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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Petition from some inhabitants of North Carolina concerning the exportation of cattle
Purviance, William; Dubois, John, ca. 1700-1768; Jones, Marmaduke, ca. 1724-1787; Maclaine, Archibald, 1728-1790; Leech, Joseph, 1720-1803; Et Al.
1757
Volume 05, Pages 745-746

[From MSS. Records in Office of Secretary of State.]

To His Excellency Arthur Dobbs Esqr Governor &c The Honorable Members of His Majesty's Council and the Worthy Gentlemen Representatives for the Province of North Carolina In Assembly Convened.

The Humble Petition of the Subscribers, Tanners & Merchants In behalf of themselves and others Sheweth

That Whereas a Malignant & Contagious Distemper hath Infected the horned Cattle in this Province for many years past, whereby some thousands have been Destroyed, Under which Calamity we still are Suffering daily, & Our Stocks of Cattle reduced to a very small Number. We Therefore Pray that your Excellency, with the Honourable Council, & the Worthy Gentlemen Representatives for the Several Countys will take this matter into your Serious Consideration and Prevent the driveing Out of this Province for the future all Horned Cattle to any of the Neighbouring

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Provinces, as we are under fearful Apprehensions, that we shall Scarcely have Beef Enough in a few years for Our Own Consumption.

And Whereas many large Tan Yards have been lately set up in this & other parts of the province, Sufficient to Tan & Curry all the Hides Kill'd in it whereby the Leather Manufactory is greatly Encreased, and a Number of Tradesmen Constantly employ'd in working up the same. We Therefore Pray that your Excellency with the Honourable Council & Gentlemen of the Assembly will do all in your power to Encourage so Useful & Beneficial a Manufactory and that you will lay a small Duty of one penny per pound on all Good Trim'd Dry hides, & One half penny per pound an all Green hides that shall he Exported raw & Untann'd (Except to Great Brittain) or Prohibit the Exportation of all Good Trim'd Dry hides that will fetch five pence per pound and all Green hides not distemper'd two pence half penny per pound, and Limit the price of Good Tann'd Sole Leathrs at twelve pence per pound so long as the price of hides does not exceed the above Limitation, or such other Duty as to you shall seem meet, Otherwise those Gentlemen who have been at Considerable Expence in Settling Large Yards will be Under a Necessity of laying them aside, and one of our Valueablest & best Export will be Discouraged. We further Pray that if a Duty or Prohibition be laid on all Hides pieces of Hides and Calf Skins that all Masters of Vessels at Clearing Out of this province, shall be Sworn before the Naval Officer to the Contents of his Cargo. And That one person in Every Port well skilled in Taning & the Leather Manufactory be Appointed Inspector & that none shall be Deemed Merchantable but such as they shall Stamp nor shall any be Exported but such as is Stamped and We Your Petitioners as in Duty bound Shall Pray.

WILLIAM PURVIANCE
MARMADUKE JONES
JOHN WHITE
BENJn MORISON
THOMAS TURNBULL
JOHN MORRIS
A. MACLAINE
ROBt SCHAW
DANl DUNBIBIN
THOs HASLEN
JOSEPH LEECH
JOHN LYON
JNo D. BOIS.
EDWd LANGFORD
JOHN EEDE
JNo ROBESON
THOs JAMES
MAGNUS COWAN
ROBt McCRAKAN
JACOB MILLER
JAMES HILL
THOMs HILL