1. Probably Samuel Burke (d. 1795), a merchant-importer of Norfolk (Norfolk Borough Hustings Court Records, Will Book 1, pp. 83–84, microfilm in Virginia State Library). See also Hening, Statutes description begins William Waller Hening, ed., The Statutes at Large; Being a Collection of All the Laws of Virginia, from the First Session of the Legislature, in the Year 1619 (13 vols.; Richmond and Philadelphia, 1819–23). description ends , XI, 530; Calendar of Virginia State Papers description begins William P. Palmer et al., eds., Calendar of Virginia State Papers and Other Manuscripts (11 vols.; Richmond, 1875–93). description ends , IV, 601.

2. Since 1776 John King (d. 1783) had been naval officer of the Elizabeth River District (Journal of the House of Delegates description begins Journal of the House of Delegates of the Commonwealth of Virginia; Begun and Held at the Capitol, in the City of Williamsburg. Beginning in 1780, the portion after the semicolon reads, Begun and Held in the Town of Richmond. In the County of Henrico. The journal for each session has its own title page and is individually paginated. The edition used is the one in which the journals for 1777–1786 are brought together in two volumes, with each journal published in Richmond in 1827 or 1828, and often called the “Thomas W. White reprint.” description ends , October 1776, p. 104; October 1783, p. 77). Harrison was in error concerning the effect of “our Laws.” The statute, passed on 5 January 1782, provided that “one moiety” of goods seized for illegal entry should “be to the use of the informer, and the other moiety to the use of the commonwealth” (ibid., October 1781, p. 74; Hening, Statutes description begins William Waller Hening, ed., The Statutes at Large; Being a Collection of All the Laws of Virginia, from the First Session of the Legislature, in the Year 1619 (13 vols.; Richmond and Philadelphia, 1819–23). description ends , X, 480). In the present instance King himself was the “informer.” “Burkes goods” appear to have been among, and perhaps totaled a half, of the “small cargo, amounting in value to 700 £” (Randolph to JM, 6 August 1782, and n. 4). The ship probably was the “Good Intent.” See Papers of Madison description begins William T. Hutchinson, William M. E. Rachal, et al., eds., The Papers of James Madison (5 vols. to date; Chicago, 1962——). description ends , IV, 423; 425, n. 9; Reverend James Madison to JM, 2 August, and n. 3; Randolph to JM, 6 August 1782, and n. 9.

3. Possibly George Meade (1741–1808), a Philadelphia merchant and real-estate agent who had business connections in Virginia at least as early as 1778 (Pennsylvania Packet, 21 and 25 January 1783; Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, LXXIII [1965], 330).

Although the identification of Mr. Nelson is even less certain, he may have been former Governor Thomas Nelson, who perhaps had engaged in a trading venture with Meade and Burke in the hope of mending his broken fortune. See JM to Randolph, 19 November 1782, n. 14. Among “the Gentlemen in trade at Petersburg,” Harrison probably included David Ross’s most prominent partner, Thomas Shore (d. 1803) of Violet Bank, an estate about a half mile north of the town (Chesterfield County Court Records, Will Book 7, pp. 245–55, microfilm in Virginia State Library; Virginia Gazette description begins Virginia Gazette, or, the American Advertiser (Richmond, James Hayes, 1781–86). description ends [Williamsburg, Dixon and Nicolson], 19 March 1779; Calendar of Virginia State Papers description begins William P. Palmer et al., eds., Calendar of Virginia State Papers and Other Manuscripts (11 vols.; Richmond, 1875–93). description ends , III, 568; William and Mary Quarterly, 1st ser., VIII [1899–1900], 181).

4. In the law cited in n. 2, above, there was no provision enabling an owner or consignee of legal goods to prevent them from being confiscated if they were part of a cargo illegally entered or not entered at all. The mercantile friends of Burke at Petersburg appear to have counseled him that he might preserve both his reputation and his goods by personally seeking to “enter” them, accompanied by a protest against having to suffer an unjust penalty because of the ship captain’s criminal negligence. This advice was not without merit, judging from King’s proposal to “give much the greater part” of Burke’s goods back to him.

5. For Harrison’s previous comments on the recruiting law, see Papers of Madison description begins William T. Hutchinson, William M. E. Rachal, et al., eds., The Papers of James Madison (5 vols. to date; Chicago, 1962——). description ends , IV, 377; 399. The “service” began on 5 September 1782, when the Governor in Council appointed district recruiting agents and their assistants (Journals of the Council of State description begins H. R. McIlwaine et al., eds., Journals of the Council of the State of Virginia (3 vols. to date; Richmond, 1931——). description ends , III, 139–41).