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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 23, 1781
A memorial from the honble the Minister of France was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the committee on the proposed convention respecting the powers, &c., of consuls, vice consuls and agents.2
[Note 2: 2 This order was also entered in manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs.]
A report of the committee of the week was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a petition of John Compti be referred to the Board of War.3
[Note 3: 3 This report, in the writing of Samuel John Atlee, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 32, folio 227.]
The report of the committee on the report of the Board of War on the letter, of 27 July, from T. Pickering, quartermaster general, respecting forage collected and used in Westchester
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County, was taken into consideration, and after debate:
The Committee to whom was referred the Report of the Board of War upon the Quarter Master General's Letter respecting Forage in West Chester County in the State of New York, beg Leave to report the following Resolution:
That the Quarter Master General take an exact Account of the Number of Horses, Oxen and fat Cattle belonging to the Allied Army, that have been or shall be pastured in the County of West Chester in the State of New York during the present campaign, ascertaining the Number of days respectively; and the numbers of Horses, Oxen, and fat Cattle belonging to each Army, and give Certificates and that he give Certificates accordingly from Time to Time to any person or persons who shall be authorised to receive the same.
Resolved, That the allowance and Pay for Forage consumed as aforesaid, must be referred to future Adjustment and a Settlement between the United States and the State of New York.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of James Mitchell Varnum, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, V, folio 163. See post, September 7.]
Ordered, That it be re-committed.
J. Pennel, paymaster of the navy board, having according to order settled the account of Nathan Dorsey and certified the same to Congress:
Ordered, That it be returned to him for payment.
The report of the committee on the letter, of 18 June, from the governor of Massachusetts, was taken into consideration, and after debate:
Ordered, That the same be referred to the superintendant of finance, and that he report thereon with all convenient dispatch.
The report of the committee on the reports before Congress previous to the 25 July was taken into consideration; and Thereupon,
The committee appointed to revise the reports depending before Congress on the sixth 25th day of July 1781, and report which of them
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are fit to be acted upon, report that the following reports of the Board of War, to wit:
Ought to be acted upon.
Ought not to be acted upon.
That the following reports from the Board of Treasury, to wit:
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Ought to be acted upon.
Ought not to be acted upon.
That the following reports from the Board of Admiralty, to wit, The report relative
Ought not to be acted upon.
Ought to be acted upon.
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That the following reports of Special Committees to wit
Ought not to be acted upon.
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Ought to be acted upon.
Resolved, That the Secretary of Congress prepare a state of the reports which shall be hereafter delivered into his hands or have been already delivered since theday of July, 1781, and unacted upon specifying by whom and when made together with the purport thereof.
Resolved, That the Secretary of Congress prepare and preserve a similar state of all the reports delivered at any time into his hands since the sixth 25 day of July 1781, so much as relates to a fitness or unfitness to be acted upon excepted, and that he read a list of all the depending reports every day immediately after the dispatches.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Edmund Randolph, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 23, folio 69. It is included in the list of reports in No. 31, folio 371--2.]
On a report of the Board of War of the 27 May, 1779:
Resolved, That as the corps of light dragoons are generally detached from each other, which renders it impracticable for their brigade chaplain to perform the duties of his office, such a chaplain is unnecessary; and that the present brigade
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chaplain to the light dragoons, if any there be, be discharged from the service.
On a report of the Board of War of 24 July, 1779:
Resolved, That the supreme executive council of Pensylvania be requested to appoint proper persons to make a just and conscionable appraisement of the leaden spouts taken in the year 1777, from the houses of sundry inhabitants of Philadelphia, by order of Congress, for the use of the United States; and that they direct the appraisers to return to the Board of War and Ordnance such their valuation and appraisement.
Ordered, That the Board of War and Ordnance on receiving the said appraisement, direct the commissary general of military stores to pay the sums due thereon to the respective persons entitled receive the same, on their applications.1
[Note 1: 1 The report of July 24, 1779, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 148, II, folio 207.]
On a report of the Board of War of 19 December, 1780: Resolved, That the Board of War and Ordnance be, and hereby are authorised and directed to take measures for vacating the contract made by order of Congress the 19 day of September, 1777, with James Byers, cannon-founder.
Ordered, That the reminder of the report of the Board of War be re-committed to the Board to take order.
Ordered, that the report of the Board of War, of 3 February, 1781, on a memorial of Lieutenant Colonel Fleuri;
That the report of the said Board, of the 6th March, 1781, with an estimate for equipping Colonel Moylan's corps;
That the reports of the said Board, of 15 March and 13 June 1781, respecting the western frontiers;
That their report, of 3 December, 1779, relative to arms, cloathing, &c.;
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That their report of 16 May, 1781, on the case of Doct. Peres;
That the remainder of their report, of 16 June, on the medical department;
That their report, of June 12, on the case of Lieutenant Moore of the Convention prisoners;
That their report, of June 20, on the case of D. Weaver; and
That their reports of July 17 and 20, respecting the passages of sundry officers from Charlestown; be not acted upon.
Ordered, That the consideration of the report of the Board of War, of 3 April, on a letter of Brigadier General Thompson, be postponed.
Ordered, That the reports of the Board of Treasury, of 16 and 18 January, 1781, relative to the payment of interest, be referred to a committee of three:
The members, Mr. [Roger] Sherman, Mr. [James] Duane, Mr. [George] Clymer.
Resolved, That the memorial and accounts of Colonel Nathaniel Gist, with the report of the commissioners of the chamber of accounts thereon, be referred to the Board of Treasury, and that they pass to the credit of the said Colonel Gist in the books of the treasury such sum as they shall find to be justly due to him, the same to bear interest of six per cent. per annum from the time it ought to have been paid until payment is made.
Ordered, That the report of the Board of Treasury, of 7 and 8 March, 1781, on the memorial of Captain Greene, be referred to the Board of War.
Ordered, That a report of the Board of Treasury, of the 23 February, 1781, on the salaries of the respective loan officers, be referred to the superintendant of finance.
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Ordered, That the report of the Board of Treasury, of 12 March, 1781, respecting the accounts of the late Mons du Coudray, be referred to a committee of three:
Treasury Office March 12th. 1781.
The Board of Treasury to whom was referred the letter from the Honble. the Minister of France to his Excellency the President, of the United States in Congress assembled on the subject of the affairs of the late Monsieur De Coudray dated the 4th. instant beg leave to report as follows:
That the Board have attentively considered the Memorial of Monsieur De Jardin, a brother of the deceased to Monsieur Gerard the late Minister of France to these United States, which states the following claims to be due to the Estate of the deceased, translated from the French in the following words:
From which is to be deducted--
The Board upon enquiry find that the sum charged for pay is according to the State given in by Mons. Le Brun Mons. Du Coudray's secretary, and which it is presumed is conformable to the contract made with Mr. Dean. They also find that the sum in paper currency is agreeable to the balance, as adjusted with Monsieur Le Brun; and that the only difficulty rests in estimating the value of the paper money in the money of France, so as to do equal justice. The claimant fixes the value of the dollar at 57. Sous 1d mentioning it to
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be the estimation of Congress. This is valuing the dollar at somewhat less than three livres; and the Board presume it is in consequence of information the Monsieur de Jardin received from Le Brun of the manner of his settling the pay of the corps of officers who came to America under the -- of du Coudray and who returned with him (Le Brun) to France, for it appears by the settlement of the pay roll of those officers in which the French pay is converted into dollars at 5 livres the dollar, that a ballance of 7220 dollars was on the 17th of November reported to be due and actually paid by a warrant on the Treasurer of the United States; afterwards Congress appointed a Committee to reconsider this report, who reported on the 14 of the same month (to which the Board refer) that the sum of fourteen thousand five hundred and eighty livres should be paid them in bills of exchange on the Commissioners in Paris, which was accordingly done, and valuing the dollar at five livres amounted to 2916 dollars. Upon what principle this allowance was made by the Committee does not appear, but the presumption is it was to reimburse those officers the loss they would sustain in purchasing bills upon France, and this opinion is strengthened, if the mode in which the account of General De Formoy was adjusted is attended to: for it appears by an Act of the 16th. of February the balance was to be taken in a bill of exchange at 3 livres per dollar, "being the present exchange." This being the best State of the business the Board can give, they beg leave to submit a report of the Commissioners of the Chambers of Accounts made in consequence of an order of the Superintendant of the Treasury of the 4th of Sept 1779, which is adjusted on the principal laid down in the before mentioned Memorial and constitutes a balance due to the heirs of De Coudray of 14,886 livres 4s. 1d. but if the dollar is to be rated at five livres this balance will be reduced to 7325 livres.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, V, folio 163.]
The members, Mr. [James] Duane, Mr. [Thomas] Bee, Mr. [Roger] Sherman.
Ordered, That the report of the Board of Treasury, of 29 March, 1781, with an account of the loan officers who have neglected to make proper returns to the Board, be referred to the superintendant of finance.
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Resolved, The the report of the Board of Treasury, of 27 Otober, 1780, on an account of F. Hopkinson;
That their report of 22 January, 1781 relative to the owners of rum;
That their report, of 27 January, 1781, respecting money to recruit Armand's legien;
That their report, of 20 February, 1781, for paying J. Ross with tobacco;
That their report of 6 April, 1781, respecting supplies furnished Mr. Holker;
That their report, of 12 April, 1781, on Wm. Kinnan's salary; and
That their reports, of 22 May and 6 July, 1781, for money to be paid to J. Hitzheimer and E. Hazard; be not acted on.
Ordered, That the farther consideration of the report of the committee on reports be postponed.
The Board of War, to whom was referred a letter, of 22, from Musco Livingston, delivered in a report; Whereupon,
Resolved, That the Board of War be and hereby are empowered to grant the proper passports to such vessel as shall be employed by Muscoe Livingston at his expence for the purpose of bringing his family from Jamaica on such terms as the said Board shall think proper.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 148, II, folio 209.]
On motion of Mr. [James Mitchell] Varnum, seconded by Mr. [James] Duane,
Ordered, That a circular letter be written by the President, to the executives of the states unrepresented in Congress, urging them, in the strongest terms, to send forward a full representation as expeditiously as possible
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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