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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 --WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 1787.
Congress assembled present Massachusetts, Connecticut New York New Jersey, Pensylvania Delaware Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia and from Rhode island Mr [James Mitchel] Varnum and from S[outh] Carolina Mr [Daniel] Huger.
On motion of Mr [William] Pierce seconded by Mr [William] Few
Ordered3 That the Secretary for foreign Affairs give information of the state of his negotiations with the Encargade de negocios of his Catholic Majesty and that an actual state of the business be laid before Congress.
[Note 3: 3 This order with slight verbal variations is entered also by Benjamin Bankson in Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 5, III, p. 1565, and by Thomson in the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 143. The original motion, in the writing of Mr. William Pierce, is in Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, III, p. 337. Report rendered April 12, 1787.]
Ordered That the Secretary for Foreign Affairs give information to Congress of the State of his Negotiation with the Encargado de Negotios of Spain, and that an actual State of that business be laid before Congress.
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[Report of committee on troops to be raised1]
[Note 1: 1 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 30, pp. 409--412, read April 4, 1787. Order of the day for April 5 and passed April 9, See March 28, 1787.]
The Committee [consisting of Mr. James Mitchel Varnum, Mr. Edward Carrington, Mr. Rufus King, Mr. William Few and Mr. James Madison] appointed to take into consideration the present military establishment of the United States, and to report such reform in the same as may be consistent with the present and probable condition of the United States,
Report That however important to the interests and dignity of the United States the military establishment directed by the acts of Congress of the 20th. of October 1786 may be, yet as the states respectively have not complied with the requisition of Congress specially made for the support of the said establishment excepting the state of Virginia, and as Congress are unable to devise any other means for the maintenance of the same, it is therefore necessary that the troops therein directed should be reduced to a number more conformable to the existing finances of the Union.
On these considerations, Your Committee submit the following Resolution,
Resolved, That the Act of Congress of 2the 20th. of October 1786 for augmenting the troops of the United States to the number of two thousand and forty non commissioned officers and privates be, and the same is hereby repealed.
[Note 2: 2 Journals, vol. XXXI, pp. 892--893.]
That the troops already enlisted in consequence of the aforesaid resolve of the 20th. of October, in the States of Massachusetts, Connecticut and Virginia together with the troops who were in service previously to the said resolve [Act] be completed to the number of one thousand and twenty non commissioned officers and privates. [retained conformably to the terms of their enlistments.]
That the Secretary at War arrange the said troops with a proper proportion of Officers as follows, Vizt. [and give immediate orders to for]
One Regiment of Infantry of three battalions, four companies to form a battalion, and sixty non-commissioned officers and privates a company.
One battalion of Artillery of four companies each company the same number as the infantry.
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One troop of Cavalry of sixty non-commissioned officers and dragoons.
That as the recruiting service has not commenced in the states of New Hampshire and Rhode Island, the commissioned officers appointed by the said States be deranged.
That the field Officers appointed by the States of Massachusetts and Connecticut be deranged, excepting the senior Major appointed by Massachusetts and that all other officers in the said states be also deranged excepting the senior company officers of each grade necessary to command the companies which shall be directed to be formed by the Secretary at War.
That the executive authority of the State of Maryland be informed, that it is unnecessary for that state to raise the troop of Cavalry directed by the resolve of the 20th. of October.
That the Secretary at War transmit to the commanding officers who shall be deranged by virtue of these resolves the thanks of Congress for the Zeal alacrity manifested by them to promote the service of their country.
That the Board of Treasury devise and execute a plan for the payment of the officers deranged, and also for the payment of the arrearages due the troops on the Ohio to the 1st. of January 1787.
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