Your Petitioner therefore humbly prays, that in case a Petition should be presented by the said attorney, which may interfere wdth your Petitioner's Rights, either in the Steam Boat or the Pipe ]'jo;ler, so long in use in your Petitioners Boat on the River J3e!aware and a Machine necessary for the completion of that design for which your Law was given, he humbly prays to be heard in the defence of his Rights. Your petitioner is perfectly willing to rest the justice of his claim, either before your honourable House or before the New Congress, if your honourable House should judge it most expedient to refer the same to them.

Your Petitioner begs leave to observe, that such repeated vexatious applications seem calculated to divert your Petitioner from pursuing the business of the Boat, or to promote a clashing of Laws amongst the different States, or to destroy his resources in defending his just Rights, and prevent him from compleating the great undertaking he has now on hands.

Your Petitioner humbly begs leave to represent, that he hath expended a great portion of his time, and a great sum of money in ])erfecting said Boat, in full confidence of enjoying an uninterrupted possession of the several grants to him made

NAVIGATION. 1095

Under the said confidence a number of Gentlemen have advanced money to a very considerable amount hoping to benefit themselves as well as their Country thereby. Your petitioner therefore humbly prays that the grant made to him, may not be permitted to be violated or invaded by a subsequent pretender, and considering the very great and expensive journey, and my inabilities to perform it, not only on account of the great expense but the infirmities of body occasioned by Rheumatick pains, and the great confidence reposed in your honourable Legislature of keeping inviolate the solemnitys of their Laws.