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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 11, 1781
A letter, of 10th May, from Major General Greene, was read:1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 155, II; folio 67.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War.
Another letter, of 14th, and one, of 16th, May, from Major General Greene, were read, with sundry papers enclosed:2
[Note 2: 2 The letter of 14th is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 155, II, folio 59; that of 16th is on folio 71.]
Ordered, That they be referred to the Committee of Intelligence.
A letter, of 6, from the Rev. James Caldwell, was read, with sundry papers enclosed:
Ordered, That they be referred to a committee of three:
The members, Mr. [William Churchill] Houston, Mr. [Theodorick] Bland, Mr. [George] Clymer.
A letter, of [April 3] from Brigadier General Moultrie, with sundry papers enclosed, was read:3
[Note 3: 3 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 158, folio 497.]
Ordered, That they be referred to the Committee of Intelligence.
A report of the committee of the week was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, That the memorial of Captain Nicholson, and the memorial of Captain Read, be referred to the committee to whom was referred the letter from Captain J.P. Jones, and that their report on that subject be re-committed.4
[Note 4: 4 Nicholson's memorial is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, VII, folio 67; Read's is in No. 41, VIII, folio 306.]
The committee to whom were referred the letters of Brigadier General Moultrie; and
The Committee to whom the letters of General Moultrie were referred--beg leave to report; that they have conversed with several persons of Character and veracity, from whom the committee have obtained the most authentic information, that notwithstanding the Solemn engagements entered into between Major General Lincoln and
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Sir Henry Clinton, and Admiral Arbuthnot previous to the Surrender of the garrison of Charlestown in the State of South Carolina, the most shameful infraction of the articles of Capitulation have taken place on the part of the British--that outrages abhorrent to Civilized Nations have been practised and sanctioned by the British General Cornwallis, and the Officers and Men which compose the banditti under his command; that the Officers of the Army of the United States have been seperated from the men, that the latter have been sent on board prison Ships where thay Suffer the most intolerable hardships with a view to compel them to inlist in the service of the king of Great Britain and to be guilty of parricide and treason to their kindred and country; that proclamations have been issued by Cornwallis Balfour and other Officers in the pay of the British tyrant dooming the citizens of the United States who should be taken in arms in the just defence of their lives and property, and in repelling the invasion of their vindictive and plundering Enemies to a halter; that several valuable citizens have been accordingly hanged in the States of South Carolina and Georgia; that the Officers of these United States in Captivity are exposed to the greatest contumelies and insults and every species of decency and humanity is discarded in their treatment of the unhappy persons of both Sexes, that are within their power; that many worthy citizens who were prisoners in Charlestown, were seized in their beds, and transported to the Castle of St Augustine in East Florida, in gross violation of the articles of capitulation which secured to them their property and residence in that garrison, that a Major Benson who executed the business of seizing these Gentlemen, was guilty of the Greatest indecency, not suffering the wives of the persons who were in bed to retire, and compelling them to listen to the abusive and Scurrilous ribaldry of both himself and the Soldiers who were with him. It was not to be expected that infractors of the most Solemn engagements would confine themselves to any reasonable bounds in cases which had only humanity and the practice of civilized nations, as a tie of restraint; that in all these circumstances a general distress of wives and children widows and orphans prevailed devastations and burning as cruel as they were unnecessary helpless women and children sitting on the ruins of their houses, perishing with cold and famine, marked the progress of the British, nor does it appear that they Confined themselves to this kind of burning and devastation--temples dedicated to the service of the most high God, could not escape their Brutal fury. The conflagration of churches compleated a violation on their part of every right human and divine.
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It appears further to your Committee that the British admirals and other naval commanders have been governed by similar principles of unrestrained barbarity and malice, in their treatment of the citizens of these United States serving in the naval department, who have fallen into their hands, great numbers have been forced into loathsome prison Ships, particularly at New York, where thay fell victims to pestilence and famine others have been violently thrown on board the British kings Ships and compelled to fight against their kindred and Country--nor does it appear that a distinction of persons was attended to, Captains and commanders of ships, mates and other Officers have experienced the same barbarous usage with common mariners--some have been compelled to serve in the lowest stations in the British Skips--others have been transported from their friends and Country to Britain and other foreign places--and in all cases have been treated with the most unrelenting rigor.
That it appears further to your Committee, that a new species of violence hath been exercised by the King of Great Britain, as unauthorised by the laws of nations, as it is derogatory to the honor and undoubted independence of these United States. The commitment of the Honble Henry Laurens a Citizen of these United States, and invested whith the character of minister Plenipotentiary to the United Provinces to the Tower on suspicion of treason the commitment of Capt. Gustavus Conyngham, and William Drew for high treason to the old Mill Prison in the borough of Plymouth in Great Britain, and of a number of others in similar circumstances, show the necessity of adopting such measures as may be effectual in restraining for the future the absurd and flagitious conduct of the Court of London and its Officers and fetal them to a proper sense of their wrongs and violences. Your Committee therefore are of opinion that the following resolutions be agreed to:
The United States in Congress assembled having taken into consideration above recited state of facts lamenting the necessity they are under of giving a check to the distinguished humanity which in every instance they have exhibited since the commencement of this war, and sensible that retaliation however disagreeable to the American Councils, is a measure pressed on these States by the ferocity and malice of their Enemies, Do Resolve
That the Board of War issue immediate orders for removing the officers of the German troops taken at Saratoga, to Simsbury in Connecticut; 2d that the Board of Admiralty be directed to procure proper
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vessels to be stationed in the Delaware, for thereception of both the British and German troops taken at Saratoga, and other places; 3dly that all the British and German officers on parole and within the enemy's lines be remanded without loss of time; 4thly that the Board of War be directed to select ten British and German officers
That the Board of War issue immediate orders for having the British and German Officers on parole, remanded--and that they further direct that all the British and German Officers whether taken prisoners at Saratoga or other places be removed with all convenient dispatch to Simsbury in the State of Connecticut.
That the Board of War do issue further orders to have the British and German non commissioned officers and soldiers taken at Saratoga and other places, confined in such places and treated in such a manner as will be most conformable to the usage which the American soldiers in captivity receive from the enemy. That the Board of War give directions, that two of the principal Officers of the British or German Prisoners be confined in the State House of Philadelphia as Hostages, for the Honorable Henry Laurens, which hostages shall be liable to a treatment similar in all respects to that which the said Henry Laurens may meet with from the Court of London, and that two British or German Officers, be confined as hostages for Captain Gustavus Conyngham and William Drew, which hostages shall also be subject in every respect to a similar treatment with which may or shall be exercised on the said Gustavus Conyngham and William Drew.
That the Board of War be directed to order a sufficient number of British to be confined as hostages for the citizens of South Carolina and Georgia which have been sent to St Augustine in East Florida, and for such as are confined on board prison ships in the Harbour of Charlestown or in the provost of that Town.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of George Walton, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, IV, folios 455--461. It is in the list of postponed reports in No. 31, folio 371--2.]
The Committee of Commerce, to whom were referred the accounts of Mr. W. Bingham, delivered in their reports:
Ordered, That Wednesday next be assigned for electing a secretary of foreign affairs.
The Report of the Board of War on an allowance to the staff of the army for depreciation was taken into consideration,
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and after debate, the first alternative or plan was negatived, and the second postponed.
On motion of Mr. [James Mitchell] Varnum, seconded by Mr. [John] Mathews,
Resolved, That the officers of the hospital and medical department, now in service, be allowed the depreciation upon their pay, in the same manner as officers of the line of the army.
The report of the committee on the Post Office, to whom was referred a paragraph of a letter from the director general, was taken into consideration; Whereupon,
Resolved, That the resolution of 28 December, 1779, be extended to the director of the hospital, so that all letters to and from him be free.
A report from the Board of War, on the letter from the director [of the hospitals, was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, That the sum of eight thousand five hundred and forty five dollars and one-third of a dollar in specie or Bills of the new Emissions other equivalent be money immediately put into the hands of the purveyor of the military hospitals in part of the estimate laid before Congress by the medical committee, to enable him to purchase an immediate supply for the use of the sick, and to prepare for the immediate exigencies of the campaign in the hospital department:
That the sum of sixteen thousand one hundred and sixteen dollars, in specie or Bills of the new Emissions other money equivalent, be advanced to the said purveyor, for three months' pay, to be paid by him on account to the officers of the medical department:
That a warrant be drawn on the treasurer of the State of New York, for six thousand dollars, and another warrant on the treasurer of Virginia for four thousand dollars, in specie or Bills of the new Emissions other money equivalent, in part of the above sum of sixteen thousand one hundred and sixteen dollars, in favour of the said purveyor or his Order; and that the residue, viz. six thousand one hundred and sixteen
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dollars be paid him at Philadelphia, in specie or Bills of the new Emissions other money equivalent:
That four thousand two hundred dollars; in specie or Bills of the new Emissions other money equivalent, be paid to the said purveyor, to be put into the hands of stewards at established hospitals, to purchase milk and vegetables and discharge small incidental charges at fixed hospitals.]1
[Note 1: 1 The portion in brackets was entered in the Journal by George Bond.]
That the Treasury Board be and they are hereby directed to devise Ways and means for supplying the foregoing sums of Postpd eight thousand five hundred and forty five and one third, six thousand one hundred and sixteen, and four thousand two hundred dollars.
That all vacancies of regimental Surgeons and Mates in any regiments of the several State Lines be filled up by the respective States in whose Lines the vacancies shall happen in the same manner with vacancies happening in the Line of the State.
That all vacancies of regimental Surgeons and Mates happening in regiments or Corps not belonging to the Line of any State be filled up by the Director or Deputy Director of the Hospitals with the Army in which such regiments or Corps shall serve the said Director or Deputy Director reporting the same to the Commander in Chief or commanding General of a separate Army that information thereof may be given to the Board of War who shall fill up Commissions accordingly.
The filling up the vacancies in the Medical Department we leave to the wisdom of Congress with girls observation that the Director represents to us that this measure is necessary.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No, 147, V, folio 273. It is indorsed: "August 23, 1781, not to be acted upon."]
The committee of the week are:
Mr. [Roger] Sherman, Mr. [Joseph] Montgomery, Mr. [William] Sharpe.
The committee, appointed to confer with the minister of France, report,3
[Note 3: 3 This report and the debate following were entered only in the manuscript Secret Jooural, Foreign Affairs, and in the More Secret Journal.]
That they have communicated to him the substance of the instructions to the minister plenipotentiary, for
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negotiating a peace, and submit it as their opinion, that the said instructions be reconsidered so far as to admit the following amendments:
The vote for reconsidering being taken and passed,
On the question to agree to the first amendment, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Theodorick] Bland,
{table}
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So it was resolved in the affirmative.
The second amendment passed without division.
On the question to agree to the third amendment, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Theodorick] Bland,
{table}
So it was resolved in the affirmative.
The committee further recommended a reconsideration of the question, Whether any person or persons be joined to Mr. Adams in negotiating a peace between these United States and Great Britain.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Daniel Carroll, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 25, I, folio 273.]
The question for reconsideration having passed in the affirmative,
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Resolved, That two persons be joined to Mr. J. Adams in negotiating a peace between these United States and Great Britain.
Resolved, That Wednesday next be assigned for electing the persons to be joined to Mr. Adams.
The following persons were put in nomination:
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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