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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 --FRIDAY, JULY 11, 1783
Congress took into consideration the report of the committee, consisting of Mr. [Theodorick] Bland, Mr. [Thomas] Fitzsimmons and Mr. [Stephen] Higginson, to whom was referred the motion of Mr. [Stephen] Higginson, and the same being read as follows:
Whereas it has been represented to Congress, that the officers and soldiers of the Massachusetts line, who have lately retired on furlough, have not received the pay which was formerly directed; and whereas it is the wish of Congress to do equal justice to all the officers and soldiers of the continental army; therefore,
Resolved, That the Superintendant of finance be, and he is hereby directed to complete without delay, the same payments to the officers and soldiers of the Massachusetts line, which were ordered to be paid to the army at large.
Resolved, That the Superintendant of finance be directed immediately to order the receivers of the continental revenue in each State, to receive the notes issued by his order for the payment of the army, whether signed by himself or Michael Hillegas, treasurer, payable in one, two, three, four, five or six months2 in discharge of the requisition for eight millions of dollars, for the expence of the year 1782, and that he immediately
[Note 2: 2 The following in the report, in the writing of Elias Boudinot, appears to have been offered as an amendment to the rest of this paragraph:
And to take up such of said notes as may be tendered them for payment as far as the money they may from time to time respectively have on hand will enable them to do the same.]
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publish the said order in all the newspapers in the several states.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Theodorick Bland, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 20, I, folio 143. The following clause is in No. 26, folio 447, and was referred on this day, as the indorsement shows, to the Superintendent of Finance to report, and on July 18 referred, with the Superintendent's report, to Mr. [Theodorick] Bland, Mr. [Stephen] Higginson, Mr. [James] McHenry, who made a report July 29:
"Resolved, That the Superintendant of Finance be directed immediately to order the receivers of the continental revenue in each State to receive the notes issued by his order for the payment of the army and to take up such of said notes as may be tendered them for payment, as far as the money they may from time to time respectively have on hand, will enable them to do the same and that he immediately publish the said order in all the newspapers in the several States."]
A motion was made by Mr. [Samuel] Holten, seconded by Mr. [Stephen] Higginson, to postpone the consideration of the report, in order again to take up the original motion as entered on the Journal the 9th instant. And on the question for postponing, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Samuel] Holten,
{table}
So the question was lost.
The report was then taken into farther consideration, and the following resolution agreed to:
Whereas it has been represented to Congress that the officers and soldiers of the Massachusetts line, who have
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lately retired on furlough, have not received the pay which was formerly directed; and whereas it is the wish of Congress to do equal justice to all the officers and soldiers of the continental army:
Resolved unanimously, That the Superintendant of finance be, and he is hereby directed to complete without delay, the same payments to the officers and soldiers of the Massachusetts line, which were ordered to be paid to the army at large.
The last paragraph of the report being under debate, and the same having been amended,
Ordered, That it be referred to the Superintendant of finance to report, and that he be directed to report immediately what measures he has taken relative to the pay of the army.
On motion of Mr. [Stephen] Higginson, seconded by Mr. [Samuel] Holten,
Resolved, That the Superintendant of finance be directed to report to Congress; the reasons why the troops lately discharged upon furlough belonging to the Eastern states furloughed, did not receive part of their pay previous to their being discharged thereto, agreeably to the intention of Congress; and also to report the measures by which he expects to redeem the notes he has given issued, or may hereafter give issue to the troops which have been discharged on furloughor may be furloughed under the resolution of the 26th day of May last.1
[Note 1: 1 This resolution, in the writing of Stephen Higginson, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, II, folio 173.]
On motion of Mr. [Hugh] Williamson, seconded by Mr. [Oliver] Ellsworth, Congress came to the following resolution:
One of the delegates from Pensylvania having read in his place a letter from the Supreme Executive Council of that
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State, complaining of an ambiguity in part of the report of a committee which was entered on the Journals on the 1st instant in the following words: "That they (the Executive Council) regretted the insult which had happened, with this additional motive of sensibility, that they had themselves had a principal share in it."
Resolved, That Congress do not conceive the committee had the most distant intention to insinuate that the Executive Council took any blame to themselves as if they had blame share in promoting the insult which was offered to Congress by the mutinous troops, but that the Executive Council had shared with Congress in receiving the insult as they were sitting under the same roof.1
[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of Hugh Williamson, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, II, folio 181.]
The Committee consisting of Mr [Hugh] Williamson, Mr [Eleazer] McComb and Mr [Jonathan] Arnold, to whom was referred the memorial of Mr James McMechen, who alledges that six persons, by the help of a certain combination of mechanical powers which he has invented, may convey a Boat several hundred miles up a river, where there is a constant stream, and the same distance down, with the burden of five tons in going up and twenty tons in going down, at the average rate of eight miles per hour and upwards, working twelve hours in the day--and praying a compensation in land on the west side of the Ohio, as the condition of publishing his discovery, beg leave to represent;
That though they are very apprehensive the Boat, when constructed, will not by any means answer Mr McMechen's expectations, yet they are convinced that the discovery, should it succeed, would be attended with the most solid advantages, especially to those who may live on the western water. They beg leave also to represent, that tho' Congress must have the greatest desire to encourage every mechanic art, which may tend to the promotion of Trade and the cultivation of this great Empire, there are reasons which would render it improper for them at present to promise Mr McMechen the land he desires. Wherefore they submit the following Resolve:
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That if the Boat proposed to be constructed by Mr McMechen shall answer the valuable purposes that from his memorial he seems to expect, Congress, when the situation of their affairs may permit of it, will take the same into consideration; and notwithstanding that he may have published his discovery, they will grant such premium in Lands to the Projector as to them may seem an adequate compensation.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Eleazer McComb, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, IV, folio 39. According to the indorsement it was read on this day. McMechen's memorial is in No. 78, XVI, folio 359, and was read and referred to the committee, July 9.]
[Motion of Mr. Stephen Higginson July 11, 1783.]
That the Superintendant of Finance be directed to report to Congress what notes are now in circulation and to what amount that are payable within three months from this time, and also whether any money is immediately necessary to defray expences in the marine or any other Department, and whether he has other resources than the requisitions upon the states to redeem such notes and defray those expences.2
[Note 2: 2 This motion, in the writing of Stephen Higginson, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, II, folio 179.]
The Superintendant of Finance to whom was referred the petition of Grace Mercer widow of Richard Mercer Esqr. Purveyor to the Hospitals of the United States in South Carolina begs leave to report,
That if, as is alledged, the Paper Money therein mentioned remained in the Hands of the said Richard Mercer from the time in which he received it until his Death and from that time to the present in the Hands of his Widow the Delivery of it ought to discharge the said Richard Mercer's Estate in account with the United States from the value which so much money was of at the time it was received by him. And the Delivery of the said Money into the State Treasury of South Carolina ought in like manner to discharge the United States from the like value in account with the said State.
That the Commissioner for Setling the Hospital Accounts will therefore on proper Proof made to him of the Facts above stated receive the said money and credit the same in the account of the said Richard Mercer and will transmit the money and the Proof to the Commissioner for Settling the accounts of the United States with
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the State of South Carolina who will enter it in those accounts to the Credit of the United States.
Office of Finance 8 July, 1783.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 137, II, folio 607. The indorsement shows that it was read on this day and on July 16 referred to Mr. [Richard] Peters, Mr. [Abraham] Clark and Mr. [Stephen] Higginson. A duplicate of the report, also signed by Morris, but dated 31 July, 1783, is in No. 137, II, folio 731. It is indorsed as delivered August 5, entered, and "to be filed among obsolete reports." See post July 23.
On this day, as the indorsement states, was read a letter of July 5 from General Washington enclosing papers relating to the "pretended promotions of several officers in Brigadier General Hazen's regiment." It is in No. 152, XI, folio 397, and the enclosures on folios 401--409. It was referred to the Secretary at War to report.]
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