| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |
A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --TUESDAY, JULY 2, 1782
On a report from the Secretary at War,
War Office July 2, 1782.
Sir,
Louis Atayataghronghta of the Oneida Tribe was appointed a Lieutenant Colonel in our army the 15 of June 1779, previous to and subsequent to which appointment he has been employed by the Commissioners of Indian Affairs in transacting business between them and the several tribes of Indians with whom they have corresponded.
From his interest with the tribes, his sagacity, integrity and firm attachment to the cause of the United States much good has been derived and his farther services are necessary.
Since his promotion he has received one ration per day only, and four hundred and eighty dollars and that in February 1780. He only wishes to fare as other officers of his rank in the Army do. The same pay they receive from time to time will satisfy him.
He is one of the officers deranged under the resolution of Congress of the 31st of December last. At that time I did not know of the appointment, or I should have given it as my opinion, from the knowledge I have of him and his influence with the Indians, that he should have been retained. Should Congress be of opinion, that he be continued in the service of the United States, they will please to resolve,
Resolved, That Lieutenant Colonel Louis Atayataghharonghta retain the rank and pay of a lieutenant colonel
Page 367 | Page image
in the army of the United States, the resolves of the 31 of December last notwithstanding.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 149, I, folio 473.]
War Office July 2nd, 1782.
Sir,
I have the honor to enclose Congress copy of a letter from Lieut. Col. Smith and Major Clarkson to his Excellency General Washington, in which they represent their wish to join the combined armies of France and Spain in the West Indies as Volunteers, and his Excellency's answer referring their application to me, and through me to Congress.
I beg leave to inform Congress that these Gentlemen are not attached to the line of any particular State, that their services can be dispensed with until some active operations shall be attempted, and as we expect to be assisted in such operations by the fleet, these officers may and probably will return to their duty in our army by that opportunity.
Should Congress think proper to grant their request, they will please to resolve,
Resolved, That Lieutenant Colonel Smith and Major Clarkson have leave of absence until Congress shall direct their recal; and that they be permitted to go to the West Indies and serve in any corps of the combined armies of France and Spain to which they shall be invited.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 149, I, folio 469.]
The Superintendant of finance, to whom were referred sundry letters from Samuel Parsons, and from Parsons, Alston & Co. reports,
The Superintendant of Finance to whom was referred a letter from Parsons Alstine and Co., of the seventh of April, 1780, to the Committee of Foreign Affairs, a letter from the same of the fifteenth of February, 1781, to the Marine Committee, the account of disbursements of the schooner Fame with the receipt of Captain Palmer of the sixteenth of February, 1781, the protest of the said Captain Palmer, of the fifth of March, 1781, the letter from Samuel Parsons to the Committee of Foreign Affairs of the eighteenth of March, 1781, together with a report from the Board of Admiralty on the said letters and papers of the twenty-first of April, 1781; also a certificate
Page 368 | Page image
from the Marquis de Bouillie of the twenty-fourth of March, 1782, a letter from the Commandant of Martinique to the President of Congress of the ninth of April, 1782; the accounts of Samuel Parsons against the Commercial Committee, and Marine Committee of the ninth of April, 1782, and the following letters from him, viz. of the twelfth of April, 1782, to the President of Congress, to the Commercial Committee, to the Marine Committee and to the Committee of Foreign Affairs, and of the fourteenth of April, 1782, to the Committee of Foreign Affairs, begs leave to report,
That he does not conceive it advisable to appoint a consul in any of the West India islands, at least for the present; that any business which it may be necessary to have done at Martinique, can be well transacted by persons not holding a public character; that there is very little reason to believe there will be many British prisoners carried into the said Islands by American cruizers, under present circumstances; that he conceives any arrangements, with respect to prisoners, should be of a general nature extending to that object through every part of the world; and that the business of exchange being now in the war department, any arrangements with relation thereto, can come with propriety from the Secretary at War: he also submits that the Superintendant of finance cause the accounts of Samuel Parsons, against the United States, including therein the accounts of Parsons, Alston & Co. to be settled, and that the expences of the schooner Fame be allowed in the said accounts.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 137, I, folio 567.]
Resolved, That Congress agree to the said report.
[Motion of Mr Madison, seconded by Mr Izard, for drawing a bill in favour of Mr W. Lee July 2, 1782.]
That the Superintendant of Finance draw bills on the Minister Plenipotentiary at the Court of Versailles in favor of William Lee Esqr. for the sum of 42,189 Livres Tournois with interest thereon, from the 12 day of September last, the same being the balance due to him from the United States, and that the Secretary of Foreign Affairs transmit the Bills so drawn to William Lee Esqr. inserting in
Page 369 | Page image
such bills a proviso against the payment thereof in case the debt should have been previously discharged by the said Minister Plenipotentiary.1
[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of James Madison, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, I, folios 349 and 351.]
On a report from the Superintendant of finance, to whom was referred a letter of the 12 April, 1781, from William Lee, esq.
The Superintendant of Finance, to whom was referred the letter of the twelfth of April, 1781, from William Lee, Esquire, begs leave to report
That in a letter of the twenty-seventh of November last to his Excellency Mr. Franklin is the following paragraph "I wish you in conformity to the Act of Congress inclosed, whereof number thirty five is copy, to pay the sum of forty-two thousand, one hundred and eighty-nine livres therein mentioned with the interest to Mr. William Lee." To which Mr. Franklin, in a letter of the thirtieth of March last replies, "no demand has been made on me by Mr. William Lee. I do not know where he is."
The following order therefore is submitted:
Ordered, That the Secretary for foreign affair's inform Mr. William Leo, that he apply for payment of the monies due to him to Mr. Benjamin Franklin.2
[Note 2: 2 This order was also entered in the manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs. The report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 137, I, folio 547.]
The Committee of the Week, [Mr. John Lewis Gervais, Mr. Henry Wynkoop, Mr. Silas Condict] report,
That the memorial of Charles Roth late Lieutenant in General Pulaski's Legion, respecting his being paid part of his demands against the United States be referred to the Secretary at War.
That the memorial of William Vernon and J. Warren, late Commissioners of the Navy Board Eastern Department respecting their pay and monies advanced on behalf of the public, be referred to the Agent of Marine.
That the letter of P. Schuyler and Colckart Donier respecting Mr. Dean Agent and Interpreter for Indian Affairs in the Northern Department and the settlement of his accounts be referred to the Superintendant of Finance.
Page 370 | Page image
That the memorial of Joseph Carew respecting the depreciation of monies loaned to Joshua Huntington, Agent for building the ship Confederacy do lie on the table.
That the letter and account of Andrew Huntington praying a revision and further allowance of his said account which appears to have been settled with Jonth Trumbull do lie on the table.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Silas Condict, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 32, folio 375. According to the indorsement it was passed this day. The memorial of Joseph Carew, dated Norwich, Conn., May 18, 1782, is in No. 41, II, folio 126. The letter of May 30 from Andrew Huntington is in No. 78, XII, folio 217.]
In pursuance of the Resolve of the 17th of June:
Mr. [James] Duane, Mr. [Samuel] Osgood, Mr. [Abraham] Clark, Mr. [Arthur] Lee, and Mr. [Thomas] McKean were appointed to enquire fully into the proceedings of the department of Finance, including the several branches of the same;
Mr. [James] Madison, Mr. [Ralph] Izard, Mr. [John] Lowell, Mr. [John] Witherspoon and Mr. [George] Clymer were appointed to enquire fully into the proceedings of the department of foreign affairs;
Mr. [Ezekiel] Cornell, Mr. [Theodorick] Bland, Mr. [Philemon] Dickinson, Mr. [John Morin] Scott and Mr. [John] Rutledge were appointed to enquire fully into the proceedings of the department of War;
Mr. [Samuel] Wharton, Mr. [Benjamin] Huntington, Mr. [David] Howell, Mr. [Turbett] Wright and Mr. [Noble Wimberly] Jones were appointed to enquire fully into the proceedings of the department of Marine;
And Mr. [John Taylor] Gilman, Mr. [David] Ramsay, Mr. [Silas] Condict, Mr. [Thomas] Smith and Mr. [Eliphalet] Dyer were appointed to enquire fully into the department of the Post Office.
The foregoing committees to report the result of their respective enquiries to Congress.2
[Note 2: 2 This order was entered only in the journal kept by the Secretary of Congress for the Superintendent of Finance: Morris Papers, Congressional Proceedings. Committee Book No. 186, Papers of the Continental Congress, shows that the committee on the Post Office Department handed in a report on September 4, and the committee on the Department of Foreign Affairs, on September 18: and that the other three committees were renewed November 21.
In the committee on the Department of Finance, Mr. [James] Madison, Mr. [Thomas] Fitzsimmons and Mr. [Samuel] Wharton were appointed November 21, in place of Messrs. Duane, Lee and McKean; Mr. [Nathaniel] Gorham, in place of Mr. Osgood, December 20; Mr. [Arthur] Lee, March 31,1783, in place of Mr. Wharton; and April 8, Mr. [Theodorick] Bland in place of Mr. Lee. On April 23,1783, the committee was discharged, and the business referred to "the committee of five of 31 March."
In the committee on the Department of Wax, Mr. [Richard] Peters, Mr. [Daniel] Carroll, Mr. [John Lewis] Gervais and Mr. [John Taylor] Gilman were appointed November 21, in place of Messrs. Cornell, Bland, Dickinson and Scott; and on April 28, 1783, the committee was discharged, and the business was referred to "the committee of 6 January on like business."
In the committee on the Department of Marine, Mr. [John Lewis] Gervais, Mr. [Abner] Nash and Mr. [John Taylor] Gilman were appointed November 21, in place of Messrs. Huntington, Wright and Jones; and on April 28, 1783, the committee was discharged, and the business referred to "the committee of 6 January on like business."
For the report of the committee on the Post Office Department, see post September 5; and on the Department of Foreign Affairs, September 18.]
PREVIOUS SECTION .. NEXT SECTION .. NAVIGATOR
| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |