---

Sir, [Gov. Gab. Johnston]

Since the letter from My Lords Commrs for Trade & Plantations to you of the 11th Novr last their Lordships have received yours of the 15th October preceding and Mr. McCulloh your Agent has laid before them the several papers you mention to be inclosed in your said letter except the estimate of the charge of running the division line between your Province and South Carolina As mistakes of this sort may frequently happen from your sending part only of the papers you intend for the consideration of my Lords in your letter to them and the remainder of them to your Agent I am to desire that you will for the future constantly send with the letter to their Lordps such papers as are therein mentioned to be inclosed.

My Lords have considered what you have wrote concerning the Blank Patents and altho' their Lordships may generally approve of your sentiments upon the subject, yet as the case of these Patents as drawn up by yourself now lies before His Maj. Attorney & Solicitor Genl My Lords do not think proper to send you any directions concerning the said Patents until their Lordships shall have received their opinion in point of law upon this subject which is soon expected In the mean time I am commanded to send you inclosed the copy of Mr Burrington's Answer to your state of the Blank Patents for your observations thereon which likewise lies before the Attorney and Solicitor General.

The next part of your letter relates to the payment of Quit Rents upon which you desire directions from My Lords as to your continuing to receive them in Proclamation Money instead of commodities which the inhabitants are desirous of paying them in Upon this subject you have full directions in your instructions and My Lords do not see that you can want any explanation of them The Quit rent which by your instructions

you are directed to reserve is four shillings Proclamation Money for every hundred acres but as you have mentioned the receipt of £4,200 sterling on account of arrears of Quit rent My Lords desire to know in what specie that sum was paid.

With regard to the collection of those Quit rents their Lordships observe that you have proposed the appointment of Sheriffs and desire you may have directions whether such officers may not be appointed by a law to be passed for that purpose wherein some equivalent may be made to the Provost Marshal and these Sheriffs to be appointed Collectors of the Quit rents. Upon this subject and the other difficulties mentioned in your two letters of 15th October and 29th Nevember last which my Lords have not as yet sufficiently considered to return you a particular Answer Their Lordships see no objection to your getting an Act or Acts passed for remedying the grievances complained of Provided you take care that a clause be inserted in such Acts to suspend their execution until the King's pleasure can be known thereupon.

My Lords have now laid the Biennial Law of your Province before His Majesty with their reasons for repealing and when His Majesty shall have come to any determination thereon you will have notice thereof.

---