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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 --TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1781
A letter, of this day, from J. Moylan, cloathier general; and
One, of the same date, from Doct Oliphant, deputy director, were read:1
[Note 1: 1 Monlan's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XVI, folio 231; Olyphant's is in No. 78, XVII, folio 341.]
Ordered, That they be referred to the Board of War.
The committee of the week made report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a petition of William Hardy lie on the table;
That a letter of Baron d'Arendt be referred to the Board of War;2
[Note 2: 2 Hardy's petition is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, III, folio 427; d'Arendt's letter is in No. 78, VII, folio 407.]
That a letter and account of Ann Roberts, as executrix to her late brother, Robert Jewell, be referred to the Board of Treasury.3
[Note 3: 3 This report, in the writing of George Partridge, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 32, folio 247.]
The Committee on the Post Office, to whom was referred a letter from Frederic King, delivered in a report; Whereupon,
Resolved, That Major General Heath be directed to order a proper escort for the safe conveyance of the mail between the post offices at Morristown and Fish Kill.4
[Note 4: 4 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 61, folio 489.]
The ordinance for regulating the treasury, &c. was read a third time, and passed in the following form:
AN ORDINANCE FOR REGULATING THE TREASURY, AND ADJUSTING THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS.
Be it ordained by the United States in Congress assembled, that from and after the 20th day of September, 1781, the functions and appointments of the commissioners of the treasury, chambers of accounts, auditor general, auditors and extra commissioners of accounts, their assistants, under officer
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and clerks, shall cease and determine; that for the more effectual execution of the business of the treasury, and the settlement of the public accounts, the following officers shall be appointed in aid of the superintendant of finance, his assistant, accountant secretary and clerks, namely, a comptroller, a treasurer, a register, auditors and clerks. The comptroller shall be appointed by Congress, with general authority to inspect and superintend the settlement of public accounts, and all subordinate officers concerned therein; it shall be his immediate duty to see that the public accounts are expeditiously and properly adjusted, and accurately and safely kept. And, that it may be done with the greater facility, he shall direct a general form in which all the public accounts shall be stated and rendered. He shall take care that the balances of public moneys are punctually deposited in the hands of the treasurer. The comptroller shall commit every account to such clerk for examination, as he shall judge most proper for that purpose, naming also the auditor to whom the clerk shall transmit it. When an account is audited in the manner herein after described, it shall be reported to the comptroller, and any person who shall think himself aggrieved by the judgment of the auditor, shall have a privilege of appealing, within fourteen days, to the comptroller. In all such appeals the comptroller shall openly and publicly hear the parties, and his decision shall be conclusive. The account being finally adjusted, shall be transmitted by the comptroller to the register, to be entered of record; and a note of the balance shall be certified by the comptroller to the superintendant of finance, to make out the proper warrants for payment.
The treasurer shall be appointed by Congress. It shall be his duty to receive and keep all moneys of the United States, and issue them on warrants drawn by the President of Congress, or the superintendant of finance. On receiving money
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he shall give a receipt, and on every payment take one, to serve as his voucher. He shall render his accounts quarterly to the comptroller for examination and settlement, and transmit a copy, when audited, to the superintendant.
The register shall be appointed by Congress. He shall keep all the public accounts, both of receipts and expenditures, and every warrant on the treasurer or others shall be entered and countersigned by the register before it shall be paid. He shall have the appointment of the clerk or clerks necessary to assist him in his office.
The auditors, the number of whom shall be fixed by the superintendant of finance, shall be appointed by Congress. After an account shall be examined by the clerk, in the manner herein after directed, it shall be delivered to the auditor, who shall hear the party and the clerk, and determine upon the objections, and being satisfied that the account is properly adjusted, shall pass it as audited, and transmit it to the comptroller.
The clerks, the number of whom shall also be regulated by the superintendant of finance, shall be appointed by the comptroller: it shall be their duty, respectively, to examine all accounts which shall be committed to them by the comptroller, to correct all errors, and to note in writing what may appear exceptionable, either as to the propriety of the charges, or the validity of the vouchers; and transmit the accounts with his remarks, to the auditor; and the party, for himself, and the clerk, on behalf of the public, shall be heard before the auditor.
That the several officers before mentioned, shall respectively take an oath, to be administered by the President of Congress, or one of the judges of the supreme or superior court within any of the United States for the faithful execution of the trust reposed in them respectively.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of James Duane, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, V, folio 459.]
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[The Committee to whom the letter of the 24 instant from the Superintendent of Finance was referred--Report]
Resolved, That the salary of the comptroller be eighteen hundred and fifty dollars in specie per annum:
That the salary of the treasurer be fifteen hundred dollars per annum:
That the salary of the register be twelve hundred dollars per annum:
That the salary of each auditor be at the rate of one thousand dollars per annum:
That the salary of each clerk be at the rate of five hundred dollars per annum.
Resolved, [That the superintendant of finance be, and hereby is, authorised to appoint a secretary in his office, with a salary of one thousand dollars per annum specie.]
Ordered, That Friday next be assigned for the election of a Comptroller, Treasurer and Register.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Thomas McKean, except the portions in brackets, which are in the writing of Thomas Bee, and the last paragraph, which is in Thomson's writing, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, IV, folio 325.]
The committee on the letters, of 8 and 10, from the superintendant of finance delivered in a report.
The Committee of Commerce, to whom was referred the petition of Saml Bryan, delivered in a report.
The Committee of Commerce report the following resolution upon the memorial of Samuel Bryan:
That no passport for the importation of salt from any part of the British Dominions be granted, but at the instance of a State, and that a State, the situation of whose trade may render such passport absolutely necessary for the introduction of salt.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, I, folio 433. See post, September 24. The report, as the indorsement shows, was rendered obsolete by the report on the petition of Thomas Savage.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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