Lot 696: THOMSON, CHARLES

CHARLES THOMSON (1729-1824) Irish born American patriot, unanimously elected first Secretary of the Continental Congress in 1774 and held the post until 1789, chosen to notify Washington of his election to the Presidency. Important manuscript D.S. as Secretary of Congress, 1p. legal folio, [New York], Mar. 4, 1786, addressed to the Governor of Georgia. Thomson transmits: "...an Act passed yesterday by the United States in Congress, together with a Copy of their Recommendations of the 30th April 1784 which are again presented to the view of your state. As a longer delay in complying with these recommendations must be attended with very great Evils, the Legislature of your State is most earnestly called upon to grant powers conformable thereto... ". The act passed by Congress on March 3rd read: "...Resolved, That the recommendations of the 30 of April, 1784, be again presented to the view of the States of Delaware, South Carolina and Georgia, and that they be most earnestly called upon to grant powers conformable thereto". The state is reminded of the resolve of April 30, 1784 which read: "..That it be, and it hereby is recommended to the legislatures of the several states, to vest the United States in Congress assembled, for the term of fifteen years, with power to prohibit any goods, wares or merchandize from being imported into or exported from any of the states, in vessels belonging to or navigated by the subjects of any power with whom these states shall not have formed treaties of Commerce". That resolution was passed in reaction to Great Britain's adopted regulations which severely hampered American commerce with the West Indies and other nations, and was this fledgling nation's attempt to counteract Britain's powerful stranglehold on American trade. Light toning at margins, else boldly penned and very good$1,000-1,500