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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, FEBRUARY 26, 1782
The Ordinance being read a third time, was agreed to as follows:
AN ORDINANCE FOR FURTHER AMENDING THE ORDINANCE ASCERTAINING WHAT CAPTURES ON WATER SHALL BE LAWFUL.
Whereas divers ships or vessels belonging to the citizens of several of these United States, may have sailed on voyages to Europe, before
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the publication of the ordinance, entitled "an ordinance ascertaining what captures on water shall be lawful," where they, as well as vessels belonging to the subjects of neutral powers, may have laden and taken on board in promiscuous cargoes, goods, wares, and merchandises, of the growth, product, or manufacture of Great Britain, or of some of the dominions or territories thereon depending, without any knowledge of the said ordinance, and may not be able to arrive in any of the ports of these states, on or before the first day of March next; whereby the said goods may become liable to capture and condemnation.
For remedy whereof, it is hereby ordained by the United States in Congress assembled, that no ship or other vessel, which shall have sailed from any port or place in Europe, not belonging to the King of Great Britain, on or before the 10th day of April next, for any port or place within the United States, not in possession of the enemy, shall be liable to capture or molestation, merely for having on board goods, wares, or other merchandises of the growth, product or manufacture of Great Britain, or of any territory depending thereon.
And it is hereby further ordained, that where vessels, their cargoes, or any part thereof, belonging to any citizen of these United States, sailing or being within the body of a county, or within any river or arm of the sea, or within cannon shot of the shore of any of these states, and laden with the produce of the country, and destined for a port or place within these states, not in possession of the enemy, shall be captured by the enemy, and shall be recaptured below high water mark, by another citizen thereof, restitution shall be made to the former owner, upon the payment of a reasonable salvage, not exceeding one-fourth part of the value, no regard being had to the time of possession of the enemy.
And be it further ordained, that so much of the aforesaid ordinance as comes within the purview of this, be and hereby is repealed.
Done, &c.1
[Note 1: 1 On this day, according to the indorsement, a memorial of Joseph Eaker, of the same date, was read. It is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, III, folio 71.]
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