The Pennsylvania evening post — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-04-09 00:00:00, page 1

dn CONGRESS, April 6, 1776.
RESOLV ED, That any goods, wares and merchan
dizes, except ftaves and empty calks, other than
shaken or knocked down calks for molasses, may be
exported from the Thirteen United Colonies, by the
inhabitants thereof, and by the people of all such countries
as are not fubjed to the King of Great-Britain, to any parts of
the world, which are not under the dominion of the said
King: Provided that no vessel be permitted to export any
greater number of shaken or knocked down molasses calks
than the fame vessel is capable of carrying when they shall
be filled with molasses.
Resolved, That any goods, wares and merchandize, ex
cept such as are of the growth, production or manufacture of,
or brought from any country umder the dominion of the King
®f Great-Britain, and except East-India tea may be imported
from any other parts of the world, to the Thirteen United Co
lonies, by the inhabitants thereof, and by the people of all
such countries as are not fubjeCt to the said King, liable
however to all such duties and im,ofitions as now are or may
hereafter be laid by any of the said Colonies.
Resolved, That nothing herein contained shall be under
stood to prevent such future commercial regulations as shall be
thought just and necessary by these United Colonies or their
refpe&ive legislatures.
Resolved, That no Slaves be imported into any of the Thir
teen United Colonies.
Resolved, That it be recommended to the Assemblies and
Conventions in the several Colonies to appoint proper officers
at convenient places in their refpeCtive Colonies to take bonds
in adequate penalties, for observing the regulations made by
the Congress or Assemblies or Conventions, concerning trade,
and for securing the observation of such parts of the Associa
tion as are not inconsistent therewith, and that the obligor
shall, within eighteen months after the departure of the vessel,
produce to such officers a certificate under the hands and seals
of three or more reputable merchants residing at the port or
place where the cargo shall be delivered, that the fame was
there unladed, and take manifests upon oath of the cargoes
exported and imported, and keep fair accounts and entries
thereof, give bills of health when desired, grant registers shew
ing the property of the vessels cleared out, and sign certificates
that the requisites for qualifying vessels to trade have been
complied with, and that the fees of the said officers be stated
by the reSpeCtive Assemblies or Conventions—Provided always,
That no prosecution upon any|of the said bonds shall be com
menced but within three years after the date thereof.
Resolved, That all goods, wares and merchandize, except
such as are made prize of, which shall be imported directly or
indirectly from Great-Britain or Ireland, int® any of these
United Colonies, contrary to the regulations established by
Congress, shall be forfeited and disposed of agreeable to such
rules as shall be made by the feveraf Assemblies or Conven
tions, and shall be liable to prefecution and condemnation in
any Court, erected or to be erected for the determination of
maritime affairs in the Colony where the seizure shall be
made, Extract from the Minutes,
CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary.
The PENNSYLVANIA EVENING POST.
Vol. lI.J
Price only 'Two Coppers. Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Evenings.
TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 1776.
177
The Substance of Lord MANSFIELD's Speech in the
House of Lords, on the third reading of the bill " prohi
biting all trade and intercourse with the Twelve United
Colonies, during the present rebellion in America, and for
impowering his Majesty to issue commissions to certain per
sons to grant pardons in the cases, and for the purposes
therein mentioned."
I DID not come prepared the last day this bill was under
confederation to speak to it, though I delivered my Senti
ments upon some matters which happened then to come into
difeuflion; nor should I now trouble your Lordships, did not
I think myfelf called upon to assign my reasons for assenting
to it. The noble Lord * fays, this bill is hasty, rash, ruinous,
and unjust. I shall beg the patience of the House, while I
endeavour to exculpate myfelf from that part of the censure
which may be presumed to fall to my share, as giving it my
support arises from the fulleft conviction of its utter necessity
in the present date of things. Before, however, I speak to
the principle of the bill, 1 shall explain one matter, which
has been frequently mentioned. It has been objected, that
one of the clauses of this bill has a retrofpe&fve view, as it
legalizes all Seizures made before the pacing of this bill.- This
my Lord, is not unusual ; it has, indeed, been the constant
uniform practice in such cases. It is founded in justice be
cause if such seizures were made wantonly or without cause,
and not upon the only ground which they can be fairly defended,
thus of manifeftly advancing the public service, the clause in
this bill will not protest or indemnify any aft of that kind.
Besides, what is the true legal conftru Ction of this clause ?—
Not, surely, to seize the property, and confifeate it. No, on
ly to defend their actors against personal actions, the performs
complaining being still left at full liberty to pursue their re
medy at law, in order to recover their property, or the value
of it. It would, indeed, were it otherwise, be impossible for
officers in high command to aft, if for measures taken for the
good of the itate, they should be liable afterwards to be ruin
ed by the almost infinity of Suits that might be instituted
against them, when the commotions were over, and every
thing returned into its former tranquil state. The noble
Lord seems to doubt of the right of delegating the power of
pardoning to be inherent in the crown ; for my part, I am
perfectly clear it has from the firft eftabliihment of the monar
chy. General Gage exercised it on a late occasion, where,
by proclamation, he promised pardons to every man in Ame
rica, but one or two individuals. It has been always the prac
tice. Every General of an army, acting against rebels, is
veiled with this power. Indeed, 1 believe, there never was a
rebellion in this conntry, or its dominions, in which this
power was not actually exercised. The rebels taken in 171$
at Preston, claimed it as an agreement as the terms of capitu
lation. It was not granted ; but the power was never dis
puted. A night or two ago I was reading the Register, a
book of the firft law authority extant. It is full of original
writs. So early as the reign of Edward I. I find this doc
trine of pardoning in the lump fully confirmed. I found
there a dedimus poteftatem-, directed by that King to certain
persons therein mentioned, to pardon all the people of Gallv
* Lord ^bclbiwnc.
[Num. 190.