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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 --MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1783
The committee, consisting of Mr. [Thomas] Fitzsimmons, Mr. [Oliver] Ellsworth, Mr. [John Lewis] Gervais, Mr. [Nathaniel] Gorham and Mr. [Alexander] Hamilton, to whom were referred resolutions of the general assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia, dated 28 December, 1782, respecting the shipment of a quantity of tobacco, under passports granted by the secretary of Congress; report,
"That having made the necessary enquiries, they find that Congress, by their act of the 11 February, 1782, empowered their secretary to grant letters of passport and safe conduct for the exportation of tobacco to New York, on the conditions and under the limitations which, to the said secretary and to the Superintendant of the finances of the United States, should appear most proper and beneficial to the said states, being consistent with the capitulation of York; and provided that permissions were not given for the exportation of tobacco beyond the produce of the sales of the goods under the said capitulation: that in pursuance of this act, the Superintendant of finance entered into an agreement with a certain George Eddy, agent for the merchants, capitulants
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aforesaid, in the first instance, for the exportation of six hundred and eighty-five hogsheads of tobacco, for the produce of sales of goods, amounting to twenty-four thousand dollars, under conditions highly advantageous to the United States: that a second agreement was made between the said Superintendant of finance and the aforesaid George Eddy, for tobacco, to the amount of twenty thousand dollars, under terms substantially the same as the former, except that the Superintendant declined taking any direction of purchase of the latter, for reasons assigned to this committee: that in consequence of these agreements, the Secretary of Congress forwarded to Mr. Daniel Clark, the agent appointed by the Superintendant, passports for the cargoes of two ships, called the Fame and New York, with directions to fill up the exact quantity of tobacco shipped in each, and to procure documents to shew that the quantity shipped did not amount to more than the sums stated to have arisen from sales of goods under the aforesaid capitulation, which amounted to forty-four thousand and thirty-seven dollars and one-third of a dollar: that it appears by the resolutions of the general assembly of Virginia, that the whole quantity of tobacco shipped under those passports, amounted to nine hundred and five hogsheads of tobacco, weighing 989,588 pounds, and that taking the aforesaid sum of 44,037 1--3 dollars, it appears there is not so much tobacco shipped as the sales would warrant, the average value for each hogshead amounting to 48 46--90 dollars.
"Upon the whole of this business, therefore, the committee are of opinion, that the conduct of the Superintendant of finance, and of the Secretary of Congress,
is fully warranted by the resolution of this house under which they acted.
Upon the second resolution which requests an instruction to the Commissioner they beg leave to recommend the measure pointed
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out by the letter of the Superintendant of Finance as the most eligible on this occasion.
was in all respects conformable to the resolution of this house, under which they acted."
Resolved, That Congress agree to the said report.
On a report of the same committee to whom was referred a resolution of the general assembly aforesaid, respecting instructions to the commissioner appointed to settle the accounts of that State with the United States:
Upon the second resolution which respects the instruction to be given to the Commissioner they are of opinion that all proper allowance ought to be made under such circumstances as the legislature of Virginia represent, but are doubtfUl of the propriety of submitting generally matters of such extensive consequences to a Commissioner. Upon this subject they offer the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Superintendant of finance be directed to instruct the commissioner appointed to settle the accounts of the State of Virginia, with the United States, to receive such proofs as shall be exhibited to him instead of the vouchers which have been lost or destroyed, in consequence of the invasion of the said State; and that he shall transmit to the Superintendant a special report upon all such charges, which report shalt be submitted to Congress to be finally decided on.1
[Note 1: 1 This report and the next preceding report of the same committee, in the writing of Thomas FitzSimons, are in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 20, II, folio 289. According to the indorsement, they were read February 6, and entered.]
Congress wins then resolved into a committee of the whole, and after some time the President resumed the chair, and Mr. [Daniel] Carroll reported, that the committee have further considered the subject referred to them, and have come to sundry resolutions, which he was ordered to report, but that not having come to a conclusion, they desire leave to sit again:
Ordered, That leave be granted.
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