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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, JUNE 4, 1781
Mr. [Roger] Sherman and Mr. [Oliver] Ellsworth, delegates for the State of Connecticut, attended and took their seats, the former having produced his credentials, which were read, as follows:
At a General Assembly of the Governor and Company of the State of Connecticut in America holden at Hartford on the SEAL second Thursday of May being the 10th. Day of said Month A Dom 1781.
This Assembly do appoint the Honorable Roger Sherman Esqr a Delegate from this State to the Congress of the United States for
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the current Year in the room of the Honble. Titus Hosmer Esqr Deceased
A true Copy of Record
Examind.
By George Willys Secrety1
[Note 1: 1 The original is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, Connecticut, Credentials of Delegates.]
A letter, of 16 February, from Mr. Dumas; and
One, of 11 and 14 March, from W. Carmichael; were read.2
[Note 2: 2 The letter of March 11 is printed in the Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution (Wharton), IV, 279.]
A letter, of 28 May, from the governor of Virginia;3
[Note 3: 3 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 71, II, folio 113.]
One, of the 30 May, from the governor of Maryland; and
One, of 1 June, from the president of the senate and speaker of the house of Delegates of Maryland; were read:4
[Note 4: 4 The letter of May 30 is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 70, folio 469; that of June 1 is on folio 473.]
Ordered, That they be referred to the Board of War.
A letter, of this day, from Mr. R. Morris, was read; Whereupon,5
[Note 5: 5 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 137, I, folio 37. The first two paragraphs of the resolution are also entered in the manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs.]
Resolved, That the disposition and management of that part of the money, granted by his Most Christian Majesty to these United States, which is to be employed in America, be committed to the superintendant of finance, that it may be applied to the purposes for which it was granted, namely, a vigorous prosecution of the present campaign:
That what remains unsold of the bills of exchange drawn by order of Congress on the ministers plenipotentiary of these United States respectively at Versailles, Madrid, and the Hague, be also committed to the superintendant of finance, to be by him disposed of for the purpose above mentioned: provided, that none of the bills drawn upon the ministers at
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Madrid and the Hague, be sold until he shall have assurances that funds are provided for paying them:
That the said superintendant of Finance be, and he is hereby, vested with full powers to dispose of the specific supplies required from the several states by the act of the 4th of November last, as well as what remain yet to be furnished, agreeably to the requisition of the 25 February, 1780, in such manner as he, with the advice of the Commander in Chief, shall judge will best promote the public interest, and answer the purposes of the present campaign.
A report of the Board of War, was read; Whereupon,
War Office June 4. 1781
Sir,
In consequence of the Resolution of Congress respecting the Convention Troops, of the 23d of May: The Board directed Col. Wood to begin his march as soon as possible; they have taken every measure in their power to prevent delays and interruptions, but from the present situation of public affairs it is possible that unforeseen accidents may retard his march which may eventually be productive of the worst consequences, they therefore request that Congress will be pleased to resolve
Resolved, That Colonel James Wood be, and he is hereby, authorised and directed, in case the supplies of provisions, forage, and waggons necessary for the immediate march of the Convention troops, and the guards under his command, cannot be otherwise obtained, to impress the same, and to give information thereof to the executives of the states within whose limits he shall be obliged to take such measures.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, V, folio 269.]
Ordered, That a committee of the week be appointed:
The members, Mr. [Oliver] Ellsworth, Mr. [Isaac] Motte, Mr. [Richard] Howly.
A letter, of this day, from the supreme executive council of Pensylvania, was read, informing that the honorable house of assembly, have desired the Board to request a
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conference with a committee of Congress, on the quarter-master's and commissary's certificates, and addressing Congress for this purpose.1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 69, II, folio 389.]
Ordered, That a committee of three be appointed to confer with the supreme executive council of the State of Pennsylvania, on the subject above mentioned: the members, Mr. T[homas] Smith, Mr. [Isaac] Motte, Mr. [Samuel] Johnston.
A report from the Board of Treasury was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, That on the application of Mr. [George] Walton, a delegate for the State of Georgia, a warrant issue in his favour on Thomas Smith, commissioner of the continental loan office for the State of Pennsylvania, for eight hundred dollars of the new emission, for which the State of Georgia is to be accountable:
The Board also beg leave to submit to Congress a letter from the Treasurer of the 1st instant respecting the execution of the Act of Congress of the 22d. ulto: directing him to draw on the respective States for their quotas, agreeably to the Acts of the 26th August 1780, 4th of November and 16th of March last.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, V, folio 359.]
Ordered, That the remainder of the report, together with a letter, of 1, from Mr. Hillegas, treasurer, be referred to a committee of three:
The members, Mr. [Roger] Sherman, Mr. [John] Witherspoon, Mr. M[eriwether] Smith.
The committee, ∥consisting of Mr. Varnum, Mr. Bee, and Mr. McKean,∥ to whom was re-committed their report on the motion of Mr. [James] Madison, respecting the court of appeals, reported an ordinance on that subject, which was read a first time:
Ordered, That [to] Morrow be assigned for the second reading of the said ordinance.
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Ordered, That Wednesday next at to Morrow be assigned for considering the report of the committee on the memorial of the honorable the minister of France, &c.
A report from the Board of Treasury was read; Whereupon,
Treasury Office June 1st 1781
Upon the Referrence of a Letter from the Board of War, respecting the Claim of Joseph Carson and others, owners of the Carolina Packet employed by the Board of War as a Flag to Charlestown--the Board beg leave to report.
That agreeably to the Idea held out in the afsd Letter from the Board of War, and in Conformity to the opinion of this Board, they find due to Joseph Carson and others, Owners of the Carolina Packet four hundred specie dollars, for the Passages of sundry Officers, and their Families which they are of opinion the publick should pay. That respecting demurrage claimed for the detention of the aforesaid sloop in Charlestown, the Board have the writen award of Phillip Moore and Samuel Inglis Merchants of the City of Philadelphia to whom the case was referred, who have awarded to the Owners aforesaid, one hundred pounds in Specie for the detention of the said sloop at Charles-Town. Whereupon the following Order is Submitted:
Ordered, That the Board of War take measures for the payment of six hundred and sixty six dollars and two-thirds of a dollar of the value of specie to Joseph Carson and others owners of the sloop Carolina Packet that sum having been found due to them for the passages of sundry officers and their families, from Charlestown; and for demurrage awarded to them for the detention of the sloop aforesaid at Charlestown.
The Board on the Reference of the Memorial of Col: Nathanial Gist dated the 6th of January 1780 accompanied with an account of Disbursements in the Indian Country submit the following state of Facts--On the seventh of Febuary 1778 the Commissioners of accounts settled an account with the said Col Gist of Expences incurred on his first Journey into the Cherokee Country in the Year 1777 in which Account is charged a Horse thirty five pounds ten
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shillings, and sundry provisions paid for in that Nation to the amount of thirty eight pounds ten shillings.
That the present demand is for a Horse and Provisions purchased in the Indian Country on the afsd journey as appears by the account thereof sworn to before Genl Woodford, herewith exhibitted, and accompanied with the Report of the Chambers of Accounts thereon.
As there are no Vouchers to support the said account except the affadavit aforesaid and as an account was settled of the Expences afsd., wherein no charge is made of these articles; and as it does not appear to the Board, whether the said Horse was bought for public; or private use thay cannot take upon them to determine, whether the publick ought to make good to Colonel Gist, this Charge, although thay have no doubt but the Horse was actually purchased and that he was afterwards Lost.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, V, folio 355. It is indorsed: "Postponed."]
Treasury Office June 4, 1781.
The Board of Treasury in compliance with the order of Congress dated the 9th of Feby. last directing them, "to lay before Congress on the 1st. Monday in every month, an exact state of the returns from all the respective loan offices, specifying the old emissions brought in to be destroyed and the new emission retained, subject to the orders of Congress, also a state of the taxes, paid in by the respective States" herewith submit an estimate containing the same down to the present time.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, V, folio 361. It was read on this day, as the indorsement shows.
A letter of this day from the Board of War transmitting sundry letters from Western frontiers was read, as the indorsement states. It is in No. 148, I, folio 399.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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