1. JM’s motion applied wholly to troops in Greene’s army in the Carolinas. Lafayette’s force in Virginia was made up of soldiers of the continental line from the New England states and New Jersey (Louis Gottschalk, Lafayette and the Close of the American Revolution, pp. 189–92). The committee to which Congress referred the motion comprised Theodorick Bland of Virginia, Daniel Carroll of Maryland, and Nicholas Van Dyke of Delaware. The committee’s report of 14 May was adopted the next day (JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, 1904–37). description ends , XX, 493, 506–7).

2. On 17 January 1781 Congress elected John Pierce (d. 1788) of Connecticut paymaster general of the army (JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, 1904–37). description ends , XIX, 65). He had been an assistant paymaster since 1776.

3. Following “the,” JM crossed out “under-mentioned.”

4. JM obviously meant 1780 rather than 1781, and Congress so corrected it before adopting the motion. For the act of 18 March 1780, see Papers of Madison description begins William T. Hutchinson, William M. E. Rachal, et al., eds., The Papers of James Madison (2 vols. to date; Chicago, 1962——). description ends , II, 49–51.

5. The “4/10” earlier in the sentence was the fraction of the new currency, emitted under the act of 18 March 1780, which was to be at the disposal of the United States rather than of any state. The $10,000,000 was, by the terms of that act, the whole amount of the new money to be issued by the states before 30 April 1781 (JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, 1904–37). description ends , XVI, 262–66; XIX, 411). On the recommendation of John Pierce and the Board of Treasury, Congress on 21 May, in order to pay the recruits of the continental line being raised in Virginia for service under Lafayette, agreed to a second resolution. This, insofar as it amended the resolution of 10 May, read:

“Ordered, That John Pierce, paymaster general, pay to the several detachments of troops now under the command of Major General the Marquis de la Fayette to the southward four months’ pay, amounting to thirty-four thousand three hundred and three dollars of the new emissions out of the warrant drawn in his favour on the commissioner of the loan office for the State of Virginia, dated the 15 instant for 237,279 dollars like emissions” (JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, 1904–37). description ends , XX, 517, 520, 581; NA: PCC, No. 136, V, 317).

As late as 24 August, at least, this action remained sterile. On that day, Lafayette wrote Washington: “From the moment I took the command of this army their has not been a farthing sent from the Treasury and this State money is good for nothing” (Louis Gottschalk, ed., Letters of Lafayette to Washington, p. 222).

6. This clause is not in JM’s hand and was probably added either by the Bland committee or during the debate in Congress on the committee’s report.