Report on the Petition of Richard Wade and Others, [17 March 1794]

Report on the Petition of Richard Wade and Others1

[Philadelphia, March 17, 1794
Communicated on March 17, 1794]2

[To the Speaker of the House of Representatives]

The Secretary of the Treasury, to whom was referred the representation of Richard Wade and others3 respectfully reports thereupon as follows:

The paper A herewith transmitted (being a Letter from the Commissioner of the Revenue, who is charged with the immediate Superintendance of the Light House Establishments)4 exhibits the result of the investigation, which has been made in relation to the matter in question.

There has not hitherto been discovered sufficient ground for preferring the place advocated by the representation to that which was before contemplated, namely the Scite on Ocracock. But the Opportunities for further investigation have not been such, as to authorize a definitive Judgment. It has, however, been thought adviseable to expedite this report, as it is understood, that a Bill from the Senate is pending before the House which may involve a comparison of the two points.5

Respectfully submitted

Alexander Hamilton
Secy. of the Treasury.

Treasury Department,
March 17th 1794.

Copy, RG 233, Reports of the Secretary of the Treasury, 1784–1795, Vol. IV, National Archives.

1. For background to this report, See “Report Relative to a Lighthouse on Cape Hatteras,” February 20, 1794.

2. Journal of the House description begins Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States (Washington, 1826), I, II. description ends , II, 94.

3. See Tench Coxe to H, March 15, 1794.

4. Coxe to H, March 15, 1794.

5. On March 11, 1794, the Senate passed and sent to the House of Representatives a bill “to erect a light-house on the head-land of Cape Hatteras, and a lighted beacon on Ocracock Island, in the State of North Carolina” (Annals of Congress description begins The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States; with an Appendix, Containing Important State Papers and Public Documents, and All the Laws of a Public Nature (Washington, 1834–1849). description ends , IV, 65, 498). As a member of the House committee to whom the Senate bill had been referred, Thomas Blount of North Carolina reported on April, 15, 1794, “That, for reasons stated in the representation of Richard Wade … which are said … to be just, your committee are of the opinion that the lighted Beacon proposed to be erected on Ocracock Island, ought to be erected on an Island in the harbor of Ocracock, called Shell Castle … and, therefore, they recommend … amendments to the bill …” (ASP description begins American State Papers, Documents, Legislative and Executive, of the Congress of the United States (Washington, 1832–1861). description ends , Commerce and Navigation, 298).

The Senate bill as amended by the House became law on May 13, 1794 (1 Stat. description begins The Public Statutes at Large of the United States of America (Boston, 1845). description ends 368).

Index Entries

You Are Looking At

Source Project: Hamilton Papers
Title: Report on the Petition of Richard Wade and Others, [17 March 1794]
Authors: Treasury Department
Hamilton, Alexander
Date: 17 March 1794

Reference

Cite as: “Report on the Petition of Richard Wade and Others, [17 March 1794],” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Hamilton/01-16-02-0124. [Original source: The Papers of Alexander Hamilton, vol. 16, February 1794 – July 1794, ed. Harold C. Syrett. New York: Columbia University Press, 1972, pp. 159–160.]