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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 --MONDAY, APRIL 7, 1783
On the report of a committee, consisting of Mr. [Alexander] Hamilton, Mr. [Richard] Peters and Mr. [Nathaniel] Gorham:
Resolved, That the Secretary at war, in concert with the Commander in Chief, be, and he is hereby directed to consider and report to Congress, as speedily as may be, such measures as it will be proper to take in the present juncture for reducing the expences of the United States in the War Department.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Alexander Hamilton, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 27, folio 225. According to the record in Committee Book No. 186, the committee was appointed April 4, "to consider the means of reducing expenditures in the military department."]
On the report of a committee, consisting of Mr. [Samuel] Osgood, Mr. [William] Floyd and Mr. [Eliphalet] Dyer, to whom was referred a letter of 31 of March from the Secretary at War, respecting a claim of Morgan Lewis, esq. late deputy quartermaster, to the permanent rank and emoluments of a colonel:
That the Secretary at War be directed to inform Col. Morgan Lewis, that his request cannot consistent with rules heretofore laid down be complied with.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, in the writing of Samuel Osgood, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 149, II, folio 430.]
Ordered, That the Secretary at War inform Morgan Lewis, esq. that his claim to permanent rank, and to be considered as retiring under the resolutions of the 21 October, 1780, with the emoluments of a colonel, cannot, consistent with the rules heretofore laid down, be admitted.
The Grand Committee, consisting of Mr. [Phillips White, Mr. Samuel Osgood, Mr. John Collins, Mr. Oliver Ellsworth, Mr. William Floyd, Mr. Abraham Clark, Mr. Eleazer McComb, Mr. William Hemsley, Mr. John Francis Mercer, Mr. Hugh Williamson and Mr. John Lewis Gervais], appointed to consider and report the proportions which the several States shall for the present bear towards each other in the requisitions of Congress have attended the service assigned them and submit the following proportions grounded upon the number of Inhabitants in the several States. New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Maryland produced authentic documents of their numbers; in ascertaining
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affixing the numbers of the other States the Committee were obliged to govern themselves by such information as they could obtain. The numbers and proportions are as follows.
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The committee have also made the most accurate estimates of the amount of the national debt that the documents with which they were furnished enabled them to do, and find that the sum necessary to support the public credit will amount to about 2,500,000 dollars annually, as will appear from the estimate herewith furnished. They have apportioned to the several states 1,500,000 the sum that is supposed will remain to be provided for after the impost shall have been collected granted. The proportions of the several states as agreed to by the committee are as follows: viz,
1,500,000[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Samuel Osgood, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 26, folio 899. The indorsement states that it was passed on this date. According to the record in Committee Book No. 186, the committee was appointed April 1, and was "to meet in the Congress Chamber tomorrow morning at 11 o'clock." The committee's proportions were slightly changed by Congress. See post, April 18. A copy of the report, with the amended figures, is in the Book of Estimates, No. 12.]
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The committee of the week [Mr. John Francis Mercer, Mr. Phillips White, Mr. Samuel Holten] report,
That the memorial of John Thompson be referred to the Agent of Marine1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 32, folio 461.
On this day, as the indorsement states, was read a letter of March 23 from General Washington. It is in No. 152, XI, folio 187. It was referred to Mr. [Richard] Peters, Mr. [Eliphalet] Dyer and Mr. T[homas Sim] Lee.
Also a letter from General Washington of March 30. It is in No. 152, XI, folio 191.
On April 8, according to the indorsement, was read a letter of April 4 from General Washington. It is in No. 152, XI, folio 195. It was referred to Mr. [Alexander] Hamilton, Mr. [James] Madison and Mr. [Samuel] Osgood.]
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