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To his Excellency Arthur Dobbs Esquire Governor & Commander in Chief in and over the Province of North Carolina, the Membe[rs of] his Majesty's Honorable Council, The Worshipfull Speaker and the Members of the Assembly of the said province.

To the Honble the House of Burghesses of the Province of North Carolina—

The Petition of the Subscribers, Merchants and Residents of Edenton of the said Province—

Most Humbly Sheweth—

That there being no mention or Provision made, on the Laws enacted for the Payment of the Duties laid on Wine and Spirituous Liquors imported into the Province, that a Drawback, or Discount of such Duties, should be allowed, on the sending, or exporting such Wine and Spirituous Liquors out of the Province again; And It being not only conformable to the Laws of the Mother County, but of all trading Nations, and essential to the Encouragement and carrying on, and the nature and well being of Trade & Commerce in general, that such Drawback or Discount should be allowed, on such Imports being sent away, or exported out of the Province, into other or different Parts; And It further appearing that this so just and necessary, so reasonable and universally established a Maxim in most, or all trading Nations, must have been intended, tho' not mentioned and directedly expressed in the said Laws—

Your Petitioners therefore most humbly Pray, That the [illegible], will, according to their known Candour, and Pampt [illegible] to promote in all respects the Welfare of the Province, & the Encouragement of the Trade & Commerce thereof so essential thereto, Be pleased, by way of Amendment, Enlargement, or Explination of the said Laws, to order, or enact, that such Drawback or Discount, on Wine & Spirituous Liquors, be allowed, on the same being sent or exported out of the Province; by means whereof this so necessary a Point, towards the Establishment & Encouragement of Trade, may be settled, and all Misunderstandings, Disputes, Lotts, or Molestations, happening, or that may happen to the Trader, with respect thereto, may be obviated, & Your Petitioners shall every pray &ca

Jos: Blount John Thompson & Co—
Halsey & Jackson Blount Hewes & Blair
Roger Haslewood Wm Lowther
George Erskine Charles Bondfield
[Joshua] Bodley George Brownrigg
Robt. Hardy Jno Hodgson
Andrew Little  

Edenton Petition