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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, AUGUST 2, 1781
A letter, of 27 July, from J. Storey, was read:
Ordered, That so much thereof as relates to the grant of a sum on account of pay already due and the mode of paying him for services since General Greene's resignation as quartermaster general, be referred to the Board of War.
A letter, of 1, from Captain O'Neill, was read:2
[Note 2: 2 O'Neill's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XVII, folio 329.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War.
The committee to whom was re-committed the report on the letter of the president of the State of New Hampshire, of the 20 June last, and the papers accompanying the same, delivered in a report:
The Committee to whom was recommitted the report on the Letter of the President of the State of New Hampshire of the 20th. of June last and the papers accompanying the same,
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Report
That in the opinion of your Committee Congress are fully authorized by the Act of Assembly of the State of New York passed October the 21, 1779, and the Act of Assembly of the State of New Hampshire passed the 17th. of November in the same year to determine all disputes or differences relative to Jurisdiction which they may have respectively with the people inhabiting the district called New Hampshire Grants on the West side of Connecticut River and therefore submit the following resolve:
That Congress will on Monday next take into consideration all differences and disputes relative to Jurisdiction which the States of New Hampshire and New York may respectively have with the people inhabiting the District called New Hampshire Grants on the West side of Connecticut River.
But should Congress be of opinion that it would tend more to the general safety of the union and to restore peace, harmony, and good Government in the respective States and the people inhabiting the Territory called Vermont claiming the Jurisdiction aforesaid your Committee submit the following resolves:
That copies of the Act of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of the Massachusetts of the 8th. March last respecting the disputed Territory situate on the West side of Connecticut River commonly called the New Hampshire Grants be transmitted to the States of New Hampshire and New York and that it be recommended to the said States to pass similar acts.
That in case the said States shall relinquish their respective claims to said District called the New Hampshire Grants or the State of Vermont bounded East by Connecticut River South by the North Line of the State of Massachusetts, West part by Lake Champlain to the West Line of the Township of Dunbar from by the West Lines of several Townships formerly granted by the Governor of New Hampshire to the North West Corner of the State of Massachusetts and bounded North by Latitude forty five degrees. The United States in Congress Assembled will guaranty to the States of New Hampshire and New York all the lands respectively belonging to them lying without the limits aforesaid and the Jurisdiction over the same against any claims or encroachments from the people inhabiting within the limits before described.
That in case the States of New Hampshire and New York offer to relinquish their claims agreeable to the aforesaid recommendation of
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Congress, and the people inhabiting the Territory commonly called Vermont shall claim or exercise Jurisdiction over any of the Territory guarantied as above Congress will consider such acts as a denial of the Jurisdiction of the United States in Congress Assembled as a proof of their inimical disposition, and designs against the general welfare of the United States and will proceed on theday ofto determine all differences between the States of New Hampshire and New York relative to their respective boundaries.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Daniel Carroll, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 40, II, folio 81.]
Ordered, That the same be taken into consideration to Morrow.
A report from the Board of Treasury was read; Whereupon,
Resolved, That the arrearages and salaries due to officers on the civil list, shall be ascertained in specie value, and warrants for their respective balances, issued by the Board of Treasury under their seal, upon the commissioner of the loan office of the State where the United States in Congress assembled, shall hold their sessions; and where any such specie warrants shall be granted to officers on that establishment, which can with more convenience be discharged by the said commissioner in paper currency issued under the act of the 18 of March, 1780, the same shall be discharged according to the rate of depreciation at the time of payment, on a comparison of the same with specie:
That to enable the loan officer to make such payment in specie value, the Board of Treasury shall once a month, or oftener if they shall judge proper, ascertain the depreciation of the currency aforesaid, and instruct the said loan officer to make his payments agreeable thereto.
Ordered, That on the application of Mr. [John] Mathews, one of the delegates for the State of South Carolina, a warrant issue in his favour on Thomas Smith, commissioner of the continental loan office for the State of Pensylvania, for twelve
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hundred dollars of the new emission, for which the State of South Carolina is to be accountable.
That on the application of Mr. [Nicholas] Eveleigh, another delegate of the said State of South Carolina, a warrant issue in his favor for fifteen hundred dollars of the new emission, for which the State of South Carolina is to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, V, folio 429.]
A report from the Board of War was read; Whereupon,
At a Board of War August 2nd, 1781.
Present Mr Peters
Col. Grayson
General Cornell
The Board beg leave to inform Congress that there are a great proportion of the officers of the Pennsylvania Line now in the State, who have received no pay or warrants on the Paymaster out of the six months' pay in the new bills for which warrants were drawn in favor of the Paymaster General, and a number of Artillerymen who are constantly at work in the Laboratory, all of them are very pressing for some part of the pay due them, and we have reason to believe many are really in a distressed situation on that account. From the foregoing state of facts we submit the propriety of warrants being drawn on the Paymaster General in favor of the above mentioned persons for six months' nominal pay in bills of the new emission. Should Congress approve of the measure it may be proper to resolve,
Ordered, That the Board of War draw warrants on the paymaster general, in favour of the officers, non-commissioned officers and privates of the Pensylvania line who have not since the fourth day of January last had warrants drawn in their favour; and for the artillerymen at work in the laboratory for six months' nominal pay in bills of the new emission on account.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 148, II, folio 109.]
The report of the committee, ∥consisting of Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Mathews, Mr. Vandyke,∥ to whom was referred a part of the report on General Sullivan's
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letter of 25 of November last, was taken into consideration; and on the question, "That it be recommended to the State of New Hampshire to make good to General Sullivan the depreciation of his pay for the time he continued in service, in the like manner as has been done for the officers in the line of the said State now in service": the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Samuel] Livermore,
{table}
So it passed in the negative.1
[Note 1: 1 A copy of the proceedings and vote on the Sullivan resolution as an extract from the minutes is in the Papers of the Continental Congress. No. 41, IX, folio 265.]
The committee to whom was referred the letter, of 9 July, from the superintendant of finance, delivered in a farther report:
Ordered, That the consideration thereof be assigned for to Morrow.
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Ordered, That Monday next be assigned for considering the report of the committee on the communications from the honble. the Minister of France.
A letter, of 2 January, from J. de Neuville & Sons was read.1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 145, folio 53.]
A motion was made by Mr. [James Mitchell] Varnum, seconded by Mr. [Roger] Sherman:
Resolved, That from and after the first day of September next the privilege of franking letters cease.
Resolved, That the Committee upon the Post Office, the Superintendent of Finance and Post Master General prepare and report [the state of the present expence of the Post Office and a] system for regulating the same in future.2
[Note 2: 2 This motion, in the writing of James Mitchell Varnum, except the portion in brackets which is in Thomas McKean's writing, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, I, folio 209.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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