To John Adams from John Brown, 24 August 1789
From John Brown
Providence Augt. 24th. 1789
Dr. Sr.
The Federalest of this State are very much
Alarmed that the Tunnage Act should be as is generly Supposed to be put in force
Immediately on all Vessells of this State, tho the produce of the State may go Free of
Impost, the Federalests are allso further Agreaved by a Law of this State which makes
them First pay a Contenentell Impost hear in Spetia, which will not Exempt them from the
payment, of the Fourreighn Duty when Exported to Aney State of the Union,1 had Congress Thought proper to have put the
produce of the State on a Simmular Footing with the property of the Merchants who are
nearly all Federal their Feelings would not have been So much wounded but will the
property of the Anties go untouched it Seems by the preceedings of the House of
Representitives in Congress the Federals of this State or the allredy too much Oppressed
are to Undergo the Severity of their Friends. the Navigation of the State belongs
9/10th. to the Federal partey who in Lue of paying aney
Extreonary Tunnage or Impost are Justly Intituled to Every Indulgence of Congress, Such
as paying no more Tunnage nor Impost than is pd. by the
Other States, at Least the Federalest of this State thinks them Selves Intituled to this
Lennity, till the Anties of the State has had Some Notice pd. them from Congress by Some proibition or Resstrictutions Against their
property as well as Against their Opponents that of
the Federalest,
I ad no more thinking it Impossable that the Act Can pass the Sennet as it has the Representitives, & I Can not Account for their Conduct in no other way than as a Descire to bring the Federalest before them by way of Potition, when perhaps they may Conclude, the Case of the State at Large Must be tacon up
I am with all Due Respect / Your Obt Humble Servt.
John Brown
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “The Honobl. John Adams Esqr.”
1. For Rhode Islanders’ petitions to Congress seeking exemption from foreign duties, see Henry Marchant’s letter of 29 Aug., and note 4, below.