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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, APRIL 26, 1781
A letter, of 21, from the executive council of the eastern shore of Maryland, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three:
The members, Mr. [James] Duane, Mr. [James] Madison, Mr. [John] Sullivan.
A letter, of 18, from Count de Rochambeau, was read.1
[Note 1: 1 The Maryland letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XXII, folio 463; Rochambeau's letter is in No. 78, XIX, folio 343, a copy being on folio 351.]
A letter, of 21, from General Washington, was read;2 Whereupon,
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, X, folio 89.]
Resolved, That the quartermaster general be, and he is hereby authorised to appoint Colonel Champlin, of Newport, a barrack-master to the French army; and to annex to that office a salary, not exceeding the pay of an assistant deputy quartermaster.
The report of the Board of War of the 16 March last, on a letter of the 15 of the same month from the paymaster general, was taken into consideration; and, Thereupon,
War Office March 16. 1781.
Sir,
The Board have the honor to lay before Congress a letter from the Pay Master General on the subject of Pay due Capn. Lieutenants of Artillery and Lieutenants and Sergeants of Infantry. We conceive that the matter was properly considered by Congress at the time of settlement of the pay of the Army in 1778 and that the Appointments of these Officers should be as they were then fixed. We therefore beg leave to report,
Resolved, That the pay of captain-lieutenants of artillery, and of lieutenants and serjeants of infantry be paid in bills of the new emissions, at the rate fixed for the pay of those officers and non-commissioned officers respectively, on the 27 day of May, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight, any former resolution of Congress to the contrary hereof notwithstanding.3
[Note 3: 3 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, VI, folio 307.]
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The Board of Treasury reported that in pursuance of the act of the 5th day of September last, they have prepared loan office certificates to the amount of one million dollars specie value, which are ready to be sent forward to the several continental loan officers; Whereupon,
Treasury Office April 23rd. 1781.
The Board of Treasury beg leave to inform the United States in Congress assembled that the Certificates ordered to be prepared by the Act of the 5th of Sepr. last are ready to be sent forward to the several Continental Loan Officers. That before they are sent the Board wish to have the sense of Congress whether the Commissioners afsd. are consider the new money of specie value dollar for dollar.
The Board conceive the greatest disadvantage may result to the community, if it is so to be considered, as it is well known at this instant a considerable depreciation has already taken place in all the States where it has issued--they therefore propose the following Resolutions:
Resolved, That the commissioners of the several continental loan offices issue the specie certificates ordered by the resolution of the 5th day of September, 1780, only on their receiving specie, or upon the order of Congress, or of the Board of Treasury, for the balance of accounts liquidated in specie value.
The Board have recd. a letter from Chas. Pettit Esq Ast. Q. M. General dated the 20th. inst. together with copies of a letter and Estimate approved by the Board of War from Donaldson Yates Esq Dy. Q. M. for the States of Maryland and Delaware, requesting a supply of money for that Department and having taken the same into consideration, beg leave to report
Ordered, That a warrant issue on Thomas Harwood, commissioner of the continental loan office for the State of Maryland, in favour of Charles Pettit, assistant quartermaster general, on account of Colonel Timothy Pickering, quartermaster general, for twenty-six thousand and eighty dollars new emission, to be transmitted to Donaldson Yates, deputy quartermaster for the States of Delaware and Maryland, for the use of that department, and for which sum the said
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Colonel Timothy Pickering, quartermaster general, is to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, V, folio 251.]
The Board of Treasury, to whom was referred the petition of Colonel Moses Hazen, delivered in a report; Whereupon,
Treasury Office April 24th. 1781
The Board having considered the petition of Col. Moses Hazen referred to them the 3rd. instant beg leave to Report,
That agreably to the resolution of the 26th. of August 1777 the Commissioners of claims found a balance due to Col. Hazen "for hard money advanced by him" six thousand six hundred and eighteen dollars and 80/90ths of a dollar and a further sum of two thousand one hundred and seventy six dolls. and seven and a half ninetieths of a dollar for "commodities furnished by him for the use of the Army in Canada." That a charge of eight hundred dollars paid by Col. Hazen to Col. Antill was disallowed Col. Hazen for want of a proper voucher, which has since been furnished and the charge admitted: a further sum of two hundred and ten pounds ten shillings and eleven pence, also disallowed, in the following words: "Amount of pay abstract for Capn. Quatrifager's Company not properly certified, but which is to be allowed when vouched." This Board are now of opinion that the sum last mentioned has since been as well vouched as the nature of the case would admit and ought to be allowed--upon the whole it is the opinion of the Board that the sum of ten thousand two hundred and ninety six dolls. and seventy two ninetieths of a dollar in specie is due to Col Moses Hazen with an interest thereon at the rate of six pr. cent pr. annum from the first of May 1776 and that he ought to be paid the same, or at least the interest due thereon as soon as any other creditor of the United States--whereupon they submit the following order,
Ordered, That the Board of Treasury place to the credit of Colonel Moses Hazen, the sum of thirteen thousand three hundred and eighty-six dollars and two-ninetieths of a dollar specie, being the principal and interest of money due to him to the 1st of May, 1781; and that the same bear an interest at the rate of six per cent. per annum from the 1st day of May next aforesaid, until paid.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, V, folio 255.]
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The Board of Treasury, to whom was referred the letter, of 6, from the governor of Virginia, delivered in a report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer of the State of Virginia, in favour of Charles Pettit, assistant quartermaster general, on account of Major General Greene, late quartermaster general, for the sum of five millions three hundred and forty-six thousand four hundred and thirty-eight dollars and fifteen ninetieths of a dollar, part of the money due from the said State prior to the first day of March, 1780, and which has been advanced by the said State to William Finnie, deputy quartermaster general, for which sum the said Major General Greene, late quartermaster general, is to be accountable:
Ordered, That the remainder of the report be referred to a committee of three:
The members, Mr. [Abraham] Clark, Mr. M[eriwether] Smith, Mr. [Joseph] Montgomery.
The committee on the letter, of 19 February, from Baron d'Arendt; and
The committee on the letter, of 28 March last, from the governor of the State of New York, delivered in their several reports.
The committee on the letter, of 13 March, from R. Morris, delivered in a farther report.
The report of the committee on the letter, of 28 March, from the governor of the State of New York, was read:
April 25th, 1781.
The Committee to whom were referred the Letter of 28 March last from the Governor of the State of New York and sundry other papers accompanying the same beg leave to report:
That a letter be addressed to the Governour of the State of New York informing him that although Emissions of Paper Money on the sole and separate Credit of the respective States are considered as productive of manifold Inconveniences and greatly embarrassing to
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the Public Measures, yet Congress considering also the peculiar situation of the State of New York and that the Emission described in their Act of 27 March last is not intended and cannot operate to increase the Quantity of Bills of Credit proposed to be put into Circulation pursuant to the Resolutions of 18 March 1780 are unwilling to disapprove of the Expedient which the Legislature of the State of New York have adopted.
That the Governour of the State of New York be further informed That orders will be drawn for the 164,500 dollars mentioned in his letter aforesaid and the papers accompanying it, as requested.
That particular reasons forbid the transmitting of [the State of New York ought not to rely upon] the Bills of Exchange on Europe at this time for payment of Interest on the Bills of Credit emitted pursuant to the Resolutions of 18 March 1780 and that therefore it be recommended to the State of New York they ought to make use of the other means in their power to discharge the interest on their bills of credit same
That Congress will give orders for forwarding Bills to exchange at the end of the year the Bills emitted pursuant to the Resolutions of 18 March 1780 or adopt such measures as may render the Exchange unnecessary.
That as the Period assigned for the Circulation of the former Continental Bills of Credit expires with the present month it is expected every State in which any of the said Bills may then still circulate and who have not redeemed their Proportion of them will take effectual measures to draw the same out of Circulation immediately thereafter.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of William Churchill Houston, except the part in brackets, which is in the writing of Samuel Huntington, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 20, I, folio 373.]
Ordered, That it be re-committed.
On motion of Mr. M[eriwether] Smith, seconded by Mr. [Samuel] Adams,
Ordered, That the Board of War cause the rampart muskets in their possession to be repaired; and forward, with all possible despatch, to the executives of the State of Virginia and North Carolina, a quantity not exceeding two thousand, to each State, charging to the said states respectively, the value of the muskets, with the expence of repairing and transporting them.
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At a Board of War April 26. 1781
Present, Mr. Peters, Colonel Grayson,
The Board having taken into consideration a letter of the 10th instant from Major L Keene aid de camp to Major General St Clair herewith transmitted,
Beg leave to report
That a Warrant issue on Thomas Smith Esqr Commissioner of the Continental Loan Office for the State of Penna. in favour of the paymaster General for eight thousand one hundred sixty six dollars and two thirds of a dollar in bills of the old emissions for the payment of a detachment of the 4th regt of light dragoons from the 1st March 1780 to the 31st July following, for which sum the said paymaster general is to be accountable.
That another Warrant issue on Thomas Smith Esqr in favour of the paymaster General for one thousand nine hundred and ninety dollars in bills of the new emissions for the payment of the aforesaid detachment, from the 1st August 1780 to the 31st October following, for which sum the said paymaster general is to be accountable, these warrants to have a preference in payment to all others of a prior date.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, V, folio 15. Thomson's indorsement says: "This included in an order for a warrant."
A letter, of 24, from Mordecai Sheftall was read, according to the indorsement. It is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XXI, folio 56.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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