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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Charles Thomson to Richard Caswell
Thomson, Charles, 1729-1824
May 28, 1785
Volume 17, Pages 460-461

HON. CHAS. THOMSON TO GOV. CASWELL.
[From Gov. Caswell's Letter Book.]

Office of Secretary of Congress, May 28, 1785.

Sir:

I have the honor of transmitting to your Excellency, sundry acts of the United States in Congress assembled:

1st. An Act of the 23rd April, 1784, for laying out into distinct States the western Territory, ceded to the Union by individual States, and purchased of the Indians, and stating the principles on which the temporary and permanent Governments of the new States shall be established.

2nd. An ordinance ascertaining the mode of disposing of lands in the Western Territory so ceded and purchased.

3rd. A recommendation to the State over which you preside, to recur to the principles of magnanimity & justice which dictated the act of the 2nd of June, 1784, and to evince the same good disposition by repealing the act of the 20th November last and completing the cession of Western territory made by the first act.

4th. An ordinance for the regulation of the office of the Secretary of Congress passed the 31st March, 1785. As this ordinance makes it the duty of the Secretary not only to transmit to the States the acts, ordinances, resolutions and recommendations of Congress—but also to correspond with the States for the purpose of receiving communications from them relative to the execution of the same, I trust your Excellency will favour me with an answer, and that the conduct of North Carolina will exhibit the clearest proof that no state in the Union can exceed, nor any consideration over balance

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their Zeal to extend the blessing of liberty, and to promote the peace, happiness and prosperity of the Confederacy.

With the greatest respect I have the honor to be
your Excellency's mo. ob. humbl. servt.,
C. THOMSON.