Sir, [Secretary of Board of Trade]

I have this date transmitted several representations and Memorials to the Right honorable the Lords Commrs of His Majesty's Treasury, and to the Right honorable the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations, but as it is in time of war, I have sent the representations by different ships. When I wrote you the 4th of June I had great hopes that a rent roll Bill would be passed agreable to the resolutions the Assembly had then entered into, which was in substance agreable to the Proposals which I made to the Assembly. But several of the Members of the Council underhand has given all the opposition in their power, and at last prevailed on the Assembly to order the Bill to be printed that they might know the opinion of the Planters thereupon, when this was done their creatures raised an opposition in the Country, and got a set of Gentlemen returned upon the Grand Jury, which was held at Charles Town the 25th of October last, who had the Bill returned to them, and afterwards condemned the Bill as prejudicial to the interest of the Province. Those facts are difficult to prove, though they may at the same time be evident to every person in the Province, and I humbly apprehend that while those that are in trust and direction of the affairs of Government are left at liberty to evade His Majesty's instructions with impunity that the Offices can never be properly regulated And that at last the Province in America will grow so untractable that it will be extremely difficult to keep them to their duty I am Sir, &c.,