James Madison Papers
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Benjamin Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 30 November 1782

Benjamin Harrison to Virginia Delegates

FC (Virginia State Library). In the hand of Thomas L. Savage and addressed to “The Honble. Virginia Delegates in Congress.”

Richmond 30th. Novem: 1782

Gentlemen

Your favor by Post came safe to hand,1 like you I have nothing new to communicate. Mr. Clarke has ship’d a quantity of Tobacco from this Country to N. York more than the first resolution of Congress amounted to, and without giving me any Information of his design, he says he had a permission to ship it from the Secretary of Congress, be so kind as to enquire into this, and know from him his reasons for giving such a Licence.2 I am with respect &c.

B. H.

2By this request, Harrison revived his controversy of May and June 1782 with Robert Morris and his agent, Daniel Clark, about the shipment in flag-of-truce vessels to New York City from Virginia of tobacco in exchange for the goods left at Yorktown by British merchants-capitulant following the surrender of Cornwallis. 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, 244; 245, n. 7; 254, n. 4; 266, nn. 3, 6; 267, n. 8; 293; 298; 299, nn. 10, 13; 340, n. 3; 394–95; 396, n. 2; 397, n. 3. On 11 February 1782 Congress sanctioned this exchange, but with the proviso that “permission be not given for the exporting of tobacco, beyond the amount of the produce of the sales of the said goods belonging to the capitulants” (JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, 1904–37). description ends , XXII, 71). For their reply, see Virginia Delegates to Harrison, 17 December, and n. 5; also Instructions in re Tobacco Contract, 28 December 1782.

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