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Present in Council: Honourable James Otis, William Sever, Benjamin Greenleaf, Walter Spooner, Caleb dishing, John Winthrop, Thomas Cushing, Benjamin Chadbourn, Joseph Gerriah, John Whetcomb, Jedediah Foster, James Prescott, Eldad Taylor; Michael Farley, Samuel Holten, Jabez Fisher, Moses Gill, and Benjamin White, Esquires.
As it is the wisdom of every community to encourage the growth and manufacture of those commodities which tend to the publick good, especially such articles as are necessary for defence in time of war; and as the furnishing a Navy is of the last importance, both to the present and future security of these United Colonies, and as this cannot be done without large quantities of the necessary article of Hemp, which may be produced to great advantage among us; and whereas the honourable Continental Congress have recommended that encouragement be given for the culture and growth of Hemp; therefore, for the encouragement of those who will undertake to cultivate so important a commodity at this time,
It is Resolved, That there shall be paid out of the publick Treasury of this Colony, for every pound of good merchantable Hemp, water-rotted and well dressed, which shall be of the growth of this Colony, after the date hereof, a bounty of two Pence upon the pound, to continue for the space of three years from the date hereof; the quantity and quality of the Hemp to be certified to the Treasury of this Colony, under the hand of the major part of the Selectmen of the Town in which it was raised, who shall be empowered to administer an oath to the person producing the commodity, in the form following, viz:
"You, A B, of — do swear that the — pounds of Hemp by you now offered for a survey, was produced and raised by you within this Colony, since April, 1776, and that neither you nor any other person in your behalf, hath hereto had a survey and obtained a certificate for the same, or any part thereof: so help you God."
Which oath shall be reduced to writing before it is administered, the quantity of Hemp being expressed in words, and not in figures, and the person taking the same shall subscribe his name thereto; after which, the surveyor shall endorse and subscribe his Certificate, in the form following, viz:
" — ss. The — day of — A˙ D˙ — surveyed the quantity of Hemp within-mentioned, and found it to be good and merchantable, and entitled to a premium agreeable to a resolve of the General Court."
It is earnestly recommended to all those whose situation will admit of it, by every method in their power, to promote the raising of Flax, the doing of which will be considered
Apr.24, Encouragements offered for raising Hemp and Flax
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not only as acting a wise and prudent part with regard to themselves and families, in this time of scarcity, but as highly meriting the approbation of the publick.