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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, JUNE 27, 1781.
A report of the Board of War was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, That the Board of War draw a warrant on the paymaster general, in favour of the revd Mr. Jones, chaplain to the 2d Pensylvania brigade, for three hundred dollars in bills of the new emissions, equal to three months' pay and subsistance, for which sum he is to be accountable:2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, V, folio 433.]
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That the Board of War take order for the payment of Lieutenant Colonel Nevil's passage from Charlestown to Philadelphia, in the same manner as has been allowed to officers under like circumstances.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, V, folio 429.]
Another report from the Board of War was read, enclosing a copy of a letter, of 21, from the Commander in Chief:
Ordered, That the same, together with report of the Board on the parts of a ration, be referred to the superintendant of finance.
The delegates of Pensylvania, to whom was referred the report of the Board of Treasury on the claim of Christian Wirts, who under an appointment of the council of Pensylvania of town major of Lancaster, acted occasionally under the Board of War in taking charge of prisoners, public stores, &c. made report; Whereupon,
The Delegates of Pennsylvania to whom was referred the report of the Board of Treasury on the claim of Christian Wertz who under an appointment of the Council of Pennsylvania of Town Major of Lancaster acted occasionally under the Board of War in taking charge of Prisoners, Public Stores, &c. for which he claims the pay and rations of a Major in the Army; Beg leave to Report that they cannot take upon them to ascertain what compensation should be made to Mr. Wertz for the same services not being sufficiently informed what part of his time was taken up in performing the same but from the information they have received, they are of opinion he is not entitled to the full pay which he claims. They are therefore of opinion that the Board of Treasury request the Honorable William Augustus Atlee Esq. Mathias Slough and Adam Reigert Esquires to ascertain what compensation the said C. Wertz ought to receive for the services he has performed in the premises for the United States from theDay ofto the 6th instant and certify the same to that Board.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, in the writing of James Mitchell Varnum, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, VI, folio 579.]
Ordered, That the report of the Board of Treasury be re-committed, and that the Board of Treasury request the
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honourable William Atlee, esq. Mathias Slough and Adam Rigart, esqrs. to ascertain what compensation the said C. Wirts ought to receive for the services performed in the premises for the United States.
The delegates for the State of Massachusetts laid before Congress a letter, of 24 May, from a committee of the legislature of that State, which was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of five:
The members, Mr. [Oliver] Ellsworth, Mr. [George] Clymer, Mr. [Samuel] Osgood, Mr. [William Churchill] Houston, Mr. [Joseph] Jones.
Ordered, That the report of the Board of War on an allowance for depreciation to the staff, together with the several letters and applications which depend on the determination of that report, be referred to a committee of three:
At a Board of War May 30. 1781
Present Mr Peters, Colo Grayson
The Board have the honor to lay before Congress two different reports on the subject of depreciation not knowing the extent to which Congress will deem it proper to make provision the Board have thought it advisable to report two different plans the one is on a large the other on a contracted scale.
1,
Resolved, That the line of the army and the independent corps thereof and all Brevet and other Officers not attached to any particular commands and all other persons of whatsoever description on the civil or military staff of the army, or acting under the same who have been engaged in the Continental service since the commencement of the present war shall be entitled to have the depreciation of their original pay made up to them by the several States to which they belong agreeable to the scales of depreciation established by such States and according to the periods for which such persons have respectively served, any resolve to the contrary notwithstanding.
Resolved, That each State who shall advance more money in making good the depreciation to their own citizens than their proper proportion shall be allowed for the same on Continental account.
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Resolved, That the Auditors of the army be directed to liquidate and settle the accounts of all persons entitled to depreciation and who are not included in the quota of any of the States and ascertain the balances due on the same in specie which sums shall be paid as soon as the State of the finances will admit, out of the public Treasury of the United States.
That it be recommended to the Legislatures of the several States to make provision for their respective citizens described in the foregoing resolutions, agreeable thereto.
2d
That all Officers of the Staff of the army of every description who are now in service and engaged for three years or during the war or who were in service and so engaged on the tenth day of April 1780 shall be entitled to the depreciation of their pay, in like manner as is directed for Officers of the line and independent corps by the resolution of the tenth day of April before mentioned or any other resolutions of Congress.
That all such Staff Officers who belong to or are inhabitants of any particular State shall have their depreciation paid to them by that State in the same manner with the Officers of the line of the State.
That all Officers of the military staff and all officers and soldiers of independent corps or artificers who are inhabitants of any particular State and who now are or were in service on the tenth day of April 1780 and engaged for three years or during the war have their depreciation settled and paid by the State to which they belong or of which they are or were inhabitants in the same manner with Officers and Soldiers of the line.
That all Officers and Soldiers of the army at large or of independent corps and artificers and all Staff Officers not belonging to or being inhabitants of any particular State who are now or were in service on the said tenth day of April 1780 shall have their accounts for depreciation settled by the auditors of the army in which they now serve or shall have served and the sums due in specie on such settlement certified by the said Auditors shall be paid out of the Treasury of the United States whensoever the public finances will admit thereof.
That the Officers and Soldiers of the line staff or artificers not belonging to any State shall produce to the Auditors previous to their claiming settlements, a certificate from the Adjutant General or deputy Adjutant General of the army in which they serve or shall
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have served ascertaining their ranks, appointments, enlistments andoriginal pay and certifying that they do not belong to and have notbeen counted to the quota of any particular State.
That each State who shall advance more money in making good the depreciation to their respective citizens than their proper proportion shall be allowed for the same on account of the United States.
That it be recommended to the Legislatures of the several States to make provision for their respective citizens described in the foregoing resolutions agreeable thereto.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, V, folio 437. According to the indorsement, Messrs. [John] Mathews and [Nicholas] Van Dyke were added to the committee on August 1.]
The members, Mr. [William Churchill] Houston, Mr. [Joseph] Montgomery, Mr. [Roger] Sherman.
The committee to whom were referred the cessions of the States of Virginia, New York and Connecticut, and also the memorials of the Illinois and Wabache Companies, and from William Trent and others, delivered in their report:
The Committee to whom were referred the Cessions of the States of Virginia New York and Connecticut and also the memorial of the Ilionois and Ouabache companies, and that from William Trent and others, beg leave to report,
That they have attentively considered the several Acts of Cession, and from the conditions annexed to them and other circumstances, are of opinion that it would be inexpedient for Congress to accept of them as they stand at present.
They therefore propose the following Resolutions
Thatbe appointed for Congress to take into consideration the western limits beyond which they will not extend their guarantee to the particular States and to ascertain what vacant Territory belongs to the United States in common for the general benefit.
That so soon as this is done a Committee be appointed to prepare a Plan for dividing and settling the said Territory and for disposing of it in such manner as to discharge the Debts of the United States contracted in the Prosecution of this War.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, in the writing of John Witherspoon, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 30, folio 561. It is in the list of postponed reports in No. 31, folio 371.]
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Ordered, That the same be taken into consideration on Saturday next.
Congress proceeded to the election of an agent to reside at Havanna; and, the ballots being taken, Mr. Robert Smith was elected.
Resolved, That it be the duty of the agent appointed to reside at Havanna, to manage the occasional concerns of Congress, to assist the American traders with his advice, and to solicit their affairs with the Spanish government, and to govern himself according to the orders he may, from time to time, receive from the United States in Congress assembled, or their superintendant, of finance.1
[Note 1: 1 This resolution was also entered in the manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs.]
A motion was made by Mr. [Theodorick] Bland, seconded by Mr. [John] Sullivan, respecting a warrant in favour of Major Woodson:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War to take order.
The delegates of South Carolina laid before Congress a letter, of this day, from Governor Rutledge, which was read and acted on.2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, I, folio 193.]
On motion of the delegates of South Carolina:
Whereas, the Enemy being in possession of the several Sea Ports in the State of South Carolina, the Inhabitants are thereby deprived of the usual mode of procuring so necessary an article of life, as salt, which makes it advisable that some other mode should be adopted for furnishing the said Inhabitants with salt. And whereas by an ordinance of Congress passed the 27 day of March last all intercourse between these States and the dominions and possessions of the King of Great Britain are thereby prohibited, but from the peculiar hardships under which the said state of So. Carolina has for some time past and does at present labour, it is reasonable that some particular indulgence should at this time be extended to the Inhabitants thereof. Therefore
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Resolved, That the President be authorised to furnish Governour Rutledge with four sets of permits or passports for vessels to bring salt only into the State of South Carolina, or North Carolina, under the direction of the said Governour Rutledge;
Resolved, That the said Governour Rutledge engage for the return of the passports so furnished him to the President of Congress, after the purposes for which they are hereby granted shall have been fulfilled, so that no other use be thereafter made of the said papers; and that they be cancelled by the President of Congress when returned to him.1
[Note 1: 1 This motion, undated, in the writing of John Mathews, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, I, folio 193. It was entered only in the manuscript Secret (Domestic) Journal, and in Secret Journal, No. 8.]
The Committee of the week report as follows. viz
Upon the memorial of Donald Campbell,
Resolved, That sd. memorial together with the Report of the Board of Treasury upon the accounts of the sd. Donald Campbell be referred to a special Committee.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, offered on this day, in the writing of Meriwether Smith, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 32, folio 181. Campbell's memorial, dated June 25, is in No. 41, II, folio 369.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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