Slike strani
PDF
ePub

A letter, of the 24th of January, from gov. Trumbull, was read, informing "that col. Joseph Trumbull will, if Congress think fit to keep his seat vacant, attend and take his seat at the board of war as soon as his health will permit :"

Ordered, That the president inform the governor, that Congress expect col. Trumbull's attendance as soon as his health will permit.

A letter, of the 30th of January, from Thomas Cushing, esq. president of a convention of committees from the New-England states, which met at NewHaven, from the 15th to the 20th of January, with the proceedings of said convention, were read:

Ordered, That the same, together with the letter of the 11th, from gov. Caswell, with the resolutions enclosed, be referred to a committee of five: the members chosen, Mr. Witherspoon, Mr. Gerry, Mr. M'Kean, Mr. Lovell, and Mr. Lee.

Sundry letters from the committee of Congress at camp, were read, viz. one, of the Sd, and one of the 5th, with five papers enclosed; one, of the 6th, with a draught of proposed resolutions, and one, of the 11th, and one, of the 12th. The delegates of Pennsylvania laid before Congress, a letter of the 7th, from the council of their state, which was read, containing complaints against R. L. Hooper, esq. deputy quarter-master general:

Ordered, That it be referred to the board of war.

Ordered, That the letter of the 6th, from the committee at camp, so far as relates to the prisoners of the convention at Boston, be referred to a committee of three, who are to confer with the board of war: the members chosen, Mr. Gerry, Mr. Wolcott, and Mr. Ellery.

THREE O'CLOCK, P. M.

In consequence of an adjustment by the commissioners of claims, the auditor-general reports,

That there is due to Richard Peters, esq. late secretary to the board of war, his salary from the 13th of June, 1776, to the 27th of November, 1777, being one year, five months, and fourteen days, at 800 dollars per annum, 1164 40-90 dollars, and for his fee for prosecuting the appeal in the case of the ship Elizabeth, 60 dollars; in all, 1224 40-90 dollars; that he has received of the board of war, in cash, 928 dollars, and in fire-wood, left at Lancaster, 9 dollars, making in all, 937 dollars, leaving a balance due to Mr. Peters of 287 40-90 dollars:

To Mr. Joseph Nourse, his salary as deputy secretary to the board of war, from the 10th of November, 1777, to the 10th of February, 1778, inclusive, being three months, at 65 dollars per month, 195 dollars; for cash paid Will. Handen, express to Lancaster, 4 dollars; the whole amounting to 199 dollars: To Gotliep Ziegler, for victualing Pennsylvania militia, in July and August, 1776, 20 3-90 dollars:

Ordered, That the said accounts be paid.

A letter from the board of war, with a letter from R. L. Hooper, and sundry papers enclosed, was read:

Ordered, That they be referred to a committee of three: the members chosen, Mr. M'Kean, Mr. Clark, and Mr. Scudder.

The committee on the treasury, brought in a report; Whereupon,

Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favor of brigadier de Roche Fermoy, for 800 dollars, to enable him to pay the demands now against him, and procure a passage to the West-Indies; and that his bills be taken for this sum, and also for the balance that may appear to be due to the United States, on an adjustment of his account at the board of treasury, payable to the treasurer of the United States, at the rate of one dollar for three, being the present exchange.

A letter, of the 10th of January, from gov. Clinton, of New-York, to Mr. Francis Lightfoot Lee, was laid before Congress, and read :

Ordered, That it be referred to the board of war.

Another letter, of the 16th, from gov. Clinton, was read.

The committee on the treasury brought in a report; Whereupon,

Ordered, That a warrant issue on the commissioner of the loan-office in the state of New-York, for the sum of 50,000 dollars, in favor of Jonathan Trumbull, jun. esq. deputy pay-master general for the northern department; for which he is to be accountable.

Resolved, That two millions of dollars be emitted, under the direction of the board of treasury, and on the faith of the United States:

That the bills shall, excepting the numbers, be of the same tenor and date as the emission directed the 21st of January last, be numbered from the last number of each respective denomination of that emission, progressively, and consist of the following denominations: 30,770 bills of 2 dollars each

[blocks in formation]

61,540 130,768 bills of 6 dollars each,
92,304 30,768 do. of 7 do.
123,072 30,770 do. of 8 do.
153,840 30,770 do. of 30 do.

184,608

215,376

246,160

923,100

That all powers and duties of Michael Hillegas, esq. and of the inspectors of the press, signers and printers of the emission directed on the 10th of May last, shall extend to the said two millions now to be emitted, subject, however, to such directions and instructions as the board of treasury may jugde expedient.

Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow.

TUESDAY, February 17, 1778.

A letter from the Rev. Mr. Lotbinier, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the board of war.

The committee on the treasury brought in a report; Whereupon,

Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favor of captain Peter Dolliver, for 2247 dollars, in discharge of col. Palfrey's draught of the 13th inst. on the president of Congress, in favor of lieut. col. William Smith, and endorsed by him to the said Dolliver for that sum; William Palfrey, esq. to be accountable.

A letter of the 14th, from major general Mifflin, at Reading, was read.

The committee to whom was referred, the letter from the board of war, with the letter from R. L. Hooper, and others, brought in a report, which was taken into consideration: Whereupon, Congress came to the following resolution:

Whereas, by the resolutions of the 14th inst. the commissioners appointed by the state of Pennsylvania were authorized and directed to purchase and store in magazines, 30,000 barrels of flour, on the east side of Susquehanna, and by a letter, since laid before Congress, from R. L. Hooper, Nathaniel Falconer, and Jonathan Mifflin, jun. three of the superintendents appointed by the board of war, in pursuance of a resolve of the 15th of January last, it appears that the said superintendents are making contracts for executing the business entrusted with the said commissioners, contrary to the intention of Congress expressed in their said resolutions: and whereas, it also appears by the aforesaid letter, that the above named superintendents, without any authority, in direct violation of the laws of Pennsylvania, and contrary to the instructions given by the board of war, have presumed to fix and ascertain the prices of several other articles wanted in the army, much higher than fixed by law in the state, directing the quarter-masters to govern themselves by such illegal rates: therefore,

Resolved, That the board of war be directed immediately to recal and

suspend the said R. L. Hooper, Nathaniel Falconer, and Jonathan Mifflin, who are required to lay before Congress their proceedings and accounts.

On motion, That the committee for foreign affairs be directed to write to the commissioners at Paris, and direct them, upon the application of the executive powers of any of these United States, to apply to the court of France for an extension of the leave of absence to such French officers as may be employed in the service of such state:

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Resolved, That four members be added to the committee on appeals: the members chosen, Mr. McKean, Mr. Huntington, Mr. Henry, and Mr. James Smith.

Ordered, That the foregoing petition be referred to the committee on appeals.

A petition from Peter Shultz, Francis Jones, and others, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the commissioners of claims.

The committee to whom was referred the letter of the 9th, from general
Wa
Vashington, brought in a report: Whereupon, Congress came to the follow-
ing resolution :

Whereas, doubts have arisen in the mind of general Washington, to whom the month's extra pay allowed to the army under his immediate command, by the resolution of Congress of the 29th of Dec. last, should be confined:

Resolved, That the general be directed to order the same to be paid to all the continental forces under his immediate command at the time of passing the said resolution, whether in camp, hospitals, or on furlough, excepting all such as were then absent, without leave regularly obtained, or who had abused the indulgence granted them.

Congress took into consideration a report of the board of war, of the 22d of July, on the letter of the 8th of the same month, from brigadier R. Howe; Whereupon,

Resolved, That brigadier R. Howe's appointment of Henry Purcell, to be deputy judge-advocate general for the states of South Carolina and Georgia, be confirmed.

A letter, of the 31st of January, from governor Caswell, of North-Carolina,

was read:

Ordered, That it be referred to Mr. Lee and Mr. Lovell.

A letter, of the 8th, from gen. Washington, with sundry letters enclosed, which passed between him and gen. Howe, was read:

Ordered, That the same be referred to a committee of three: the members chosen, Mr. Gerry, Mr. M'Kean, and Mr. Ellery.

Resolved, That to-morrow be assigned for taking into consideration the letters from the committee at camp, respecting recruiting the army.

Mr. Lewis, one of the delegates from New-York, laid before Congress an account of moneys expended by that state for the support of prisoners, with the vouchers:

Ordered, That they be referred to the board of treasury.

[blocks in formation]

Congress took into consideration the report of the committee on the state of Georgia; after debate,

Ordered, That the farther consideration thereof be postponed.
Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow.

WEDNESDAY, February 18, 1778.

A letter of the 18th, and one of the 19th of January, from gen. Heath, at Boston, with a letter to him from gen. Burgoyne, and his answer; and a letter of the 2d inst. from brigadiers Poor and Patterson, were read.

A letter, of the 17th, from the board of war, was read; Whereupon, Resolved, That it be recommended to the governor and council of the state of Maryland, to embody a sufficient number of militia for guarding the prisoners to be stationed at Fort-Frederick, in that state; and that they also be requested immediately to appoint a commissary to purchase and supply the said militia with provisions during their service at that post:

That Mons. de Pontiere be appointed a captain of horse by brevet, and that Mons. de Ponceaux, secretary to the baron Steuben, have the brevet rank of a captain in the army of the United States:

That Congress approve the proceedings of the board of war with respect to baron Steuben.

Another letter from the board of war was read, enclosing a letter from Thomas Wharton, esq. president of the state of Pennsylvania, and sundry other papers;

Ordered, That the same be referred to Mr. M'Kean, and the delegates from Pennsylvania.

Resolved, That gov. Clinton be authorized and requested to superintend the business of obstructing, fortifying, and securing the passes of Hudson's river, agreeable to the resolutions of the 5th of November last, and to employ the militia of the state of New-York, and to call upon the states of Massachusetts-Bay and Connecticut, for such parts of their militia as he may think necessary, and those states can spare, for executing this important business : That the commanding officer at Peeks-Kill be ordered and directed to furnish gov. Clinton with money from the military chest, and to give him every assistance in his power in forwarding and perfecting the business committed to him:

That a warrant issue on the commissioner of the loan-office in the state of New-York, in favor of gov. Clinton, for 50,000 dollars, towards defraying the charge of the business intrusted to him.

Resolved, That the warrant of the Sd of February for 200,000 dollars, in favor of the board of war, be paid to Joseph Nourse, pay-master to the said board of war and ordnance, to be applied to the purpose of purchasing provisions for the use of the grand army.

The commissioners of claims report,

That they have examined the accounts of Mr. Thomas Butler, amounting to 6801 74.90 dollars, together with 800 dollars accounted with col. Flower, making in the whole, 7601 74.90 dollars; that he has received of James Mease, esq. 800 dollars; of John Gibson, esq. 6600 dollars; and for two vices 28 24.90 dollars; and after deducting sundry errors and over charges, there is a balance of 87 20.90 dollars due to him:

To col. Michael Swoope, for his pay from the 22d of September, 1776, to the 7th of February, 1778, a balance of 976 10.90 dollars:

Ordered, That the said balances be paid.

A letter, of the 18th, from general Mifflin to the board of war, was laid before Congress, and read:

Ordered, That the same, together with the papers relating to the quartermaster's department, be referred to the board of treasury.

Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow.

THURSDAY, February 19, 1778.

A letter, of the 18th, from the board of war, with one enclosed from Cornelius Sweers, deputy commissary-general of military stores, was read: Ordered, That the same be referred to the board of treasury.

Resolved, That general Mifflin be directed to attend immediately the board of war, and that he order the several deputies and agents under him in the department of the quarter-master general to proceed vigorously in executing the business of that department, without attending to the settlement of their respective accounts, until the department is properly arranged, and they can attend to the settlement of their accounts without detriment to the public cause.

The committee on the treasury brought in a report; Whereupon,

Ordered, That the following warrants issue in favor of major-general Mifflin, quarter-master general, for the use of his department, and for which he is to be accountable, viz.

One warrant on the treasurer for 250,000 dollars, to be transmitted to him by Joseph Nourse, esq.

One warrant on Thomas Smith, esq. commissioner of the continental loanoffice in the state of Pennsylvania, for 150,000 dollars.

Ordered, That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favor of Joseph Nourse, esq. pay-master to the board of war and ordnance, for the sum of 50,000 dollars, to be applied by the said board for the use of the department of the commissary-general of military stores; the said pay-master to be accountable: That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favor of Thomas Hughes, paymaster to the 7th Virginia regiment, for 9630 dollars, it being in discharge of the draught of W. Palfrey, pay-master general, for that sum, in favor of the said Hughes, on the president, dated at camp, the 12th instant, the said pay-master general to be accountable:

That a warrant issue on Thomas Smith, esq. commissioner of the continental loan-office in the state of Pennsylvania, in favor of brigadier David Forman, for 10,000 dollars, for which he is to be accountable, and that the deputy commissary-general of purchases in the middle district be furnished with a copy of this order, and directed forthwith to settle the accounts of brigadier Forman for provisions supplied by his order to the troops lately stationed at New-Jersey, charging to him the amount of this grant, and reporting to the board of treasury the state of his accounts.

The committee on the treasury farther reported,

That a warrant should issue on Joseph Borden, esq. commissioner of the continental loan-office in the state of New-Jersey, in favor of major-general Mifflin, for 20,000 dollars, for the use of the quarter-master general's department: On the question put, the states were equally divided.

THREE O'CLOCK, P. M.

A motion was made to re-consider the report from the board of treasury for issuing a warrant on Joseph Borden, esq. in favor of general Mifflin, for 80,000 dollars, for the use of the quarter-master general's department: Question put, passed in the negative.

A letter, of the 12th, from brigadier Hand, at Fort-Pitt, to the board of war, was laid before Congress and read; Whereupon,

Resolved, That brigadier Hand transmit to the Orkansas, so much of the provisions which were demanded of him by capt. James Willing, of the armed boat Rattle-Trap, as he can spare, and judges necessary and proper for the purpose.

Ordered, That the letter be returned to the board of war, to do therein what they judge proper and necessary.

The committee to whom was referred the letter of the 6th, from the committee at camp, relative to the prisoners of the convention, now at Bos

« PrejšnjaNaprej »