Whistleblower Protection Act of 1778 facts for kids
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| Long title | That it is the duty of all persons in the service of the United States, as well as all other the inhabitants thereof, to give the earliest information to Congress or other proper authority of any misconduct, frauds or misdemeanors committed by any officers or persons in the service of these states, which may come to their knowledge. |
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| Effective | July 30, 1778 |
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Whistleblower Protection Act of 1778 was penned as a resolution title by the Second Continental Congress during the British occupation of the Province of Pennsylvania often referred as the Philadelphia campaign. The public law established a resolve for American colonists confronting;
| ☆ Disclosure of misconduct as declared as false prudence |
| ☆ Intimidation by promising British Crown Loyalists residing in British America |
| ☆ Malicious retaliatory practices |
| during the American Revolution in Colonial America. |
The Act of Congress was enacted as a public law by the fifth President of the Continental Congress Henry Laurens in York, Pennsylvania on July 30, 1778.
Origins of 1778 Whistleblower Act
The Whistleblower Protection Act of 1778 culminated as a result of stated altercations by a Continental Navy Commodore defying British prisoners of war confined or imprisoned on the USS Warren frigate adrift in the Providence River.
In February 1777, ten Continental Navy mariners filed petitions with the Eastern Navy Board, Marine Committee, and ultimately the Continental Congress alleging misconduct violations by USS Warren Commodore Esek Hopkins. The petitioners cliamed him to be "quite unfit for the publick department he now occupies" as he had verbally abused the personnel and "treated prisoners in a very unbecoming barbarous manner":
- "The following lines contain the reasons why we signed the petition against Commodore Hopkins, we consider him, on the account of his real Character, quite unfit for the important publick Stations wherein he now pretends to act. We know him to be from his conversation and conduct, a man destitute of the principles, both of religion and Morality. We likewise know that he Sets the most impious example both to his officers and Men by frequently profaning the name of almighty God, and by ridiculing virtue. We know him to be one principle obsticle, or reason why this Ship is not man'd; and people are afraid to engage in the fleet through fear of their being turned over to this Ship. We have considered it as an indispensable duty we owe our country Sincerely to petition the Honorable Marine Committee that his conduct and character be inquired into for as things are now circumstanced, we greatly fear these frigates will not be in a Situation capable of doing America any service."
