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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 --1WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 1787.
[Note 1: 1 Roger Alden takes up the entry.]
Congress Assembled, present Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pensylvania, Virginia, North-Carolina and Georgia, and from Rhode Island Mr [Peleg] Arnold, from Connecticut Mr [William Samuel] Johnson and from Delaware Mr [Dyre] Kearny.
On a report2 of the Committee, consisting of Mr [Henry] Lee, Mr [James Mitchell Varnum and Mr [Charles] Pettit, to whom was referred a letter3 from the Secy at War of August 1st. 1786, recommending the sale of certain damaged and useless military stores,
[Note 2: 2 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 27, pp. 325--327, read and passed May 2, 1787. See April 24, 1787.]
[Note 3: 3 See Journals, vol. XXXI, pp. 457--458.]
Resolved, That the Secretary at War be authorized and directed to sell at public Auction or otherwise the Arms, ammunition, and other Stores designated in the following list, and that he account with the Board of Treasury for the proceeds of the Sales, viz.
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[Reports of the Secretary of Congress1]
[Note 1: 1 Reports of Secretary of Congress, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 180, p. 54.]
May 1 1787
On the petition of John Wait stating that in 1782 and 1783 he advanced clothing and other necessaries to soldiers and took their orders on the paymasters with the approbation of the colonels and commanding Officers of the respective regiments. That on account of desertion sundry of these orders are rejected, by which he is deprived of 1118 dollars and praying that certificates may be issued to him in the name of those persons from whom he has good Orders notwithstanding their desertion
The Secy of Congress reports
agreed May 2That the petition of John Wait be referred to the board of treasury to report.2
[Note 2: 2 The Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 148, states that Wait's petition was referred on May 2, 1787, to the Board of Treasury to report. See April 26, 1787.]
On the letter of 26 April 1787 from the Secy at War touching the lands due to the Officers and Soldiers of the late Army
The Secy of Congress reports
agreed That the letter of 26 April from the Secy at War be referred to a comee.3
[Note 3: 3 According to the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 148, this committee, appointed May 2, 1787, consisted of Mr. Edward Carrington, Mr. Rufus King, Mr. Nathan Dane, Mr. James Madison and Mr. Egbert Benson. Mr. Joseph Platt Cook replaced Mr. Benson on October 9, 1787. Report rendered October 12, and acted on October 22, 1787. See April 26, 1787.]
[Report of Board of Treasury on memorial of B. Stelle4]
[Note 4: 4 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 138, II, pp. 401--403, read May 2 and passed October 2, 1787. See March 28, 1787.]
The Board of Treasury to whom was referred the Memorial of Benjamin Stelle
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Beg leave to Report
That the Memorialist acted as an Assistant Paymaster to Ebenezer Hancock Esquire from April 1778 to the 1st. of June 1779.
That the Resolve1 of Congress of the 4th. of June 1779 directed Mr. Hancock Deputy Paymaster of the Eastern Department to repair to Providence and take charge of the Military Chest there under the care of the Memorialist as an Assistant.
[Note 1: 1 Journals, vol. XIV, p. 686.]
That Mr. Hancock did not comply with this direction, in consequence of which Colonel Palfrey the then Paymaster General stated the matter to the Board of Treasury who gave it as their Opinion "That Mr. Stelle ought to settle with Mr. Hancock untill he made his Returns to the Pay Office from which Period he ought to settle with the Paymaster General."
That agreeably to the above opinion Colo. Palfrey directed Mr. Stelle to settle his accounts with Mr. Hancock to the 1st. of June 1779, and no longer; observing that as Mr. Hancock had declined going to Providence Mr. Stelle must be considered as acting in a seperate Department.
That Colonel Palfrey sent the Memorialist Instructions as a Deputy Paymaster and addressed his Letters to him as such after the first of June 1779.
That the said Memorialist has had his Accounts adjusted at the Treasury, from which it appears that he received large sums of Public Money and accounted for the same as a Deputy Paymaster although on such adjustment he has been allowed the pay of an Assistant only from the 1st. of April 1778, to the 1st. of April 1781.
That the want of a formal appointment as Deputy Paymaster prevented his being allowed the Pay of such an Officer, which by the Resolve2 of Congress of the 28th. of August 1777 is Eighty Dollars per Month, whilst that of an Assistant is only Fifty Dollars per Month.
[Note 2: 2 Journals, vol. VIII, p. 693.]
Under the above Circumstances the Board submit to the Consideration of Congress the following Resolve Vizt.
That there be allowed to Benjamin Stelle the Pay and Emoluments of a Deputy Paymaster in a seperate Department, from the first of June 1779, to the first of April 1781.
All which is humbly submitted.
Samuel Osgood
Walter Livingston
April 27th. 1787.
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[Report of Commissioner of Army Accounts on petition of I. Putnam 1]
[Note 1: 1 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 62, pp. 211--213, read May 2, 1787. According to indorsement and the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 148, this report was referred to a committee consisting of Mr. William Pierce, Mr. William Grayson and Mr. William Samuel Johnson. It reported May 7, 1787 and the report was acted on October 1, 1787.]
The Commissioner for settling the accounts of the late army begs leave to report on the Petition of Israel Putnam late a Major General in the service
That General Putnam when commanding in the middle department gave his note of hand payable on demand to the deputy Paymaster of that division for the sum of three thousand dollars "borrowed of him in order to advance to Major Romans Captain Fallan and Lieut. Day for the use of their returning the bounty for the British deserters which are drawn from this division into the Georgia service by order of his Excellency General Washington.
That the deputy paymaster produced this Obligation as his voucher for the payment of so much money which was passed in the Settlement of his accounts to his credit and carried to the Debit of General Putnam.
That the sum of six hundred and twenty dollars of this money has been returned by the Georgia Officers, into the military chest for which General Putnam has a credit and now stands charged with the Balance amounting to Two thousand three hundred and Eighty dollars.
That the General in order to discharge himself from this balance has produced a note of hand given to himself of the same date and for the same sum with his to the Deputy paymaster and signed by the Officers mentioned in that obligation in which note of hand are the following words "which we have borrowed of him in behalf of the Delegates from the State of Georgia for the use of paying the bounty for British deserters which we have taken out of the division under his command by orders of his Excellency General Washington."
That your Commissioner having considered the circumstances of this transaction is of opinion that the general has by giving his own obligation become responsible for the return of the money to the United States or to procure such vouchers as will make the same a proper charge against the State of Georgia, and is of further opinion that the voucher exhibited by him is not sufficient to warrant a charge
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against the State, as it does not appear that any account of these advances has been rendered to the state or that the Officers have credited the same on the settlement of their accounts with the Auditors of that State.
Your Commissioner further begs leave to report
That it appears by the resolution1 of Congress of the 27th. of Sept. 1781 that the depreciation of the General Officers was recommended to be settled by the several States of which the General Officers were Inhabitants, on the same principles with their respective Lines.
[Note 1: 1 Journals, vol. XXI, p. 1020. The date should be September 28, 1781.]
That the State of Connecticut of which General Putnam was an Inhabitant has settled his accounts to the first day of January 1780 and no further, and
That the General has petitioned the Legislature of Connecticut for the further settlement of his accounts to the first day of August 1780 which memorial was negatived.
Whereupon your Commissioner humbly submits the following question, whether the General shall still be referred to the State or that one of the Officers of Congress be directed to settle his accounts for this period. All which is humbly submitted.
On behalf of,
John Pierce Esq. Commis
Joseph Howell Junr
Office of Army Accounts
New York April 30th. 1787
His Excellency
The President of Congress.
[Letter of Secretary for Foreign Affairs on commission of P. Bond2]
[Note 2: 2 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 81, III, pp. 101--102, read May 2, 1787. See May 3, 1787.]
Office for foreign Affairs 1st. May 1787
Sir: Mr. P. Bond has applied to me repeatedly about the Business of his Commissions now before Congress. His anxiety relative to it has brought him to this City; and he earnestly requests that it may be concluded with as little Delay as may consist with the Convenience of Congress.
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As it is natural that not only Mr. Bond but also his Court should experience some Solicitude on the Subject, I take the Liberty of mentioning these Circumstances to your Excellency; and to observe that it would be a Pity the Influence of your late circular Letter on general Opinion and on british Prejudices and Complaints, should be weakened by any Measure less liberal, especially if in itself not very important to either Country.
I have the honor to be, etc.,
John Jay
His Excellency
The President of Congress.
[Report of Secretary for Foreign Affairs on petition of Hannah Stephens1]
[Note 1: 1 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 81, III, p. 105, read May 2, and passed July 18, 1787. See April 23, 1787.]
Office for Foreign Affairs
1st. May 1787
The Secretary of the United States for the Department of foreign Affairs to whom was referred a Petition from Hannah Stephens praying that her Husband be redeemed from Captivity at Algiers, and also a Letter from the Honble T. Jefferson proposing that a certain Order of Priests be employed for such Purposes,
Reports
That in his Opinion Resolutions of the following Tenor would be expedient, Vizt.
Resolved that the Honorable T. Jefferson Esquire the Minister of the United States at the Court of Versailles be, and he hereby is authorized to take such Measures as he may deem most adviseable for redeeming the American Captives at Algiers, and at any Expence not exceeding that which European Nations usually pay in like Cases.
Resolved that the Board of Treasury be and they hereby are directed to provide Ways and Means for enabling Mr. Jefferson to defray the said Expences, either by remitting Money from hence or by a Credit in Europe.
All which is submitted to the Wisdom of Congress.
John Jay.2
[Note 2: 2 May 2, 1787. According to the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 147, the following committee was appointed:
Mr. Nathaniel Gorham, Mr. Charles Pettit and Mr. Wiliam Grayson on the petition of John Dean, jr., April 27, 1787, read May 2, for sea letters. Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, II, p. 358. See May 3, 1787.
Also according to indorsement and the Committee Book, p. 148, a letter of the Governor of Virginia to President of Congress, April 16, 1787, with an Act of the Legislature respecting indents, was referred to the Board of Treasury to report. Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 71, II, p. 527. Report rendered July 11, 1787.
According to indorsement the following petitions were read:
Petition of Duncan Campbell, April 6, 1787, praying for payment for services. Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, II, pp. 265--266. See July 7, 1787.
Petition of Richard Lawrence, April 26, 1787, for relief from imprisonment for debts. Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, IV, pp. 426--428. See July 7 1787.
According to the Despatch Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 185, IV, p. 11, was received:
Petition of Joseph Pellon for land promised to the Canadians.]
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