The law declared it the duty of " all persons in the service of the United States, as well as all other the inhabitants thereof " to inform the Continental Congress or proper authorities of " misconduct, frauds or misdemeanors committed by any officers in the service of these states, which may come to their knowledge . " Congress declared that the United States would defend the two whistleblowers against a libel suit filed against them by Hopkins, resolving that " the reasonable expences of defending the said suit be defrayed by the United States " and terminated the employment of Hopkins, who had misconducted himself ."
