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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 --WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 1781
A letter from his Most Christian Majesty, dated at Versailles, 10 March, 1781, was laid before Congress.
A letter, of 22, from Major General Gates, enclosing a copy of a letter, of 12, from General Washington, was read.3
[Note 3: 3 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 154, II, folio 357.]
The report of the committee on the motion of Mr. [Theodorick] Bland was read; Whereupon,
The Committee to whom were referred the plan for furnishing the French fleet and army with provision, to a certain amount, together with the memorial from his Most Christian Majesty's Minister Plenipotentary, the letter from Doctor Franklin, the report of
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a former committee and a letter from the Commander in Chief, with sundry other papers beg leave to report,
That they, according to order, conferred with his Most Christian Majesty's Minister Plenipotentiary, on the several matters committed to them, and having proposed to enter into a discussion of an arrangement for furnishing the French fleet and army with provision to a certain amount, were informed by him, that being without orders or instructions to advance money or bills, he had not any expectation that the measure proposed could be carried into execution; that he was however willing to pay for such provision as Congress should find it convenient to furnish in the manner specified in his memorial of the 24th of March.
Your Committee further report that his Most Christian Majesty's Minister informed them that he believed the Count de Rochambeau had received from the Minister of Finance in France a letter of credit from the Minister of these United States, for supplies to the amount of about four hundred thousand dollars which your Committee conclude to be the same mentioned in Doctor Franklin's letter referred to them, and for which the Count de Rochambeau has called on Ilia Excellency the Commander in Chief.
Your Committee are of opinion that no resources at present appear to be vested in Congress to enable them to procure the provision which is the object of the first proposition.
Your Committee are likewise of opinion with your former Committee that the supplies for which Doctor Franklin has entered into engagements with the Minister of finance in France ought to be furnished at all events, for the reasons given in that report.
And your Committee concur in submitting on these several matters the resolutions reported by that Committee.
Your Committee informed the Minister of France, that the request of the Count De Rochambeau to the Commander in Chief relative to heavy cannon, had been complied with by sending an order to the proper officer to furnish them.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Daniel Carroll, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, I, folio 393. It is indorsed: "Accepted."]
Ordered, That the Board of War cause magazines of flower, Indian corn and flesh to be formed of the arrears of the specific supplies required by the resolution of the 25th of February, 1780, and lay before Congress as soon as may be a return of the supplies aforesaid, for the purpose of carrying into effect the resolution of the 11th of April last.2
[Note 2: 2 This order was also entered in the manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs.]
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The report from the Medical Committee was read; Whereupon,
The Medical Committee report,
That the Purveyor has certified to them that there is due to Dr. Peter Fayssoux for his pay as Physician and Surgeon General of the Hospitals in the Southern Department, a balance of 2599 dollars therefore submit the following resolve:
Ordered, That a warrant issue in favour of Thomas Bond, purveyor of the hospitals, for one thousand dollars of the new emission to be by him paid to Doctor Peter Fayssoux in part of his arrearages of pay, to enable the said Doctor P. Fayssoux to repair to the southern army to take charge of the hospital.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Theodorick Bland, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, II, folio 267.]
The report of the committee, ∥consisting of Mr. Bland, Mr. Mathews, Mr. Howly,∥ appointed to confer with the Board of War, ∥was taken into consideration∥; and, on the question to agree,
That the Board of War be authorised to remove the Convention prisoners, to such place or places in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Bay as they shall think proper, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. Ward,
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So the question was lost.
A motion was then made by Mr. [Theodorick] Bland, seconded by Mr. [George] Clymer,
That the Board of War take order to remove the Convention troops, in such manner and to such place as they think most conducive to the good of the union in general.
On which the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Theodorick] Bland,
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So it was resolved in the affirmative.
Resolved, That the states through which they may pass, be requested to furnish the necessary guards, and to supply the said prisoners and guards with provisions through their respective states to the place or places to which they are removed.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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