![Item #43982 Resolves of the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Begun and held at Boston, in the County of Suffolk, on Wednesday, the Twenty-fifth day of May, A.D., 1785 [bound with] Supplement to the Resolves of the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Begun and held at Boston, in the County of Suffolk, on Wednesday, the Twenty-fifth day of May, A.D., 1785 [bound with] Resolves of the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Begun and held at Boston, in the County of Suffolk, on Wednesday, the Twenty-fifth day of May, A.D., 1785; and from thence continued , by adjournment, to Wednesday, the Nineteenth Day of October following [bound with] Resolves of the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Begun and held at Boston, in the County of Suffolk, on Wednesday, the Twenty-fifth day of May, A.D., 1785; and from thence continued , by adjournments, to Wednesday, the First Day of February, 1786. Massachusetts.](https://kaaterskillbooks.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/43982.jpg?width=768&height=1000&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1526326018)
Resolves of the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Begun and held at Boston, in the County of Suffolk, on Wednesday, the Twenty-fifth day of May, A.D., 1785 [bound with] Supplement to the Resolves of the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Begun and held at Boston, in the County of Suffolk, on Wednesday, the Twenty-fifth day of May, A.D., 1785 [bound with] Resolves of the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Begun and held at Boston, in the County of Suffolk, on Wednesday, the Twenty-fifth day of May, A.D., 1785; and from thence continued , by adjournment, to Wednesday, the Nineteenth Day of October following [bound with] Resolves of the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Begun and held at Boston, in the County of Suffolk, on Wednesday, the Twenty-fifth day of May, A.D., 1785; and from thence continued , by adjournments, to Wednesday, the First Day of February, 1786.
[Boston]: Printed by Adams and Nourse, 1785-1786. 63, [1]; [65]-80; [81]-149, [1]; [151]-250; [index] 18 pp. Folio. Grey-blue muslin with red and black morocco spine labels, gilt titles. First edition. Very good, endpapers browned, institutional stamps on title page, blind stamp, light marginal soiling, small marginal tears through fore edge of first section, dated stamp on rear pastedown. Evans 19090; Evans 19091; Evans 19092; Evans 19791. ESTC W33322; ESTC W7031; ESTC W6809; ESTC W33323. Item #43982
In June the Commonwealth banned the export of U.S. products in British ships while doubling the duty on imports carried by non-U.S. ships. A number of the items are related to this issue, trade overall, and the need to revise the Articles of Confederation, which was leading to overall trade issues. The supplement includes the speeches of Governor James Bowdoin, most concerned with the need to revise the Articles of Confederation and the poor state of trade as discussed in his speech of Tuesday, May 31, 1785:
"When the Constitution was accepted by the good people of the Commonwealth, they doubtless thought it a very good one. But good as the Constitution is, the benefit to be derived from it, must depend in a great measure on themselves, by their adherence to the principles of it, and by a correspondent conduct, or a due obedience to its laws. They have given the clearest proof of their disposition to support it; and this day evinces that disposition by our assembling here in consequence of their observance of it. They must therefore be highly displeased to see any infringements made upon, or any measures proposed or taken, that have a tendency to subvert it;" especially as so much of their blood and wealth has been expended to put them in a situation to obtain it.
To prevent those infringements in future, and to counteract such measures, it will be the duty of the executive department to apply the whole weight of their influence.
The state of our foreign trade, which has given so general an uneasiness, and the operation of which, through the extravagant importations and use of foreign manufactures, has occasioned so large a balance against us, demands a serious consideration."
Resolves I-CXXXVI also included Request for Congress to Meet to Revise the Articles of Confederation; Granting to John Barnard one half of Mount Desert Island (now Maine); Naval Officer fees; Preventing Naval-Officers to hold the office of Collector, or Deputy-Collector; Procuring the Laws of other States; Land negotiations with New York; Firing guns in honor of the birth of the Duke of Normandy; Proposal for a convention of the delegates from all the states Resolves I-CLI: Governor James Bowdoin's speech to the Senate and the House; Salaries for General Court Members, Treasurer, etc. Resolves I-CCVIII: Discharging guards at the Magazine in Boston, Establishment of a messenger of the General Court; Alterations to the Valuation; Empowering the Justices of the Supreme Court to estimate the value of certain notes; Castle Island prisoners; the border of Moose-Island and the province of New-Brunswick; Payment to the nine months men, for their service in 1779 & 1780; Selling old Continental money; Providing a fund to pay the Judges of the Supreme Judicial Court; delegates to meet in convention for the purpose of forming commercial regulations (in response to moves by Virginia).
Price: $425.00