422 Journal and Correspondence.

May 27
Liber C. B.
No. 24
p. 421

Tuesday 27^th May 1783.

Present His Excellency the Governor
Benjamin Stoddert, Gabriel Duvall and James Brice Esquires. —
Ordered that the western shore Treasurer pay to Henrietta M.
Walker Administratrix of Joseph Walker Deceased, One hundred
pounds, nine shillings and nine pence and to Kirby Jones seventeen
pounds, ten shillings and ten pence specie agreeable to the "Act to
adjust the Debts due from this State " per Accounts passed. —
That the said Treasurer pay to James Vernay four pounds eleven
shillings specie agreeable to the Act aforesaid per Account passed the
2^d of December 1782. —

May 27
Liber No. 78
p. 441

[W^m Paca, in Council Annapolis to The Chev^r D'anmours, Consul
General of France]

We have been honored with yours of the 15^th instant and wish it
were in our Power to make such Arrangements in the Naval Depart-
ment as might give you Satisfaction, but our present System of Laws
will not suffer Us to adopt the Proposition of lodging the Papers of
foreign Ships with the Consuls of the Nations to which they respec-
tively belong. — Policy, and the Dignity of Government require that
the Collection of Duties should be entrusted only to Subjects of the
State, and consequently Ship's Papers ought to be deposited with

p. 442

them only as a Security in the first place for the Payment of the Du-
ties, and as Vouchers in the next place to ascertain the Dutiable Arti-
cles and the Quantum.
Altho' our Naval Officers are men of Integrity and Abilities our
Laws will not depend on that Security, but require an Oath of Office
with Sureties for the faithful Execution of the Trust : besides Offi-
cers of our own Appointment, are removeable at our pleasure for
Misconduct, and always amenable to our Authority. The Consular
Power where there is no Compact or Treaty ascertaining it's extent
is a very Limited Jurisdiction and exercisable only in Matters which
merely arise between Subjects of the Nation to which the Consul
belongs and which affect them solely and exclusively. There is no
Doubt that some System will be soon established by Congress on this
Subject, and we hope no ill Consequences will arise in the Mean time
acting in Conformity to our Laws and the Common Practice and
Usage of our Naval Officers. —

Ibid.

[W^m Paca in Council Annapolis to The Honorable The
General Assembly]

The Memorial which accompanies this has been for some Time
past preferred to us on a Supposition that we were the proper Body
for the Citizens of this State in the Predicament of the Memorialists
to apply to for the means of Redress : but on a full Consideration of