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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Act of the Massachusetts General Court concerning trade
Massachusetts. General Court
November 29, 1785
Volume 17, Page 593

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AN ACT OF MASSACHUSETTS REPEALING PART OF THE ACT FOR REGULATING NAVIGATION AND COMMERCE.
[From Executive Letter Book.]


Commonwealth of Massachusetts,
In the Year of Our Lord, 1785.

An Act repealing part of “an Act for the regulation of Navigation and Commerce.”

Whereas, Some of the restrictions laid upon foreigners indiscriminately, by the Act for regulating Navigation and Commerce, are found in some instances to militate with the principles of reciprocity which ought ever to be adopted in Commercial Regulation.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court Assembled and by the authority of the same, that from and after the passing of this Act, the several Clauses contained in the before recited Act, which imposes duty of tonnage on all foreign Vessels, which subject the Goods imported in foreign Vessels to the payment of double duties, and which confine the unloading of Goods from any foreign Vessel to the ports of Boston, Falmouth and Dartmouth except so far as is hereafter provided be and they are hereby repealed.

Provided, that the duty of light money required of all Foreigners, shall be one Shilling and ten pence per ton in addition to light money paid by the subjects of the United States, and no more.

Provided always, that the Act aforesaid and every Clause thereof which respects Foreigners and their property, shall be construed to be in full force against the subjects of the King of Great Britain and the property of such subjects.


In the House of Representatives Nov. 29th, 1785.

This Bill having had three several readings, passed to be enacted.

NATHANIEL GORHAM, Speaker.


In Senate, Nov. 29th, 1785.

This Bill had two several readings passed to be enacted.

SAMUEL PHILLIPS, Junr. Presid't.

By the Governor approved.

JAMES BOWDOIN.
(A True Copy) attest:
JOHN AVERY, Junr., Secretary.