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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 --MONDAY, JULY 21, 1788.
Congress assembled. Present New hampshire Massachusett Rhode island Connecticut New York Pensylvania Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia and from New Jersey Mr [Jonathan] Elmer and from South Carolina Mr [Thomas Tudor] Tucker
[Report of committee on War department2]
[Note 2: 2 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 27, pp. 365--409, in the writing of a clerk. Read July 21, 1788. The committee was given leave to take back the report on September 30, 1788. See October 2, 1788, where the report as amended is entered in the Journal. At this point only the section headings and such parts of the original report as were modified are printed. See also July 7, 1788.]
The committee consisting of Mr [John Eager] Howard, Mr [William] Few, Mr [Jonathan] Dayton Mr [Nicholas] Gilman and Mr [Edward] Carrington appointed to make full enquiry into the proceedings in the department of war beg leave to report as follows
A summary statement of the various branches of the department of war.
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The discipline of the troops, and particularly the soldierly and habitual vigilance necessary to be observed have been inculcated and enforced, in the strongest terms; as also have been, the oeconomy essential to the various staff departments.
There is no such officer as quarter master except the usual regimental quartermaster.
Instead of an officer of this description with his train of attendants, all supplies are furnished by the contractors of provision who have also from time to time contracted with the Secretary at War to furnish all necessary articles on the frontiers which shall be required for the troops on the following principles.
The important circumstance of permanent arsenals and magazines demands the serious attention of the government of the United States. But as the expence will be great, of erecting suitable buildings for the purpose, the object must be deferred for the present.
About five thousand arms have been repaired at Westpoint and are fit for immediate service, about ten thousand more are worth being repaired and this necessary work of repairs, is in operation at
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that post on a small scale. To employ the necessary number of workmen to effect the business in one year would be too expensive for the public finances. These arms would probably on an average cost about one dollar and an half each to put them in complete order. Between four and five thousand arms are in Virginia which require repairs.
The new arms in Philadelphia are in repair but want cleaning, the Secretary at War has been constrained to defer this operation, until a suitable building could be obtained, or an arsenal erected, in which so to deposit them that they can be kept easily in order.
This post has been considered of so much importance to remain in possession of the United States that Congress by their resolve1
of the 3d . August 1786 directed that the same should be purchased of the proprietor, by the Board of Treasury, but which has not been effected owing to the absence of the said proprietor.[Note 1: 1 Journals, vol. XXXI, p. 467.]
Your committee also beg leave to observe that great care appears to have been taken by the Secretary to reduce the expences of his office by his dispensing with the office of Assistant Secretary formerly attached to the department and which has never been annulled by Congress.
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Your Committee further beg leave to give it as their opinion that the salary at present allowed to the Secretary is not adequate to the duties required of and performed by him, and they axe also of opinion that the sums appropriated for the expences of the department might be disposed of at his discretion so as to procure the execution of the business more to the public benefit than under the present arrangement.
He now employs three clerks at four hundred and fifty dollars each, the resolves of Congress not allowing more to be given to one of any description. This allowance being too small to engage the best the public is consequently cut off from the services of men of that description and cause the necessity of employing greater numbers to execute the same work.
Your Committee are therefore of opinion that it would be best to allow the sum now expended on three clerks as an addition to the salary of the Secretary at War leaving him to procure the execution of the business and be answerable for the faithful performance thereof. And on the same footing your Committee think it would be best to place all the contingent expences of the department.
Your Committee are of opinion that this discretionary commission to the Secretary of the War department is peculiarly applicable to that office although it may not be thought so to any other because the duties are not only various but exceedingly fluctuating in their nature and extent.
Your Committee are of opinion from the view they have had of the duties of the Secretary at War and the faithful manner in which they are executed that he ought to receive for his own services three thousand dollars per annum to which the sum of one thousand six hundred and seventy six dollars the present annual expences of clerks and other contingencies being added the sum total will be four thousand six hundred and seventy six dollars.
Your Committee therefore submit the following Resolution
Resolved That from and after the date hereof the Secretary at War be alloweddollars per annum for his services including clerks wages and all contingencies of the office; rent excepted.
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[Report of Board of Treasury on petition of Jacobus and John Demerest and P. Bogart1]
[Note 1: 1 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 138, I, pp. 279--280, read July 21, 1788. See January 22 and February 11, 1788.]
The Board of Treasury to whom was referred the Memorial of Jacobus Demerest, John Demerest and Peter Bogert,
Beg leave to Report to Congress,
That the Office of the Treasury is open for the reception of all Claims, against the United States 'till the 23d . of the present Month.
That although the Memorialists may not from the circumstances they have mentioned, be able to produce at present the original Certificates in proof of their Claims against the United States, yet that the same must necessarily appear in the Accounts of Mr . Aaron Forman (should the Vouchers they mentioned have been delivered to him) whenever the same are exhibited for settlement.
In order therefore to secure to the Memorialists a right to the settlement of their respective Claims, whenever the original Vouchers are produced, the Board have directed an Authenticated Copy of their Memorial to be filed with the Accountant of the Treasury.
All which is humbly submitted
Samuel Osgood
Walter Livingston
Arthur Lee
July 19th . 1788.
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