Description:

Thomas Jefferson
Philadelphia, PA, February 16, 1792
Thomas Jefferson Certifies An Act Concerning Deserters and Commerce on The High Seas!
DS

THOMAS JEFFERSON, Printed Document Signed, "An Act concerning certain Fisheries of the United States, and for the Regulation and Government of the Fishermen employed therein," February 16, 1792, Philadelphia, PA. Signed in print by Jonathan Trumbull, Speaker of the House of Representatives; John Adams, Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate; and George Washington, President of the United States. 3 pp., framed to 40.75" x 22.5". Expected folds; framing allows a view of the verso of both sheets.

As part of his duties as Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson signed this act of the Second Congress, passed on February 16, 1792. The primary focus of this act was the cod fisheries of New England. The act was designed to encourage this important industry by replacing a drawback on imported salt used by the exporters of fish with one for the owners of the fishing vessels based on the tonnage of their ships. Other provisions governed the relationship between masters and sailors on the fishing ships.

Excerpts
"Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the allowance now made upon the exportation of dried fish of the fisheries of the United States, in lieu of a drawback of the duties paid on the salt used in preserving the same, shall cease on all dried fish exported after the tenth day of June next...." (p1)

"That on the last day of December annually, as aforesaid, there shall also be paid to the owner of every fishing boat or vessel of more than five tons, and less than twenty tons, or to his agent or lawful representative, by the collector of the district where such boat or vessel may belong, the sum of one dollar upon every ton admeasurement of such boat or vessel...." (p1)

"That no ship or vessel of twenty tons or upwards, employed as aforesaid, shall be entitled to the allowance granted by this act, unless the skipper or master thereof shall, before he proceeds on any fishing voyage, make an agreement in writing or in print, with every fisherman employed therein, excepting only any apprentice or servant of himself or owner; and in addition to such terms of shipment as may be agreed on, shall in such agreement express whether the same is to continue for one voyage or for the fishing season, and shall also express that the fish or the proceeds of such fishing voyage or voyages which may appertain to the fishermen, shall be divided among them in proportion to the quantities or number of said fish they may respectively have caught; which agreement shall be endorsed or countersigned by the owner of such fishing vessel, or his agent: And if any fisherman having engaged himself for a voyage or for the fishing season, in any fishing vessel, and signed an agreement therefor as aforesaid, shall thereafter and while such agreement remains in force and to be performed, desert or absent himself from such vessel, without leave of the master or skipper thereof, or of the owner or his agent, such deserter shall be liable to the same penalties as deserting seamen or mariners are subject to in the merchant's service, and may in the like manner, and upon the like complaint and proof, be apprehended and detained; and all costs of process and commitment, if paid by the master or owner, shall be deducted out of the share of fish, or proceeds of any fishing voyage to which such deserter had or shall become entitled." (p2)

"That where an agreement or contract shall be so made and signed, for a fishing voyage or for the fishing season, and any fish which may have been caught on board such vessel during the same, shall be delivered to the owner or to his agent, for cure, and shall be sold by said owner or agent, such vessel shall for the term of six months after such sale, be liable and answerable for the skipper's and every other fisherman's share of such fish, and may be proceeded against in the same form, and to the same effect, as any other vessel is by law liable, and may be proceeded against for the wages of seamen or mariners in the merchant's service." (p2-3)

Historical Background
On February 3, 1792, the Committee of the Whole in the U.S. House of Representatives began consideration of a bill for the encouragement of the cod fisheries. As passed by the Senate, the first section of the bill replaced the existing drawback of the import duty on salt to exporters of salted fish with a new one based on tonnage to the owners of the fishing vessels. Debate in the House centered on the advantage that the bill bestowed on New England and stressed the importance of the fisheries in supplying trained sailors for the Navy in the case of a war.

Congressman John Laurance of New York supported the bill as a proper exercise of the general welfare clause of the Constitution. On February 6, Representative James Madison of Virginia raised concerns about the term "bounty" as improper and carrying a dangerous implication for the powers of Congress. In this case, he declared that the bill was providing an allowance as a commutation modification of a drawback, not a positive bounty. On February 8, the House approved a motion to substitute the word "allowance" for "bounty," and the House passed the amended bill on February 9. President Washington signed the bill into law on February 16.

According to the provisions of the 1789 "Act to provide for the safe keeping of the Acts, Records, and Seal of the United States, and for other purposes," the Secretary of State was responsible for receiving signed bills, orders, and resolutions from the President and "carefully preserve the originals." This act also directed the Secretary of State to ensure that all such acts were published in at least three public newspapers and to deliver two printed copies "duly authenticated" to the governors of each state. This copy is one of those authenticated by Secretary of State Jefferson and sent to a governor. The Secretary of State also distributed one unsigned, printed copy on smaller paper to each senator and representative in Congress.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: framed: 40.75" x 22.5" x 1.25"
  • Medium: DS

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