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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, MARCH 10, 1783
Mr. Eleazer McComb and Mr. Gunning Bedford, two delegates for the State of Delaware, attended, and produced the credentials of their appointment, by which it appears, that on the first day of February, 1783, the honble Cæsar Rodney, James Tilton, Eleazer McComb and Gunning Bedford, junr. esqrs. were elected delegates to represent the said State in the Congress of the United States of America.
In The General Assembly Of The Delaware State,
Saturday, P. M. February 1, 1783.
The Council and House of Assembly proceeded, by joint Ballot, to the choice of Delegates to represent this State in the Congress of The United States of the The United States of America for the ensuing year, and the Box containing the Ballots being examined by the Speakers of both Houses, in the Presence of the Members, The Honorable Caesar Rodney, James Tilton, Eleazer McComb and Gunning Bedford, Junr Esquires, are declared duly elected.
Extract from the Minutes,
Jas Booth Clk of Assembly.2
[Note 2: 2 The original is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, Delaware, Credentials of Delegates. It was entered in No. 179, Record of Credentials, and not in the Journal.]
This is to certify that on the twenty seventh day of November seventeen hundred and eighty two the Honourable Thomas Sire Lee, Daniel Carroll, William Hemsley and Edward Giles Esquires were
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elected by the joint Ballot of the Senate and House of Delegates to represent the State of Maryland in Congress for the ensuing Year.
Test.
Ja. Maccubin Cl. Sen.
Wm. Harwood, Cl. Ho. Del.1
[Note 1: 1 he original is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, Maryland, Credentials of Delegates. It was entered in No. 179, Record of Credentials, and not in the Journal. According to the entry in No. 179, it was read March 10.]
The committee, consisting of Mr. [Daniel] Carroll, Mr. [Eliphalet] Dyer and Mr. [Thomas] Mifflin, to whom was referred the report of the committee on two paragraphs of a report of the grand committee, brought in a report:
The committee to whom was referred the report of the committee, respecting the commutation of half pay,
Report, that having maturely considered the several objections which have been made, they do not find them of sufficient weight to induce your committee to propose any other alteration than by striking out the last clause in the said report.2
[Note 2: 2 This report in the writing of Daniel Carroll, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 21, folio 323. It is undated. Indorsed on the report is the following in the writing of Theodorick Bland:
"in case the officers of the army or a majority of them will agree to accept the same, to be certified to Congress by a committee from the whole army, authorised for that purpose to consist of a member from each line."]
And the report of the committee being taken into consideration and amended so as to read as follows:
"That such officers as are now in service, and continue therein to the end of the war, shall be entitled to receive the sum of five years' full pay in money, or securities on interest at six per cent. per annum, at the option of Congress, instead of the half pay promised for life by the resolution of the 21 of October, 1780: the said securities to be such as shall be given to the other creditors of the United States; provided that it be at the option of the lines of the respective states, and not of officers individually in those lines, to accept or refuse the same: that all officers who have retired from service upon the promise of half pay for life, shall be
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entitled to the benefits of the above resolution; provided that those of the line of each State, collectively, agree thereto: that the same commutation shall extend to the corps not belonging to the lines of particular states, the acceptance or refusal to be determined by corps: that all officers entitled to half pay for life, not included in the above resolution, may collectively agree to accept or refuse the commutation."
On the question to agree to the report, thus amended, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [John Francis] Mercer,
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So the question was lost.
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That a committee be appointed to consider the most proper means of cherishing genius and useful arts through the United States by securing to the authors or publishers of new books their property in such works.1
[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of Hugh WilIiamson, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, II, folio 113. The indorsement indicates that it was offered this day and referred to Mr. [Hugh] Williamson, Mr. [Ralph] Izard and Mr. [James] Madison. See post May 2.]
Office Of Finance, 10th March, 1783.
Sir,
I do myself the Honor to Enclose according to the Order of Congress a List of the several officers employed in the Department of Finance and Marine. I must observe that the Clerks Business of the Marine Office is done by the Clerks in my Office the Business of which may be divided into three Parts the Receipt Expenditure and Accounts and of these the last may be divided into two Parts viz: the accounts preceeding and those subsequent to my administration. The latter can be adjusted by the officers of the Treasury and alone constitute a permanent Expence. The former is unhappily necessary by the loose Mode in which the public Business was at first conducted but it will cease with the Settlement of the Old Accounts which I earnestly wish were accomplished.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 137, II, folio 175. Filed with it are the lists of civil officers in the department of Finance and Marine; and also a list of officers employed for the receipt of Public Revenue in the various states, and a list of the officers in the Department of the Treasury, including the Commissioners for settling the accounts between the individual states and the United States. All these lists give names and salaries, and, together with similar lists of the officers employed in the office of the Secretary of Congress, and in the Department of Foreign Affairs, were entered in No. 12, Book of Estimates, with the Order of Congress, of February 18, which called for these reports.]
Office Of Finance, 10th March, 1783.
Sir
In Consequence of the Order of Congress of the eighteenth of last Month I do myself the Honor to enclose an Estimate of the Principal of the Public Debt to the first Day of January, 1783, which has been transmitted to me by the Register of the Treasury. This amounts to thirty five Million three hundred and twenty seven thousand seven hundred and sixty nine Dollars and fifty three and one eight ninetieths exclusive of what he calls the unliquidated
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Debt being the Monies due to the several States and to individuals in the several States. I beg Leave also to mention other Debts which have not been. taken into the Register's Contemplation, namely, the old continental Bills and Arrearages of Half Pay. Congress will easily see that it is not in the Power of their Servants to state the public Debts with any tolerable Precision.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 137, II, folio 195. The various estimates are filed with it, and are entered in No. 12, Book of Estimates, with the Order of Congress, of February 18, which called for the report.]
The Superintendant of Finance to whom was referred the Memorial of Philip [Phillips] White begs leave to report,
That as both loan office certificates and lottery tickets are from the nature thereof the property of the bearer it is absolutely necessary that the destruction as well as the loss of them should be clearly proved before any remedy can be granted to the loser.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 137, II, folio 209. The indorsement says it was read and entered on this day and on the 29th referred to Mr. [Thomas] FitzSimons, Mr. [James] Madison, and Mr. [Abraham] Clark. According to Committee Book No. 186, the committee reported April 1.
On this day as the indorsement indicates, was read a letter of March 8 from the Superintendent of Finance on the report of the committee on Finance, and on March 11 it was referred to Mr. [Nathaniel] Gorham, Mr. [Alexander] Hamilton, Mr. [James] Madison, Mr. [Thomas] FitzSimons, and Mr. [John] Rutledge. It is in No. 137, II, folios 151--159.
Also a letter of March 10 from the Secretary at War, enclosing an extract of a letter, of February 2, from General Greene. It is in No. 149, II, folio 333, and the extract from Greene's letter on folio 331.
Also, on this or an approximate date, a letter of March 10 from the Superintendent of finance, enclosing a copy of a letter, dated February 2, from General Greene on the condition of the Southern army. It is in No. 137, II, folio 167.]
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