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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, DECEMBER 11, 1782
On the application of the Secretary at War,
Ordered, That he have leave of absence to visit his family.3
[Note 3: 3 The Secretary at War's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 149, II, folio 185.]
On the report of a committee consisting of Mr. [Alexander] Hamilton, Mr. [James] Madison and Mr. [Thomas] Fitzsimmons,
Resolved, That the following letter be sent to the governor of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, with the deputation appointed to proceed to that State:
Sir: Congress are equally affected and alarmed by the information they have received, that the legislature of your State, at their last meeting, have refused their concurrence in the establishment of a
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duty on imports. They consider this measure as so indispensable to the prosecution of the war, that a sense of duty and regard to the common safety, compel them to renew their efforts to engage a compliance with it; and in this view they have determined to send a deputation of three of their members to your State, as expressed in the enclosed resolution. The gentlemen they have appointed will be able to lay before you a full and just representation of the public affairs, from which, they flatter themselves, will result a conviction of the propriety of their solicitude upon the present occasion. Convinced by past experience of the zeal and patriotism of the State of Rhode Island, they cannot doubt that it will yield to those urgent considerations which flow from a knowledge of our true situation. They will only briefly observe, that the increasing discontents of the army, the loud clamours of the public creditors, and the extreme disproportion between the current supplies and the demands of the public service, are so many invincible arguments for a general the fund at the disposal of recommended by Congress. They feel themselves unable to devise any other that will be more efficacious, less exceptionable or more generally agreeable, and if this is rejected, they anticipate calamities of a most menacing nature, with this consolation, however, that they have faithfully discharged their trust, and that the mischiefs which may follow, cannot be attributed to them.
A principal object of the proposed fund is, to procure loans abroad. If no security can be held out to lenders, the success of these must necessarily be very limited. The last accounts on the subject were not flattering, and when intelligence shall arrive in Europe, that the State of Rhode Island has disagreed to the only fund which has yet been devised, there is every reason to apprehend it will have a fatal influence on their future progress. Deprived of this resource, our affairs must, in all probability, rapidly hasten to a dangerous crisis, and these states be involved in greater embarrassments than they have yet experienced, and from which it may be much more difficult to emerge. Congress will only add a request to your Excellency, that if the legislature should not be sitting, it may be called together as speedily as possible, to enable the gentlemen whom they have deputed to perform the purpose of their mission.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Alexander Hamilton, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 20, I, folio 209.]
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[On a report of the Secretary at War,
War Office, December 10th., 1782.
Sir,
On a motion of Mr Howell, for settling Mr Peck's depreciation, referred to the Secretary at War, I beg leave to submit the following draught of a resolve to the consideration of Congress.
Resolved, That it be recommended to the State of Rhode Island, to settle Major William Peck's depreciation in the manner they have adjusted the depreciation of the officers of their line.]1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the continental Congress, No. 149, II, folio 163. The part of the Journal in brackets was entered by George Bond.
The following undated motion, in the writing of David Howell, except the portions in brackets, which is in the writing of Elias Boudinot, is in No. 36, II, folio 95:
That the Secretary at War [Governor of Rhode Island] be directed to carry into effect the resolve of 25 July, 1777, in favour of Lieut, Col. Barton of the State of R. I. and P. P. [and that the expence be taken out of the first monies arising from the Duty of 5 P C recommended by Congress.]]
On a report from the Secretary at War,
War Office, Dec. 10th, 1782.
Sir,
On the reference of my letter addressed to Congress respecting the British Prisoners of war, I beg leave to submit the following draught of a resolve,
Resolved, That the Secretary at War be empowered to permit any British prisoner of war to hire himself as a labourer, provided the person who employs him shall give sufficient security for his appearance when called for, in a penal bond of one hundred pounds current money of Pensylvania, and that he pays to the Superintendant of Finance four dollars monthly for the hire of such prisoner while retained in his service.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 149, II, folio 175.
The resolution was entered only in the manuscript Secret (Domestic) Journal and in Secret Journal No. 8, A.]
Ordered, That a letter from the Superintendent of Finance of 10th December respecting an allowance to T. Rutledge, purchasing commissary Southern Army, be referred to Mr. [John Lewis] Gervais, Mr. [Thomas] Fitzsimmons and Mr. [Abraham] Clark.
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That a report of Superintendant of Finance for settling accounts of Officers up to the 31 December, 1781, be referred to Mr. [John Taylor] Gilman, Mr. [Alexander] Hamilton and Mr. [Thomas] Fitzsimmons.1
[Note 1: 1 These two orders were entered only in the journal kept by the Secretary of Congress for the Superintendent of Finance: Morris Papers, Congressional Proceedings.
On this day, according to the indorsement, a letter, of December 11, from the Secretary at War, enclosing an extract of a letter, of November 11, from Major General Greene, respecting the fortifications of Charlestown, was read and referred to Mr. [John Lewis] Gervais, Mr. [Alexander] Hamilton and Mr. [Daniel] Carroll. The committee was discharged April 28, 1783. The letter from the Secretary at War is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 149, II, folio 181; and the extract from Greene's letter on folio 179.]
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