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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Robert Johnson
Johnson, Robert, 1677-1735
February 03, 1724
Volume 02, Pages 518-520

[B. P. R. O. Am. & W. Ind. Vol. 22. P. 3.]
GOVERNOUR JOHNSON.

London, Feb 3d 172¾

Since I had the Honour of waiting upon your Lordship, have had some thoughts, on what manner your Lordship might best influence the afairs of Carolina, to induce the people to doe justice to your Interests there And I submit it to your Lordships judgment if you dont think it may be advisable to obtain the Government yourself, and to act by a Deputy, My Lord Orkney is Governour of Virginia in the same manner.

And that things may remain as they are, as to the Lords Proprietors pretentions, the same word (Provisional) may be inserted in your Lordships commission or in Mr. Nicholsons.

And if I was thought worthy of the honour to act under your Lordship should esteem it moor, and be better capable of serving you then being independant and I should be entirely satisfied with the profits

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which arise from the independant company and perquisets, without the salary they say Mr Nicholson has in England.

When I was upon the spot I should be able to judge what reason I could bring the people to by letting them see the advantage of your Lordships protection and friendship or the inconveniency would atend their tranquility Act being disanuled by the King which they might provoke you to procure And it might be a further inducement to them to hear reason to have it inserted in the Lieutenants Governours Instructions from the King, that particular regard should be had, that the people did justice to the Lords Proprietors Properties and thus should I be able as I found I could deal with them to aprise your Lordships how far it would answer your being sole Protr

My Lord I am sure Mr Nicholson hopes by his comeing to England to get himself established Governour to act by a Deputy so by having one he recommends could influence the affairs of Carolina his one way, to my knowledge he tells the facsion he shall be able when in England to do them moor service than in Carolina and desires to go to England for that reason and once in a passion I heard him say, let the Lords Proprietors take cair the King did not take the soil as well as Government for their ruinging the Country by shuting up the Land office for theirby they had forfited their Charter.

My Lord these my crued thoughts I submit to your Lordships judgement I take leave to enclose a Copie of the Assemblys address to me and my answer upon it just before they mutinied against me, your Lordship being out of England to my great misfortune, perhaps never red it, I do assure your Lordship I have no ways forfited there esteem but in vigerously aposing their unjustifiable proceedings against the Lords Proprietors and not haveing concerned myselfe directly or indirectly since Mr Nicholson's arival in publick afaires. I left the Province I am sure with the good wishes of a great majority of the Inhabitants that I should succeed him and I will be bold to say that if in your Lordships absence I had not been barberously treated by the Lords Proprietors and every thing done contrary to my advice and my Counsel removed who I had settled a good understanding with to make way for Trotts and Rhets frinds to worm me out of the Government before your Lordships return; I could esely have prevented what hapned and have defied the peoples eforts.

I likewise presume to inclose a draft of a Petision to his Majesty but shall make no use of it either in that form or any other but as your Lordship shall aprove and alow of, in whose goodness I intirely rely, I

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have been very ill of a cold ever since I saw your Lordship but hope to be abroard tomorrow and shall wait upon your Lordship when please.

I am your Lordps
most Dutifull and
Devoted Humble Servant
ROBT: JOHNSON.