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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Minutes of the North Carolina Council of State
North Carolina. Council of State
April 07, 1778
Volume 22, Pages 932-934


State of North Carolina.
At a Council held at New Bern, the 7th April, 1778.

Present—The Honorables William Cray, William Haywood, Joseph Leech and Thomas Bonner, Esquires.

The Governor laid before the Board a resolve of Congress recommending to the United States that Wednesday, the 22nd day of April, instant, be set apart as a day of fasting and prayer, and that

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the inhabitants of the said States abstain from labor and recreations.

Resolved, That it be recommended to the Governor to issue a proclamation requesting the inhabitants of this State to observe the said 22nd instant as a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer, accordingly.

Whereas, the Council at a meeting the 29th of January last, did advise the Governor to issue his proclamation for prohibiting the exportation of all beef, pork, bacon and common salt out of this State, except such as might be sent thereout for the suport of the Continental army, or any troops sent out of this State, and such a quantity as might be really necessary for the cargo of any vessel going out on a voyage or cruise, and such as might be purchased by the agents of the United States for sea stores for any vessels in the Continental service on a voyage or cruise.

And, whereas, the Continental Congress has by resolve given indulgence to Bermudians bringing salt into the United States to carry out the value of their respective cargoes of salt in provisions; and as it appeared to the Board that under the faith of the said resolution of Congress many Bermudian vessels might arrive in the State with salt, and in case of refusal to the masters of such vessels to carry provisions out, such a measure might have a tendency to lessen the credit of the Congress as well as to prevent the bringing in that very necessary article;

Therefore, did recommend to the Governor that in case of the arrival of such Bermudian vessels with salt, that he should grant permission to the masters of them to carry out such quantities of provisions as he might think proper and consistent with the resolution of Congress, such proclamation to the contrary notwithstanding.

The Governor now informed the Board that, since the said meeting, three Bermudian vessels had arrived in Port Beaufort with salt, the masters of which, to-wit, Captains Roberts, Hutchins and Parker, having applied for leave to carry out provisions, suggestting that they had, upon the faith and credit of the resolve of Congress, come into this State with salt in full expectation of being permitted to carry out provisions; that, in consequence thereof and of the advice given him by the Board as aforesaid, he had granted permission to the said Captains Roberts and Hutchins to carry out from 120 to 130 barrels of pork, and to the aforesaid Captain Parker leave to carry 80 or 90 barrels of pork, the said quantities being much less in value than the respective cargoes of salt brought into

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this State in the said vessels, and that he had directed the naval officer to clear out the said vessels with the aforesaid quantities of pork, his proclamation to the contrary notwithstanding.

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Board that the permission granted by the Governor to the aforesaid Captains Roberts, Hutchins and Parker is strictly agreeable to the advice given him by this Board, and the directions to the naval officers a consequence necessarily resulting from such advice.

WILLIAM CRAY, President,
W. HAYWOOD,
JOSEPH LEECH,
THOMAS BONNER,