Dear Sir ー

Your favour of the 23d came to hand so late yesterday afternoon that I could not have called the Council of Safety with any hopes of making a Board in the Evening, I have therefore Summoned the Members to meet at ½ past 8 oClock this Morning ー 'tis now ½ past 4 ー I have risen so early in order to prepare & forward a variety of business which daily crowds in, & particularly to be ready to dispatch your messenger within a few minutes after the Council shall have determined the case of Mr [Ebenezer Smith] Platt ー which I apprehend will be nearly in the following terms that Mr Platt ought not to have availed himself to the benefit of clearing out his Vessels at Georgia for New York but to have taken the common lot of the Inhabitants of the other associated Colonies, this opinion you will find supported by express declarations in the Resolutions of the Continental Congress 1st Novem. 1775. ² ー & the reason will appear from considering ー that if New York & Georgia were to catch at the Bait insidiously laid by the Restraining Bill, avaricious & designing men would under colour of trading from those pretendly favoured ports, supply the West Indies & Great Britain with the products of those & the Neighbouring Colonies, nay, Administration would set their Engines at work for that very purpose, & in so far defeat our general Resolutions, & make the Colonies Instruments of destroying each other.

The Bond given at the Naval Office for delivery of a Cargo of Rice or other enumerated Commodity, may be canceled by producing a Certificate of the delivery of such Cargo in Great Britain or any of His Majesty's Plantations or West India Islands in America ー the Obligee is not bound to deliver or to sell at any particular Specified port ー the Character which you write of Mr Platt puts him above all Suspicion of a fraudulent design, but you know the danger of dispensing with Laws, a bad precedent established in the Case of a good Man would be quoted by others of a different Stamp & the worst of Men are Sometimes very powerful & will under colour of right do much mischief in Society ー

upon the whole I apprehend the Council of Safety will Resolve that Mr Platt before he is permitted to proceed in Loading his Vessels Shall deliver to the Committee of Prince William's his clearance & other Custom House papers which he received at Savanna & also Enter into Bond with one Sufficient Surety for producing a Certificate of the actual delivery of his Cargoes at New York or some other of the United Colonies ー but as you are a Member you will see what is to be written to the Committee to which I therefore refer & wishing you many returns of the Season more happy & more joyous than the present I remain with great regard ー Sir [&c.]

[P.S.] I have taken it for granted that the clearances of the sloops which you speak of were taken from the Custom House & that Bond was given at the Naval Office in Savanna but if to the Council of Safety the view will be changed ー