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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, AUGUST 20, 1781
A letter, of 6, from W. Winthrop, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War to take order.
A letter, of July 1, from Sam1 Parsons at Martineque; and
A letter, of 7 February, from O. Pollock at New Orleans, was read.2
[Note 2: 2 Pollock's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 50, folio 261.]
A letter, of 18, from J. Brown, enclosing a letter, of 14, from Mr. Holker, with sundry papers enclosed, was read:
Ordered, That the same be referred to a committee of three:
The members, Mr. [Daniel of St. Thomas] Jenifer, Mr. [William] Sharpe, Mr. [George] Clymer.
The committee of the week made report; Whereupon,
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Ordered, That a letter, of 16, from James Jay be referred to a committee of three:1
[Note 1: 1 Jay's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XIII, folio 253. The committee report, in the writing of James Mitchell Varnum, is indorsed on the letter, and recommends that 4586 3/7 5/0 dollars specie be passed to the credit of Sir James Jay.]
The members, Mr. [James Mitchell] Varnum, Mr. [John] Mathews, Mr. [Samuel John] Atlee;
That a letter, of 20, from Doctor Oliphant, with a paper enclosed, be referred to the Board of War.
A letter, of 29 May, from Major General Greene, was read, with sundry papers enclosed:2
[Note 2: 2 O1yphant's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, X--VII, folio 337; Greene's is in No. 155, II, folio 91.]
Ordered, That they be referred to the Committee of Intelligence.
The committee of the week was chosen:
Mr. [Samuel John] Atlee, Mr. [James] Madison, Mr. [Samuel] Livermore.
A report from the Board of Treasury of the 16 was read, respecting bills of exchange drawn by British officers, for their subsistance while prisoners of war in the State of Connecticut, returned protested.
Ordered, That the same be referred to a committee of three:
The members, Mr. [Elias] Boudinot, Mr. T[homas] Smith, Mr. [George] Clymer.
Another report from the Board of Treasury was read, respecting sums of old continental money in sundry loan offices, &c.:
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three:
The members, Mr. [James] Duane, Mr. [Roger] Sherman, Mr. [Joseph] Jones.
A report of the Board of War was read on the letter of Captain J.P. Jones, Major S. Nicholas, and a petition of Joseph Hardy:
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War Office August 15th. 1781.
Sir,
The Board have considered the memorial of Captain P. Jones, Major S. Nichols and Captain J. Hardy referred to them, and beg leave to observe that they are altogether unacquainted with the affairs of the Navy; as they are not possessed of any of the papers relative to the transaction of that Department. They know not what sums of money those Gentlemen have received, or what is due, or on what funds to recommend warrants for payment, without being liable to derange the appropriation of the funds already made in that Department; they are likewise unacquainted with the rank and mode of giving command to the marine officers; under these circumstances we flatter ourselves Congress will pardon us in wishing not to give our opinion on a subject we have so little knowledge of.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 148, II, folio 193.]
Ordered, That the same be referred to the committee on the letter from J. Brown.
The Board of War, to whom was referred a petition of Fabian Hamerly; and
War Office August 15th. 1781.
Sir,
The Board have considered the memorial of Fabian Hamerly referred to them, and beg leave to inform Congress that previous to exhibiting his memorial he applied to the Board, and was informed by them, that they were of opinion the moneys charged were justly due; but from the low state of the Finances he could not receive immediate payment; but supposed he might have his money funded on interest until it could be paid. Which the Board are fully convinced is all the Superintendent of Finance will be able to do on account of monies due before his entering into office?2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 148, II, folio 179.]
The Board of Treasury, to whom was referred the letter, of 9, from Cha Pettit, delivered in their respective reports.
Treasury Office August 15th. 1781
The Board of Treasury on the letter of Charles Pettit, dated August 9th referred to them by the United States in Congress Assembled, beg leave to report,
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That were it proper for the Board to recommend an advance to Colonel Pettit to pay the clerks, mentioned in his letter, employed in the business of the late Quartermaster General's Department, it would be needless in the present instance from the exhausted state of the Treasury, which cannot admit of any draughts in specie or paper.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, V, folio 443.]
The committee to whom was referred the letter, of the 16, from Brigadier General Moultrie, enclosing a memorial from sundry officers of the South Carolina and Georgia lines, delivered in a report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That the Board of War direct rations of wood to be issued to the said officers until the further order of Congress.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, in the writing of John Mathews, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, IV, folio 463.]
The committee appointed to confer with Jonas Fay, Ira Allen and Bezaleel Woodward;
The committee on the letter, of 8, from General Washington; and
The committee to whom was referred the memorial of G. Crowninshield and others, delivered in their respective reports:
Congress took into consideration the report of the committee appointed to confer with J. Fay, I. Allen and B. Woodward, and thereupon came to the following resolution:
The Committee appointed to confer with Jonas Fay Ira Allen and Bezaleel Woodard Esqrs. Agents from the State of Vermont Report,
That your Committee on the 18th. Inst met the Agents from the State of Vermont and having informed them of the purpose of their present conference and that the Committee were ready to hear any proposition or to receive any Information the sd. Agents should think proper to communicate they delivered to your Committee the paper writing numbered i That thereupon Your Committee stated a
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number of Questions in writing and requested written answers thereto from the sd. Agents which we accordingly returned to your Committee and both Questions and Answers are contained in the Paper writing numbered (2)
That your Committee having thus obtained all the Information on the subject referred to them, that the sd. Agents could communicate beg leave to submit the same to Congress, together with sundry papers delivered to your Committee by the sd. Agents for the Information of Congress relative to the past proceedings of the State of Vermont.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Elias Boudinot, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 40, II, folio 1.]
It being the fixed purpose of Congress to adhere to the guarantee to the states of New Hampshire and New York, contained in the resolutions of the 7th instant:
Resolved, That it be an indispensible preliminary to the recognition of the independence of the people inhabiting the territory called the state of Vermont, to independence and an their admission into the federal union, that they explicitly relinquish all demands of lands or jurisdiction on the east side of the west bank of Connecticut river, and on the west side of a line, beginning at the north-west corner of the State of Massachusetts, thence running twenty miles east of Hudson's river, so far as the said river runs north-easterly in its general course; then by the west bounds of the townships of Wells, Poultney, Castleton Hughbarton and Dunbar to Weedereek thence all along the same granted by the late government of New Hampshire to the river running from South Bay to Lake Champlain, thence along the said river to Lake Champlain, thence along the waters of Lake Champlain to the latitude 45 degrees north, excepting a neck of land between Missiskoy Bay and the waters of Lake Champlain.
On the question to agree to this, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [William] Sharpe,
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So it was resolved in the affirmative.
The committee to whom was referred the report of the Board of Treasury respecting bills of exchange delivered in a report.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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