Thomas Smith aforesaid, for fifteen thousand dollars old emissions, for the use of the President's household, and for which the said steward is to be accountable.1

The Board of Treasury, to whom was re-committed their report, respecting the drawing of the fourth class of the United States' lottery, delivered in another report; Whereupon,

TREASURY OFFICE January 19th 1781. The Board of Treasury beg leave to lay before Congress a letter of the 15th instant from the managers of the United States lottery, for direction in the premises. The Board, however, are of opinion that in the present depreciated state of the old currency it will be for the interest of the United States not to dispose of any of the tickets which remain unrenewed by adventurers in the third class; because the prizes to be funded in the fourth class will be on the disadvantageous terms of forty dollars of the old for one of the new, when the value of one of the latter is at least equal to seventy-five of the former. The following resolution is therefore submitted:

Resolved, That the managers of the United States' lottery, forthwith prepare for the drawing of the fourth class of the said lottery; that they draw the blanks and prizes, and begin the drawing on the first day of March Monday in April next, under the direction of the Board of Treasury; and that the tickets then remaining unrenewed by the adventurers in the third class, conformable to the resolution of the 18th day of November, 1776, be on account of the United States and not disposed of.2

A letter, of this day, from J. Scudder, was read:3

Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury. Congress resumed the consideration of the report for a new arrangement of the executive boards, and after some time being spent thereon;

1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, V, folio 85. 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, V, folio 37.

3 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XXI, folio 9.

Ordered, That so much as relates to the Marine Department be re-committed.1

Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1781

A letter, of 6th, from E. Forman and J. Gibson, was read; Whereupon,2

Ordered, That Tuesday next be assigned for considering the papers therein referred to.

The Board of Admiralty, to whom was referred the memorial and account of Captain R. Elliot, request that they may be discharged therefrom, the said account not being within the line of their department, but relating to a private expedition, undertaken at the expence of the State of Virginia, and because they are not furnished with any documents relative thereto from O. Pollock, continental agent at New Orleans, who was employed by and hath constantly corresponded with the Committee of Commerce: 3 Resolved, That Congress agree to the said request. Whereas the events of the war may prevent the legislatures of some of these states from assembling in time to consider the act of Congress of the 3d, and consent to the vesting in Congress the power to levy the duties mentioned in the said act, so as to enable Congress to apply the said duties for the important purpose for which the said duties are designed; and whereas there is no reason to apprehend that such states

1 The part recommitted was as follows, being in the writing of James Duane; it is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 28, folio 313:

That the Secretary of Marine be empowered and required to execute and discharge all the duties committed by Congress to the Board of Admiralty; That the several Navy Boards be abolished and the duties heretofore exercised by them be committed to such agents not exceeding one in each Port as shall be recommended by the Secretary of Marine and appointed by Congress. That he also report to Congress the officers necessary for assisting him in the duties of his Department.

2 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 62, folio 631.

3 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, III, folio 63.

as may be so circumstanced, will refuse to concur in a measure calculated for the general defence, so soon as their legislatures shall be enabled to meet and deliberate:

Resolved, That so soon as all the states, whose legislatures shall and may assemble, shall consent to the vesting in Congress the power of levying the duties in the act aforesaid specified, Congress will proceed to the execution of the said powers; and the revenues arising from the said duties, shall be carried to the general credit of all the states which shall consent or accede thereto, in the first session of their respective legislatures, which shall be held after the said act shall have reached the executive powers of the states respectively.

Ordered, That the foregoing resolution, together with the act of the 3d, be transmitted with all convenient despatch to the several states; and that, in the letter accompanying the same, the President urge upon the several executives the necessity of immediately calling the assemblies, if not already convened, for the purpose of vesting Congress with the power mentioned in the said act.

Ordered, That a committee of three be appointed to make as accurate an estimate of the public debt as they possibly can, and report the same to Congress;

The members, Mr. [James] Duane, Mr. [William] Sharpe, Mr. [Oliver] Wolcott.

Ordered, That the estimates and returns relative to the public debts, in the Secretary's office, be referred to the said committee.

Mr. Richard Law was nominated by Mr. [Jesse] Root for the office of secretary of foreign affairs.

The committee to whom was re-committed part of their report on a plan for the arrangement of the civil executive departments of the United States, delivered in another report.

Congress then resumed the consideration of the plan for the arrangement of the civil executive departments of the United States; and thereupon,

Resolved, That there be a Financier Superintendant of Finance, a Secretary at War, and a Secretary of Marine:

That it shall be the duty of the Financier [Superintendant of Finance], to examine into the state of the public debt, the public expenditures, and the' public revenue, to digest and report plans for improving and regulating the finances, and for establishing order and economy in the expenditure of the public money; to direct the execution of all plans which shall be adopted by Congress respecting revenue and expenditure; to superintend and control the settlement of all public accounts; to direct and control all persons employed in procuring supplies for the public service, and in the expenditure of public money; to obtain accounts of all the issues of the specific supplies furnished by the several states; to compel the payment of all moneys due to the United States, and in his official character, [or in such manner as the laws of the respective states shall direct,] to prosecute on behalf of the United States, for all delinquencies [respecting the public revenue and expenditures]; to report to Congress the officers which shall be necessary for assisting him in the various branches of his department.

That the powers and duty of the Secretary at War shall be as follows:

To examine into the present state of the war-office, the returns and present state of the troops, ordnance, arms, ammunition, cloathing, and supplies of the armies of these United States, and report the same to Congress; to obtain and keep exact and regular returns of all the forces of the United States, and of all the military stores, equipments, and supplies in the magazines of the United States, or in 1 George Bond here begins the entries.

other places for their use; and to take the immediate care of all such as are not in actual service; to form estimates of all such stores, equipments and supplies as may be requisite for the military service, and for keeping up competent magazines, and to report the same to the Financier [Superintendant of Finance], that he may take measures for procuring the same in such manner as may best suit the finances of these states; to prepare estimates for paying and recruiting the armies of these United States, and lay them before the Financier [Superintendant of Finance], so seasonably as to enable him to make provision without delay or derangement; to execute all the resolutions of Congress respecting military preparations, and transmit all orders and resolutions relative to the military land forces of these United States; to make out, seal, and countersign all military commissions, keep registers thereof, and publish annually a list of all appointments; to report to Congress the officers necessary for assisting him in the business of his department.1

The Committee to whom was re-committed a plan for the arrangement of the Civil Executive Departments of the United States so far as it respects the marine, submit the following Report:

Resolved, That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of Marine, to examine into and report to Congress the present state of the navy, a register of the officers in and out of command, and the dates of their respective commissions; and an account of all the naval and other stores belonging to that department; to form estimates of all pay, equipments and supplies necessary for the navy; and from time to time to report such estimates to the Superintendant of Finance, that he may take measures for providing for the expences, in such manner as may best suit the condition of the public treasury;

1 This report, in the writing of James Duane, except the words in brackets, which are in the writing of Samuel Huntington, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 28, folio 311.