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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, MAY 2, 1786.
Congress assembled. Present, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and South Carolina; and from New Hampshire, Mr. [Pierse] Long.
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Mr. Thomas Rodney, a delegate for the State of Delaware, attended and took his seat in Congress.1
[Note 1: 1 For Credentials see ante, May 1.]
According to order, Captain O'Beal, alias Cornplanter, with his five associates, was introduced, by Genl. Butler were received and having made a speech on the occasion, retired.2
[Note 2: 2 The Journal was here revised by Thomson.]
The Committee consisting of [Mr. William Grayson, Mr. Edward Carrington, and Mr. Nathaniel Gorham] to whom were referred several Letters and Reports of the Secretary at War, Report:
That they have considered of the said Letter of the 29th. of April, 1785, and the Report thereon of the 25th. of July of the same year, and are of Opinion that the reasons given therein are sufficient to establish a higher rate of pay for the Corps of Artillery, than for the Infantry in the service of the United States. That the pay of the drummers and filers should be reduced to the pay of the privates in the Corps in which they serve. That it be therefore
Resolved, That the pay of the Corps of Artillery in the service of the United States be as follows:
Resolved, That in future the pay of the drummers and fifers in the service of the United States be the same as the pay of the privates in the Corps in which they serve."
They have also considered the Letter of the late President Dickinson of Pennsylvania to the Secretary at War of the 13th. August, 1785, his answer thereto of the 23d. of the same month. The motion of the delegates of the State of Pennsylvania of the 24th. of September, the Report thereon, of the 26th. of the same month, by the said Secretary, and are of Opinion that the reasons contained in the said Report are such that it would be proper for Congress to confirm the appointment of Officers by the Supreme executive Council, to the quota of Troops required of Pennsylvania by the Act of Congress of the 12th. April, 1785. That it be therefore
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Resolved, That the appointment by the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania of one Lieutenant Colonel Commandant, three Captains, three Lieutenants, and three Ensigns of Infantry, and one Captain and one Lieutenant of Artillery, one Surgeon and one Surgeons Mate to the quota of Troops required of that State by the Act of Congress of the 12th. of April, 1785, be and the said appointment is hereby confirmed.
The Committee have also considered the Letter of the said Secretary dated the 18th. of August, 1785, relative to the subject of regular promotion in the said Corps, on which they observe--
That it having been judged necessary by the United States in Congress Assembled by their Acts of the 1st., 7th., and 12th. of April, 1785, to raise a body of seven hundred Troops for the purposes therein recited, to be apportioned on the States of Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania and the proportion of either of the said States being insufficient to form a Regiment, Congress directed that the respective quotas should be incorporated together and form one Regiment of ten Companies each consisting of seventy men.
That this arrangement was essential to oeconomy and a due Subordination.
The Secretary at War having represented that the Seventh article of the Confederation and perpetual Union of the United States may operate to obstruct a course of regular promotion in the line of the Officers, as it directs that all vacancies shall be filled by the State which made the first appointment.
The Committee are fully of Opinion that Seniority of rank, is the best general principle of military promotion; that it produces a greater degree of satisfaction to the Officers, and better advances the public service than any other which can be devised.
They apprehend that at the time the Confederation was formed, regard was had to those cases, in which a State should be required to furnish a complete Corps, or Regiment, and not when it should furnish only Component parts thereof.
That if this Article were to operate in an unlimited sense it would be impracticable for the United States to form any regular Military arrangement. Because the Mutability of rank introduces a spirit of discord, is contrary to Military habits and customs, and is utterly subversive of all system.
The Committee are therefore of Opinion that in order to reconcile as far as possible the Military ideas of Rank, and consequently the
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Utility of the Troops to the Seventh Article of the Confederation, that it be strongly recommended by Congress to the U.S. respective States which have furnished the aforesaid seven hundred Troops, and to the other United States, that in all cases when the States shall furnish on Requisition of Congress or less number of Troops than may be sufficient to form a complete regiment according to the existing establishment, "that after the first appointments shall be made that the Vacancies which may arise in the quota of any State shall be filled by the Officer next in rank (excepting in cases of promotion for special merit) in the Corps or Regiment in which such quota shall be incorporated, although such Officer may not be a Citizen of the State in whose quota the Vacancy may happen.
That when any Vacancy shall arise the Secretary at War shall transmit the earliest information thereof to the Executive authority of the State in whose quota it may happen together with the name of the Officer next in rank and the State of which he is a Citizen.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of a clerk, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 27, folio 287. According to indorsement it was read May 2.]
[Motion of Mr. Rufus King]
Resolved, That there be allowed and paid to Mr. John Thaxter a Salary of three Hundred pounds Sterling annually, for the Term of three years, during which he acted as private Secretary to Mr. John Adams one of the ministers plenipotentiary of the U. S. of America in Europe, deducting from such allowance the public monies advanced to him on this account.2
[Note 2: 2 This motion, in the writing of Rufus King, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 138, II, folio 437. According to Committee Book No. 190, it was offered this day, referred to the Board of Treasury and reported on May 15.
May 2: The following committee was appointed: Mr. [John] Kean, Mr. [Rufus] King and Mr. [Charles] Pettit, on the "Speeches of Capt. O'Beal transmitted by General Butler." Report was rendered May 4. See ante, April 28.
Also was read the report of William Winder, Commissioner of Accounts of the State of Delaware, dated April 24, on the accounts of President John McKinley, of Delaware, and referred to the Board of Treasury to report, which it did May 8. Winder's report is in No. 138, II, folio 73 and sundry papers relating to McKinley's account are on folios 121--133.
Also a petition of Gerald Fitzgerald "for wages due him" was read and referred to the Board of Treasury to report.
Also a petition from Donald McDonald "for the benefits of a disabled soldier" was referred to the Board of Treasury to report and a report rendered June 7. McDonald's petition is in No. 42, V, folio 371.
Also, John Cochran was nominated by Mr. [John] Lawrance and Thomas Tillotson by Mr. [William] Hindman for Commissioner of Continental Loan Office for New York. Tillotson's name was withdrawn May 8.
Committee Book No. 190.]
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