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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 --THURSDAY, MAY 15, 1783
On the report of a committee, consisting of Mr. [Oliver] Ellsworth, Mr. [Hugh] Williamson, and Mr. [John Lewis] Gervais, to whom was referred a motion of the delegates of the State of Rhode Island:
Resolved, That the claim of the officers of a brigade raised in the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in February, 1779, for one year, with the approbation of Congress, for depreciation of their pay, is inadmissable, no allowance of that kind having been made or approved by Congress, to any officers or soldiers discharged from service before the 10 of April, 1780.
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Ordered, That the accounts of Major J. Flagg, and J. Flagg, jun. for their services in the department of military stores, be referred to the Secretary at War to report thereon; and, that the remainder of the report be re-committed.
On motion of Mr. [Theodorick] Bland, seconded by Mr. [Samuel] Holten,
Resolved, That in future, when small committees are to be appointed, the members shall ballot at their seats, and a member for each State shall put their ballot into a box which shall stand on the table, and when all the states present have ballotted, the secretary shall take out the ballots and deliver them to the President, who shall note down the number for each person, and declare their names distinctly.
If there shall not be seven votes for each member the ballot shall be again taken to fill up the number requisite.1
[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of Theodorick Bland, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, II, folio 115.]
War Office, May 14th, 1783.
Sir,
The enclosed letter will fully represent to Congress the peculiar situation in which Colonel Ternant finds himself placed by the promotion of Colonel Armand to the Rank of Brigadier, with the right of retaining the command of his legion.
Lieut. Colonel Ternant so fully acquiesces in the measure that no observations would have originated with him on the subject did he not suppose that the continuance of General Armand in the command of the Corps conveys a tacit reflection on him, There is now no Colonel to the Legion. Congress have, in several instances, in the Department of Engineers, given up their ideas, contained in their resolutions of 1778, that no more Colonels should be appointed, which opens a door to Lieut. Col. Ternant's promotion to the rank of Colonel, without injury to the right of any other officer, as commotion in the Corps of Horse and Artillery are to be regimental.
Although I would not wish the promotion of Lieutenant Colonel Ternant to the injury of any other officers, yet I cannot but observe
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that his services have been so honorary to himself and beneficial to the States, that the most ample justice is due to him.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 149, II, folio 531. It was referred on this day, as the indorsement states, to Mr. [Thomas] Mifflin, Mr. [John Francis] Mercer and Mr. [Alexander] Hamilton. According to Committee Book No. 186, the committee was renewed July 16, and this and other matters that had been referred to the same committee were committed to Mr. [Alexander] Hamilton, Mr. [James] McHenry and Mr. [Richard] Peters; and on July 30 the committee was again renewed, Mr. [James] Duane being added in place of Hamilton. See post, June 17, 1783. The indorsement also says: "September 30, 1783, a question taken to promote Lieut. Col. Ternant one grade by brevet, lost." See post, April 22, 1784.]
War Office, May 15th, 1783.
Sir,
At my last interview with the Commander in Chief, as well as in a late letter from him, he expressed a wish that those officers who now hold the same grade which they held in the year 1777 should at the close of the war be promoted to the next senior rank to the one which they now severally hold.
This, in his opinion, will not only be a great gratification to the officers, without any expence to the United States; but in some future day may be of real use to them.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 149, II, folio 589. According to the indorsement, it was referred to Mr. [Thomas] Mifflin, Mr. [John Francis] Mercer, and Mr. [Alexander] Hamilton, on July 16 the committee was changed to Mr. [Alexander] Hamilton, Mr. [James] McHenry, and Mr. [Richard] Peters, and August 5 Hamilton was taken off the committee and Mr. [Theodorick] Bland added; but, according to the record in Committee Book No. 186, Mr. [James] Duane was added to this committee July 30, in place of Hamilton, and Bland, on August 5, to the committee on the War Office letter of June 16. See post September 30.]
Ordered, That a Letter of 15th May, 1783, from the Superintendant of Finance respecting the appointment of an agent of United States at Havannah be referred to Mr. [Nathaniel] Gorham, Mr. [Thomas] Fitzsimmons and Mr. [Benjamin] Hawkins.3
[Note 3: 3 This order was entered only in the journal kept by the Secretary of Congress for the Superintendent of Finance: Morris Papers, Congressional Proceedings. According to the record in Committee Books No. 186 and No. 191, the report of the committee was delivered May 21, and acted upon May 30.]
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