| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |
A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --THURSDAY, MAY 26, 1785.
Congress assembled. Present, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and South Carolina; and from the State of Rhode Island, Mr. [William] Ellery; from New York, Mr. [Melancton] Smith, and from Georgia, Mr. [William] Houstoun.
On the report of a committee, consisting of Mr. [William] Grayson, Mr. [Rufus] King, and Mr. [Charles] Pinckney, to whom was referred a motion of Mr. [Charles] Pinckney,
Resolved, That in consequence of the request of the Governor of South Carolina, the Secretary at War be, and he is hereby directed to have seven pieces artillery, 16 pounders, and five 24 pounders, of the iron Ordnance, unmounted, and lying at the head of Elk, transported by the first convenient Opportunity by water to Charleston, together with such quantity of suitable ball, as may, in his opinion, be
Page 396 | Page image
necessary, at the expense and risque of the State of South Carolina; for which the said State is to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 On this day, according to Committee Book No. 190, the committee of March 4, on the letter from the Secretary for Foreign Affairs regarding Richard Soderstrom, was discharged. The indorsement on the letter shows that the papers were returned to the Office of Foreign Affairs to be filed.]
The Committee [consisting of Mr. Hugh Williamson, Mr. David Howell and Mr. Rufus King] to whom was referred the memorial of J. Beatty late Commissary General of Prisoners, respecting his travelling expences and the final settlement of his accounts submit the following report,
That when Col. F. Johnson was appointed to the office of Commissary General of Prisoners he represented to Congress that the pay of his predecessor which was that of a Colonel had been found by no means adequate and that he would be a considerable loser unless his contingent bills should be paid on which it was resolved, "that the necessary contingent charges of executing the Office of Commissary General of Prisoners be allowed over and above the present pay;" In this case it is clear that contingent bills or contingent charges were intended to refer to the traveling expences, it is also clear from subsequent Acts that the allowance made to Mr Beatty was the same as that which had been made to Mr. Johnson wherefore your Committee submit the following Resolves,2
[Note 2: 2 This report, in the writing of Hugh Williamson except the last paragraph which is in the writing of Rufus King, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, I, folio 247. According to the indorsement it was read this day. The resolves, here omitted, were adopted verbatim on May 31, q. v.
Also on this day, according to Committee Book No. 190, William Geddis was nominated by Mr. [David] Jackson, Lewis Morris, Jr., by Mr. [Melancton] Smith and Samuel Holden Parsons by Mr. [William Samuel] Johnson, for Commissioner to settle accounts between the United States and the State of Virginia. Parsons was elected June 9, 1785.]
PREVIOUS SECTION .. NEXT SECTION .. NAVIGATOR
| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |