To George Washington from Richard Dobbs Spaight, 25 July 1794
From Richard Dobbs Spaight
No. Carolina New Bern 25 July 1794
sir
I have the honor to enclose you herewith a copy of the Acts and resolutions of the last General Assembly of this State.1
I have not been furnished yet with authenticated copies of the Acts entitled, "An Act to cede to the United States of America certain lands upon the condition therein mentioned"2 And "An Act for raising the proportion of Militia required of this State agreably to the Act of Congress of the U.S. entitled" An Act directing a detatchment from the Militia of the United States.3 So soon as I receive them from the Secretary of the State I will forward them to you.
There being no Arms or amunition in this State with which the detatchment of Militia to be raised here can be furnished, it is the request of the Legislature that the United States should provide them in such manner as you may think best. I am &c.
R.D. Spaight
LB, Nc-Ar: Governors’ Letterbooks.
On 11 Aug., GW gave this letter to Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton (in the absence of Secretary of War Henry Knox) and "Desired the Secretary to return answers to such parts . . . as shou’d require them" (, 317). No letter from Hamilton to Spaight on these topics has been identified.
1. The enclosed copy has not been identified. The most recent session of the North Carolina General Assembly had met at New Bern from 7 through 19 July and passed three laws—the two mentioned below and another militia act (see N.C. Laws, 1794).
2. This act ceded to the United States land for a fort on Cape Fear River and for a lighthouse on the headland of Cape Hatteras, "upon the express condition, that the fortifications, lighthouses and beacons . . . shall be erected within three years and be continued and kept up forever thereafter for the public use," and with a restriction that the cession should not prevent the state "from serving any process or levying executions" within the ceded jurisdiction (N.C. Laws, 1794, 1).
3. For the act of Congress, of 9 May 1794, see . 1:367-68. For the North Carolina law, see N.C. Laws, 1794, 8-9).