The petition of William Thomasof Richmond County humbly sheweth --That wheras your petitioner humbly conceivith that your Honors zeal for promotion of literature and every species of useful knowledg; especially when reduced to practice so as to becom a public utility will induce you to give proper rewards and encouragements to those who shall excell therin --Your petitioner therefore humbly conceivith himself in some degree entitled to your Honors attention as being the first in this state who has brought the science of Astronomy to practice so as to become usefull to the public in respect of the Almanac which he has calculated not only in the common way by the Tables, but has also contrived a Machine which will calculate all the essentials of an Almanac in less than 10 minutes of time.

--Your petitioner therefore humbly prays that your Honors as a reward and encouragement for Sd. enterprise and undertaking may ennact and ordain that no person or persons in this state shall print an Almanac for the term of 14 years without first obtaining a license from under my hand (provide I shall continue to furnish copies) under such penalty as your Honors shall think expedient --Also that no Almanacs printed in any other state shall be vended in this state without licence as aforesaid and under like of the police of this state, and of the United Stateswill admit of such a prohibition --And your petitioner as is duty bound will pray &c.

The Senate 2nd Jany 1795, read and ordered to list on the table.

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