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A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --TUESDAY, MAY 28, 1776
Resolved, That Colonel Turbutt Francis be desired to attend at the next conference with the Indians, and assist in interpreting for them.
The committee, to whom it was referred to consider a mode for regulating the price of salt, brought in their report, which was read: and,
The Committee, to whom was referred the regulation of the price of salt, are humbly of opinion:
That some persons possessed of large quantities of salt imported before the late restrictions on our trade have taken an undue advantage of the recommendation of Congress to the several committees of observation and inspection, to desist from any farther regulation of the prices of merchandize, by demanding an extravagant price for that necessary article.
That tho' regulations of that natureon trade tend to discourage Commerce and increase the scarcity which they were designed to
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remove, yet that the same is not applicable to salt, unless it is sold so high as to be very burthensome to the poor, as it can only be imported in large vessels the risk of which is extreamly great.
That in order to remmedy this inconvenience without burthening trade it will be proper to fix the price of salt now in the Country, or hereafter to be imported or manufactured, when sold at the place into which the same is imported, or at which it is manufactured, at 2/3 of a dollar per Bushel. If sold at any other placemore remote, at the same price, with the addition of so much as will defray the charges of transportation.
That a bounty shd. be given by this Congress of 1/3 of a dollar p'r bushl, upon all such salt as shall be imported into or manufactured within either of these colonies, within one year from thefirst day of july next date hereof, that the same shd. be paid by the Continental Treasurer to any person or persons who shall produce to him a certificate from the Convention, Assembly, or Committee of safety of the province in which salt shall have been manufactured, or into which the same shall have been imported, that the said certificate contain the name of the manufacturer or importer, the quantity manufactured or imported, and the time in which the same was applied for.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Robert R. Livingston, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 28, folio 175.]
Ordered, To lie on the table.
The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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