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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 --WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 1782
Mr. [Jonathan] Elmer, a delegate for New Jersey, attended, and took his seat.
Mr. [James] Lovell, a delegate for Massachusetts, attended, and took his seat.
On a report of a committee, consisting of Mr. [Ezekiel] Cornell, Mr. [James] Madison, Mr. [Arthur] Middleton, to whom was referred a resolution passed by the legislature of the State of South Carolina, on the 14 of February, 1782,
Resolved, That the said resolution be referred to the Commander in Chief, to take order in the way he shall think most proper to carry the same into effect.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, in the writing of Ezekiel Cornell, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 20, II, folio 413. The resolution is in No. 72, folio 544.]
Ordered, That Mr. [Isaac] Motte have leave of absence.
A motion was made by Mr. [James ] Madison, seconded by Mr. [John Morin] Scott, in the following words:
Congress having by a resolution of the first instant, referred to a committee sundry papers received from Jonas
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Fay, &c. together with the other papers on the files of Congress, relating to the same subject, received since the 20 of August last: the yeas and nays having been required on the question, and of the papers so committed, such part only having been entered on the journal of the said day, as states purports on the part of Vermont the New Hampshire Grants, a compliance with the a preliminary requisition contained in the resolution of Congress of the 20 of August last, a previous act the proceedings of Vermont of the 20th of Nov. last from the 16 to the 19 of October last, rejecting the same, and sundry resolutions of the State of New York, of the 24th day of August 15 and 19 of October November last, both included among the papers referred, being omitted; and an entry on the journals thus partially stating the case, having a tendency to misinform and mislead the public judgment, as well as to defeat the purpose of calling for the yeas and nays, as authorised by the 9 Article of the Confederation, and Congress having adjourned on the 2d instant, whilst the journal of the preceding day was under consideration, whereby the opportunity of then supplying the omission was lost:
Resolved, That the secretary be authorised and directed to enter on the journal of the first instant, as of the proceedings of that day, the said proceedings and the said resolutions of the State of New York, which are in the words following, to wit:1
[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of James Madison, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, I, folio 273.]
On the question to agree to this, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [John Morin] Scott,
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So it passed in the negative.
After the yeas and nays were taken, a dispute arose, whether the two papers referred to should be entered after the words "to wit;" and it being contended, on the one hand, that the papers were handed in with the motion, and ought to be considered as part of the motion, and on the other hand, this being objected to, the secretary desired direction on the matter, but after debate, the house adjourned without giving any direction respecting the entry.1
[Note 1: 1 This paragraph, in the writing of Charles Thomson, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, I, folio 271.]
The Committee [Mr. Daniel Carroll, Mr. Samuel John Atlee and Mr. Ezekiel Cornell] to whom was referred a letter from Governor Trumbull of Connecticut and sundry papers from the State of Pensylvania, with orders to confer with the Commander in Chief, Report,
That the Commander in Chief observed that General Irvine who commands at Pittsburg, had instructions to make the best arrangements in his power for the defence of the frontiers and that two Continental Regts. had been stationed there a considerable time for that purpose which if nearly full would be in his opinion as large a force as the United States are able to support for that service, and tho' the Regts. were now weak, he had ordered them to be reinforced by the first recruits that should be raised in the States to which the Regiments belonged and that he was of opinion that the raising the
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recruits was all that was necessary at present. Your Committee fully concur with the General in sentiment.
Upon considering Governor Trumbull's letter the General observed, that it appeared to him, that, the State of Connecticut was in similar circumstances to that of the State of New York as represented by Governor Clinton in his letter of the 19th. of March 1781. Your Committee being of that opinion submit the following resolution.
That the ten companies mentioned in Governor Trumbull's letter of the 21st of Feby. 1782 to be raised for the defence of the State of Connecticut, be paid and subsisted while in actual service at the general expence on the same terms as the troops on the Continental establishment.
Provided the said State shall first fill up their quota of troops for the Continental Army and that the officers be in proportion to the number of men in the field.
Provided that no more officers be paid than those on the Continental establishment belonging to said State unless the noncommissioned officers and privates in the Continental regiment and the levies both together exceed their quota on the Continental establishment in that ease the officers to be paid in proportion to the number of such noncommissioned officers and privates.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Ezekiel Cornell, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 20, I, folio 287. It was read on this day, according to the indorsement. In the Committee Book, No. 191, the fact of the submission of the report is noted with the remark, "Question taken and lost." See post April 19.]
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