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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 --TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1784.
Congress assembled: Present, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pensylvania, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina; and from the State of New Hampshire, Mr. [Abiel] Foster; from New Jersey, Mr. [John] Beatty; from Delaware, Mr. [James] Tilton, and from Maryland, Mr. [Jeremiah Townley] Chase.
The Committee, consisting of [Mr. Hugh Williamson, Mr. James Monroe and Mr. David Howell,] to whom was referred a memorial of Major Anthony Selin who represented that he is a foreign officer and prays for such assistance as has been afforded to other foreign officers submit the following resolve
That the instruction of the 22nd. Jany. last to the Superintendant of Finance in favour of certain foreign officers be considered by him as extending and it is hereby extended to all foreigners Creditors of the United States who have lately been officers in the armies of the U. S. having commissions in the service of any foreign prince [Major Anthony Selin late of General Hazen's regiment]2
[Note 2: 2 This report, in the writing of Hugh Williamson, except the words in brackets, which are in the writing of David Howell, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, V, folio 321. It was presented February 13.]
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On motion of Mr. [John] Beatty, seconded by Mr. [Jacob] Read,
Resolved, That the instruction of the 22 of January last, to the Superintendant of finance, in favour of certain foreign officers, be considered by him as extending, and it is hereby extended to Major Anthony Selin, late of General Hazen's regiment.
The Committee consisting of Mr. [Jacob] Read, Mr. [Edward] Hand, and Mr. [James] Monroe to whom was referred a letter of November the 6th., 1783, from Major General Duportail recommending the promotion of Captain Castaing his Aid de Camp to the rank of Major by brevet,
Report,
That Captain Castaing has received a promotion by brevet as an officer of a regiment in the late Massachusetts line by virtue of the resolution of theday oflast past.
But that as his extraordinary services out of the line of duty of his regiment, as an aid de camp to Major General Duportail for four years and particularly in the defence of Charles Town in So. Carolina and the seige and reduction of York Town in Virginia and the recommendation given him by the letter of Major General Duportail deserve the acknowledgement and attention of Congress, And as the dissolution of the army prevents any inconvenience, arising on the subject of this promotion in the line of the regiment to which Capt. Castaing lately belonged, and the rank requested may prove useful to him in his own country, your Committee recommend that the request of Major General Duportail, in behalf of Capt. Castaing be granted, and that the Secretary in the War Office do make out, and enclose to Capt. Castaing the brevet of Major in the Army of the United States of America.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Jacob Read, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, II, folio 171. The indorsement states that it was delivered and read this day, "debated February 26, 1784; question was taken and lost; report negatived."]
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Office of Finance, 17th Feby. 1784.
Sir,
I do myself the honor to enclose to your Excellency the copy of a letter of the fourth Inst. from the Honorable Mr Huntington, in consequence whereof I have requested Mr Carleton to take proper measures for security of the public property. I should be wanting to my own feelings, if I did not on this occasion place before Congress the attention of the honorable writer, to whom I must at the same time profess my obligations for rescuing from destruction so much of the public property as may be saved by his information.
Robert Morris.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 137, III, folio 455. It was referred on this day, the indorsement states, to Mr. [Hugh] Williamson, Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry and Mr. [Arthur] Lee. Committee Book, No. 186, says the committee reported April 3.]
On the report of a committee, consisting of Mr. [Arthur] Lee, Mr. [Roger] Sherman and Mr. [Jacob] Read, to whom was referred a letter of 31 January, from the governor of the State of New York,
Resolved, That the President inform the governor of the State of New York, in answer to his letter of the 31 January, 1784, that nine states not having been represented, but for a few days, since the adjournment of Congress to this place, the arrangement of garrisons for the western and northern posts has not been entered upon, nor can it be considered till the states become more attentive to keeping up a full representation in Congress.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, in the writing of Arthur Lee, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 20, I, folio 393.]
The order of the day being called for, to elect an under secretary in the Office for foreign affairs, and a deputy secretary, Congress proceeded to an election, but not coming to a choice,
Ordered, That the order for electing an under secretary and a deputy secretary, be postponed.
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The Committee consisting of Mr. [Jacob] Read, Mr. [Edward] Hand and Mr. [James] Monroe, to whom was referred a letter from Brigr Genl Lachlan McIntosh dated Savannah in Georgia 1st. Novr., 1783, and the papers enclosed in the same submit the following report:
That it appears to your Committee from unquestionable evidence that Brigr Genl. McIntosh took an early and most decided part in favour of the rights of America in the late contest with Great Britain. That he has uniformly and on all occasions manifested the greatest zeal for the service of the United States; and that before any forces were levied or raised in the State of Georgia by authority of the United States the said Lachlan McIntosh was actually appointed by the Convention of Georgia Colonel of the Battalion raised and equipped for the defence of the then Province of Georgia.
That it further appears to your Committee that the United States in Congress assembled being imposed upon and deceived by the false and malicious information and misrepresentation of certain evil disposed persons and particularly by means of a letter written by George Walton late Governor of the State of Georgia dated Augusta the 15th Decr., 1779, addressed to the President of Congress and sent by the hands of Captain Clement Nash as an express for that particular purpose, enclosing a paper purporting to be an extract of the resolves of Council dated at Augusta 12th Decr. 1779, and also by a letter purporting to have been from William Glasscock Esqr. speaks of the Assembly of the State of Georgia dated Augusta 30th Novr. 1779 addressed to the President of Congress and transmitted by the same express have been made the instruments of an infamous combination to injure and oppress the said Brigadier General McIntosh.
That under such imposition and misinformation the United States in Congress assembled did accordingly on the 15th. day of February 1780, Resolve, "That a copy of the letters from the State of Georgia "as far as they relate to General McIntosh be transmitted to that "Officer and that he be informed Congress deem it inexpedient to "employ him at present in the Northern Army and therefore that "his services in that department be dispensed with until the farther "order of Congress." That in consequence of the said resolve Brigadier General McIntosh was suspended from his command without any examination or trial and most injuriously laid under a grevous and unmerited suspicion.
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That it appears from the Journals of Congress of Monday September the 25th. 1780, that means were taken to bring the subject again into review and that Congress were induced to agree to the report of a committee in the words following, viz: "The Committee to "whom was referred the letter of May 12th. from Mr Glasscock and "the Memorial of Mr. George Walton, report,--
"That, in the course of their enquiry respecting the business committed "to them, they have conferred with His Excellency Richard "Howly the present governor of Georgia and been attended by "Mr. George Seegar Clerk of the General Assembly of the said State. "and have obtained from each of them a state of facts to which "they beg leave to refer: That it appears that the paper containing "the paragraph respecting Brigadier General McIntosh and dated at "Augusta in the State of Georgia the 30th day of Novr. 1779 and "purporting in general to be a letter or address from the Assembly "of that State to Congress, did originate in and ought to be considered "as an act declarative of the sense of the said Assembly: "And that the same was Officially transmitted with other public "papers by Col Walton then Governor of that State to the President "of Congress, and together with the proceedings of the said Governor "and Council contained a sufficient ground for the Act of Congress "of the 15th. day of February last for dispensing with the service of "the said Brigadier General McIntosh until the farther order of "Congress," from which report it manifestly appears to your Committee that Congress were again most grossly deceived and imposed on by the artful misrepresentations of the said George Walton, Richard Howly and George Seegar to the great injury of the said Brigadier General McIntosh.
That it further appears by the Journal of Congress of the 16th July, 1781, that the said Geo Walton and Richard Howley at that time delegates in Congress from the State of Georgia in furtherance of their malicious views did anonymously oppose and vote against the repeal of the resolve of the 15th. of Feby., 1780, respecting the said Brigadier General McIntosh.
Your Committee find that by the extracts of the proceedings, of the House of Assembly of the State of Georgia held at Savannah on Saturday the 1st. Feby., 1783, committed to them together with the letter of the said Brigadier General McIntosh, the said House of
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Assembly did on that day agree to the report of a Committee in the following words viz:
"The order of the day being called for, when the House taking the report of the Committee to whom was referred a letter from Brigadier General McIntosh with its enclosures and after some amendments."
Amendments agreed to the following viz: That they have examined such papers and persons as have been offerred by different parties from which it appears that the resolve of council dated Augusta twelfth of December one thousand seven hundred and seventy-nine, and the letter from the Governor to the President of Congress dated fifteenth of December one thousand and seven hundred and seventy-nine, respecting the general were unjust, illiberal and a misrepresentation of facts; that the letter said to be from William Glascock, speaker of the assembly, dated thirtieth November, one thousand seven hundred and seventy nine, addressed to the President of Congress appears to your committee to be a forgery in violation of law and truth and dangerous to the rights of its citizens, and that the Attorney General be ordered to make the necessary enquiries and enter such prosecutions as may be consistent with his office and duty.
Resolved, That General McIntosh be informed that this House do entertain an abhorrence of all such ungenerous attempts made use of as appears by the papers laid before them to injure the character of an officer and citizen of this State who merits the attention of the Legislature for his early decided and persevering efforts in the defence of America, which virtues this House have the highest sense of."
Your committee think it their duty to represent to the United States in Congress that in consequence of the suspension of the said Brigadier General McIntosh he has been greatly injured, lost the opportunity of serving his Country and has also been deprived of the promotion to which he was evidently intitled.
Your committee conceive the Honours and Dignity of Congress to be essentially concerned in rendering the most complete justice in their power to a worthy and brave officer who has served the United States with great reputation for near eight years past and (except from the dark danger of his private enemies above mentioned) with an unblemished character, and therefore recommend the following resolves:
Resolved, That the vote for the suspension of Brigadier General Lachlin McIntosh passed by the United States in Congress assembled
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on the 15th February, 1780, was obtained from Congress by misrepresentation and imposition, and ought not in any way to effect the reputation of the said officer nor his right to promotion pay or other emoluments to which he would have been intitled in case the same had never passed.
Resolved, That the Secretary in the War Office do make out and transmit to Brigadier General McIntosh the Commission of Major General in the army of the United States to take rank fromday of178.
Resolved, That the United States in Congress assembled entertain the utmost abhorrence of the base acts used to injure and oppress the said Brigadier General McIntosh and are impressed with a just sense of the honour fidelity patriotism and probity of the General and of the great zeal he has uniformaly evidenced in the service of United States, and that the Secretary of Congress do transmit a copy of the foregoing report and of these resolves to him for his information and satisfaction and as a small testimony of the sense the United States in Congress assembled entertain of his merit.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Jacob Read, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, IV, folios 25 and 29. Committee Book, No. 186, says that it was presented on this day. McIntosh's letter is in No. 162, folio 321.
On this day, as the indorsement states, was read a petition of Tarrasson Brothers in behalf of Louis Bayard, dated Philadelphia, January 27, 1784. It was referred to Mr. [Thomas] Jefferson, Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry and Mr. [Hugh] Williamson. Committee Book, No. 186, states that the committee reported December 20, 1784. The petition is in No. 42, VII, folio 455.
Also, a letter of January 12 from Simeon De Witt, Geographer to the United States. It was referred to Mr. [Thomas] Jefferson, Mr. [Samuel] Osgood and Mr. [Hugh] Williamson. It is in No. 78, VIII, folio 57.
Also, a letter of February 8 from Jonathan Lawrence. It is in No. 78, XIV, folio 55.
Also, a letter of February 11, from Ph. Moore. It is in No. 78, XVI, folio 55.
Also, probably on this or an approximate date, a letter of February 21 from Colonel Joseph Harmar. It is in No. 163, folio 377.]
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