Report on the Petition of Ezra Stiles, [12 April 1792]

Report on the Petition of Ezra Stiles

[Philadelphia, April 12, 1792
Communicated on April 17, 1792]1

[To the Speaker of the House of Representatives]

The Secretary of the Treasury, pursuant to an Order of the House of Representatives of the 5th. of April 1790, referring to him the petition of Ezra Stiles, on behalf of the President and fellows of Yale College in Connecticut,2 respectfully reports.

That the Act making provision for the debt of the United States, exempts, in future, Philosophical Apparatus from the duties on importation.3

That it will, therefore, be agreeable to the spirit of that Act, if the Legislature should think proper to direct restitution, in this case, of the duties which have been paid, as set forth in the petition, to be made to the parties. And that, to the Secretary it appears expedient, from a consideration, that it will be conductive to the interests of learning.

All which is humbly submitted,

Alexander Hamilton
Secry. of the Treasy.

Treasury Department,
April 12th 1792.

Copy, RG 233, Reports of the Treasury Department, 1792–1793, Vol. III, National Archives.

1. Journal of the House, I description begins Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States (Washington, 1826), I. description ends , 580. The communicating letter, dated April 16, 1792, may be found in RG 233, Reports of the Treasury Department, 1792–1793, Vol. III, National Archives.

2. On January 27, 1790, “A petition of Ezra Stiles, in behalf of the President and Fellows of Yale College, in Connecticut, was presented to the House and read, praying that the impost duties arising on a philosophical apparatus lately purchased and imported from London, for the use of the said College, may be remitted.

“Ordered, That the said petition … lie on the table.” (Journal of the House, I description begins Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States (Washington, 1826), I. description ends , 148.)

On April 5, 1790, the House “Ordered, That the petition of Ezra Stiles, on behalf of the President and Fellows of Yale College, in Connecticut … be referred to the Secretary of the Treasury, with instruction to examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon to the House” (Journal of the House, I description begins Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States (Washington, 1826), I. description ends , 188).

3. See Section 1 of “An Act making further provision for the payment of the debts of the United States” (1 Stat. description begins The Public Statutes at Large of the United States of America (Boston, 1845). description ends 180–81 [August 10, 1790]).

Index Entries

You Are Looking At

Source Project: Hamilton Papers
Title: Report on the Petition of Ezra Stiles, [12 April 1792]
Author: Hamilton, Alexander
Date: 12 April 1792

Reference

Cite as: “Report on the Petition of Ezra Stiles, [12 April 1792],” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Hamilton/01-11-02-0221. [Original source: The Papers of Alexander Hamilton, vol. 11, February 1792 – June 1792, ed. Harold C. Syrett. New York: Columbia University Press, 1966, pp. 268–269.]