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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 3, 1782
On the report of a committee, consisting of Mr. [Ezekiel] Cornell, Mr. [Samuel] Osgood, Mr. [Ralph] Izard, Mr. [Theodorick] Bland, and Mr. [James] Duane, appointed to consider and report the most just and practicable means of reducing the expenditures of the United States in the several departments:
Resolved, That all resolutions heretofore passed respecting the pay and emoluments of the field commissary of military stores, his deputies, conductors and clerks, be, and they hereby are repealed.
Resolved, That the pay and emoluments of the field commissary of military stores shall be fifty dollars per month, two rations per day, forage for two saddle horses, and one bat horse. He shall also be allowed six dollars and two-
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thirds of a dollar per month for a servant, for whom he shall be entitled to draw one ration per day and the cloathing allowed to a private soldier:
That the pay and emoluments of a deputy field commissary of military stores for the southern army, shall be forty dollars per month, two rations per day, forage for two saddle horses and one bat horse. He shall also be allowed six dollars and two-thirds of a dollar per month for a servant, for whom he shall be entitled to draw one ration per day and the cloathing allowed to a private soldier.
Resolved, That the pay and emoluments of the deputy field commissary of military stores with the main army and at West Point, shall be forty dollars per month and two rations per day.
That the pay and emoluments of the conductors or clerks shall be thirty dollars per month and one ration per day.
Resolved, That there shall be one field commissary of military stores and two conductors or clerks, for the main army in the field; one deputy field commissary of military stores and two conductors or clerks for West Point; one deputy field commissary of military stores and two conductors or clerks, for the southern army; and one conductor for the post at Fort Pitt; who shall be appointed by the commanding officer of the artillery, with the approbation of the Commander in Chief; excepting for the southern army, in which department the appointment shall be made by the commanding officer of artillery there, with the approbation of the commanding officer of that department.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Samuel Osgood, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 27, folio 181.]
On motion of Mr. [David] Ramsay, seconded by Mr. Izard [William] Few,
Whereas it is expedient and at the present time practicable to extend the benefits of the Post Office through North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, in which States for some time past the regular
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line of communication has been interrupted by the invasion of the enemy, It is therefore
Resolved, That the Post Master General be and he is hereby directed to reestablish Post Offices through the above mentioned states and it is further
Resolved, That the reasonable expences of the postmaster general, or of some trusty person in his department appointed by him, in travelling to and from Georgia on the business of the Post Office, shall be defrayed by the United States.1
[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of David Ramsay, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, I, folio 371.]
The committee, consisting of Mr. [Noble Wimberly] Jones, Mr. [Abraham] Clark, and Mr. [Samuel] Osgood, to whom was referred a letter of the 24 June last from Thomas Edison, delivered in a report; Whereupon,
The Committee to whom was referred the letter of Thos. Edison report,
That the letter of Thomas Edison of the 24th June, be referred to the Superintendant of Finance to take measures thereon conformable to the Resolution of Congress of the 23d of April last, in favor of said Edison, and report to Congress the amount of the sums advanced pursuant to said resolution.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, in the writing of Abraham Clark, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, I, folio 373.]
On motion of Mr. [Abraham] Clark, seconded by Mr. Wright [Daniel] Carroll,
Resolved, That the Superintendant of finance be, and he is hereby, directed to advance to Thomas Edison, at the rate of five hundred dollars per annum, to be paid monthly, to commence the 23 day of April last, in compliance with the resolution of that day, including what he may have received in consequence thereof; the said allowance to continue so long as the same may be necessary for his support, not exceeding one year.3
[Note 3: 3 This motion, in the writing of Abraham Clark, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, I, folio 367.]
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On the report of a committee consisting of Mr. [Samuel] Osgood, Mr. [John] Rutledge and [James] Madison, appointed to confer with the agent of Marine
On motion of Mr. [Samuel] Osgood, seconded by Mr. [Hugh] Williamson,
Whereas the Magnifique, a 74 gun ship belonging to the fleet of, his Most Christian Majesty, commanded by the Marquis de Vaudreuil, has been lately lost by accident in the harbor of Boston, and Congress are desirous of testifying on this occasion to his Majesty, the sense they entertain of his generous exertions in behalf of the United States:
Resolved, That the agent of marine be, and he is hereby, instructed to present the America, a 74 gun ship, in the name of the United States, to the Chevalier de la Luzerne, for the service of his Most Christian Majesty.1
[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of James Madison, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 28, folio 233.]
The Committee of the Week [Mr. John Taylor Gilman, Mr. Abraham Clark, Mr. Benjamin Huntington], having considered the memorial of John Banks, a Conductor of Military Stores, in which he requests that compensation may be made him for the depreciation of the currency, Report
That the memorial lie on the table until some general order is taken respecting officers in similar circumstances.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, in the writing of John Taylor Gilman, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 32, folio 391. The indorsement states that it was passed on this day. The memorial, dated West Point, August 13, 1782, of John Banks, is in No. 42, I, folio 290.]
The Committee [Mr Thomas McKean, Mr David Ramsay, Mr Benjamin Huntington, Mr Jonathan Jackson, Mr Edward Telfair] to whom the letter from the Superintendant of Finance dated the 2nd August was referred do now report,
That the third Class of the United States Lottery was drawn on the 29th day of April 1780; that the fortunate adventurers at that time renewed their tickets in the fourth class, and the remaining tickets, which were sold, were chiefly purchased before the month of July following, that the depreciation of the paper bills of credit emitted by Congress continued nearly the same from the 18th March,
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1780, until the 1th day of July following, and was about forty for one compared with gold and silver. Your Committee are of opinion, if there should be any mistake with regard to the true depreciation, it ought to be in favor of the adventurers, who paid specie for their tickets in the first class, and nearly the same in the second class, and only received the depreciated currency for their prizes. They further report, that there are 26,000 prizes drawn in the fourth Class of 50 dollars each, which must be forthwith paid, except about 10,000 of them, which were drawn by the United States. Whereupon the Committee have agreed to propose the following resolutions, to wit:
That all the prizes drawn in the fourth Class of the United States Lottery be reduced to specie, by allowing one dollar for every forty drawn as prize, and that the respective Loan officers issue certificates for all prizes above fifty dollars in the names of the fortunate adventurers for the money by them respectively drawn, payable, with the annual interest of six per centum, at the expiration of five years from the sixth day of April last (being the last day of drawing the said class) at the Loan office of the State where the said adventurers respectively reside; that the said certificates be provided, under the direction of the Treasurer of the United States, and signed by him, and countersigned by the Loan officer, who shall issue them; that the interest thereon shall be paid annually at the said respective Loan offices; and that all prizes of fifty dollars shall be paid to the bearers of the tickets drawing such prize, by the Commissioners of the Loan offices where they respectively reside, upon application made and without any deduction. That the Superintendant of finance provide twenty thousand dollars, and cause the same to be deposited in the Loan offices of the respective States in such proportions as he shall think proper, for the discharging the prizes last mentioned.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Thomas McKean, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 137, II, folio 67. According to the indorsement, it was delivered on this day, and read; and on November 1 it was referred to the Superintendent of Finance.
On this day, as the indorsement indicates, was read a letter from General Washington, dated August 28. It was referred to Mr. [Theodorick] Bland, Mr. [James] Duane, Mr. [Ezekiel] Cornell. It is in No. 152, X, folio 747.]
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