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grant of these lands. If, in the question between the State and the widow of General Oglethorpe, it should be decided that they were the property of the State, I expected from their generosity, and the friendly dispositions in America towards the subjects of France, that they would be favorable to the Chevalier de Mezieres. There is nothing in the preceding observations, which would not have ap plied against the heir of General Oglethorpe, had he been a native citizen of Georgia, as it now applies against him, being a subject of France. The treaty has placed the subjects of France on a foot ing with natives, as to conveyances and descent of property. There was no occasion for the Assemblies to pass laws on this sub ject ; the treaty being a law, as I conceive, superior to those of par ticular Assembles, and repealing them, where they stand in the way of its operations.
The supposition that the treaty was disregarded on our part, in the instance of the acts of Assembly of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, which made a distinction between natives and foreign ers, as to the duties to be paid on commerce, was taken notice of in the letter of November the 20th, which I had the honor of ad dressing to the Count de Vergennes. And while I express my hopes, that, on a revision of these subjects, nothing will be found in them derogatory from either the letter or spirit of our treaty, I will add assurances that the United States will not be behind hand, in going beyond both, whenever occasions shall offer of manifesting their sincere attachment to this country.
I will pass on to the observation, that our commercial regulations are difficult, and repugnant to the French merchants. To detail these regulations minutely, as they, exist in every State, would be beyond my information. A general view of them, however, will suffice, because, the States differ little in their several regulations. On the arrival of a ship in America, her cargo must be reported at the proper office. The duties on it are to be paid. These are commonly from two and a half to five per cent on its value. On many articles, the value of which is tolerably uniform, the precise sum is fixed by law. A tariff of these is presented to the importer, and he can see what he has to pay, as well as the officer. For other articles, the duty is such a per cent on their value. That value is either shewn by the invoice, or by the oath of the importer. This operation being once over, and it is a very short one, the goods are considered as entered, and may then pass through the whole thirteen States, without their being ever more subject to a question, unless they be re-shipped. Exportation is still more simple : because, as we prohibit the exportation of nothing, and very rarely lay a duty on any article of export, the State is little VOL. r. 49
