.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, V, folio 113. It was ordered to lie on the table, as the indorsement shows.]
The committee to whom was referred the motion of Mr. M[eriwether] Smith delivered in a report, which was read, and, a question being taken on the first paragraph, passed in the negative; whereupon the report was set aside.
The Committee to whom was referred the motion of Mr M. Smith
Report,
Whereas the period assigned for bringing in and destroying the Bills of credit, emitted prior to the 18th. of March 1781, has expired with the month of April last
Resolved, that from and after the first day of July next, the said Bills be not received in discharge of any tax, debt or contract, or be current in any of the United States.
But inasmuch, as some of the States have been prevented by the operations of the War from passing acts agreeably to the recommendations of Congress of the 18th. of March, and therefore the quotas of the said States, remain unredeemed,
Resolved, that a further time of three months from the said first of July, be allowed to the inhabitants of the said States, to bring in and exchange their quota of the said Bills at such place as their Delegates in Congress may appoint for that purpose.
That the term of one year from the said first day of July be allowed to such persons either of the States last above mentioned, or others who may be in the power of the Enemy, or absent on or beyond seas, to exchange any of the said Bills which may be in their possession at any place appointed as aforesaid, so that the whole of the said Bills may be redeemed and cancelled.
The Committee beg leave for further time to consider of and report on the other several matters referred to them.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, in the writing of Daniel Carroll, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 26, folio 257.]
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The committee on the motion of Mr. [James] Madison respecting the Court of Appeals reported an ordinance, which was read a first time:
Ordered, That it be read a second time to Morrow.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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