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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, AUGUST 28, 1783
The delegates for Pensylvania laid before Congress an extract from the minutes of the general assembly of that State, which was read, and is as follows:
State of Pensylvania, in General Assembly, Monday, August 25, 1783,
A.M.
Agreeable to the order of the day, the house went into the consideration of the report on the subject of national credit, read August 22 instant; whereupon,
Resolved unanimously, That Mr. Rush, Mr. Whitehill and Mr. Hoge, be a committee to prepare and bring in a bill conformable to the resolution of Congress of April 18, 1783, inserting a clause for repealing the act, entitled "An act to vest in the Congress of the United States, a power to levy duties of five per centum ad valorem, on certain goods and merchandise imported into this commonwealth, and on prizes and prize goods condemned in the court of admiralty of this State, after the first day of May, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-one, and for appropriating the same."
Resolved unanimously, That the measures Congress have taken in their resolution of the 18th of April last, to support and establish
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public and national credit, meet with the approbation of this house, and they will appropriate substantial and permanent funds, by taxes or otherwise, for supplying the continental treasury with their quota as assigned in said resolution.
Resolved unanimously, That this house do hereby authorise and direct their delegates in Congress, or any two of them, to join with the delegates of the other states in Congress assembled, and properly authorised, in revoking and making void so much of the eighth Article of Confederation and perpetual union, between the thirteen States of America, as is contained in the following words, viz. "All charges of war, and all other expences that shall be incurred for the common defence or general welfare, and allowed by the United States in Congress assembled, shall be defrayed out of a common treasury, which shall be supplied by the several states, in proportion to the value of all land within such State granted to or surveyed for any person as such land, and the buildings and improvements thereon, shall be estimated according to such mode as the United States in Congress assembled shall, from time to time, direct and appoint." And in place thereof to substitute the words following, viz.
"All charges of war, and all other expences that have been or shall be incurred for the common defence or general welfare, and allowed by the United States in Congress assembled, except so far as shall be otherwise provided for, shall be defrayed out of a common treasury, which shall be supplied by the several states in proportion to the whole number of white and other free citizens and inhabitants of every age, sex and condition, including those bound to servitude for a term of years, and three fifths of all other persons not comprehended in the foregoing description, except Indians not paying taxes in each State, which number shall be triennially taken and transmitted to the United States in Congress assembled, in such mode as they shall direct and appoint."1
[Note 1: 1 This act is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 75, folio 213.]
On the report of a committee, consisting of Mr. [Theodorick] Bland, Mr. [John Francis] Mercer and Mr. [Samuel] Holten, to whom was referred a letter of 10 August, from Captain Winthrop Sarjeant,
The Committee to whom was referred the letter from Winthrop Sergeant, Cat of Artillery in the line of Massachusetts,
That from the injury Capt Winthrop Serjeant appears to have received in his rank owing to the various arrangements which have
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taken place with regard to promotion which from his particular situation have proved singularly disadvantageous to him, and from a consideration of his merit and long services, that he is entitled to promotion, and therefore submit the following Resolution:
Resolved, That Captain Winthrop Sarjent be, and he is hereby promoted to the rank of major by brevet in the army of the United States.
and that his commission bear date from the date of this resolution.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Theodorick Bland, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, V, folio 285. According to the indorsement, it was delivered August 25, entered and read.]
The ordinance for prohibiting the settlement and purchase of certain lands, was read a second time.
Ordered, That it be referred to a grand committee.2
[Note 2: 2 See August 13, note.
On this date, as the indorsement indicates, was read a letter of August 28, from Stephen Moore praying for relief. It is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XVI, folio 375.]
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