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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Message from Robert Dinwiddie to the Virginia House of Burgesses proroguing it
Dinwiddie, Robert, 1693-1770
September 04, 1754
Volume 05, Pages 138-139

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[Reprinted from Dinwiddie Papers. Vol. 1. P. 302.]
Governor Dinwiddie's Address to the General Assembly, Proroguing it.

Sept. 4th, [1754].

Gent. of the Council, Mr. Speaker and Gent. of the Ho. of Burgesses:

The impending danger from the violent Incursions of the French, their Threats and depredat's, were the only Motives of calling You together at this Time. And the Lives, Liberties, and Properties of Y'r Constituents are in such iminent Hazard I did not in the least doubt but y't You w'd before this have strengthened my Hands with a proper Supply to frustrate their malicious Intent's, and especially w'n I rec'd from You such strong and repeated Assurances y't You were determined, on Y'r Parts, to withstand the impend'g danger and to pursue every Measure in Y'r Power to defeat these pernicious designs of Y'r Enemies, I tho't I might reasonably admit the pleasing Hopes y't You w'd effectually provide for y'r Country's Preservat'n and convince the World y't You had nothing more at Heart than a zealous discharge of Y'r duty to the best of Kings and the sincerest regard for y'r Country's Welfare.

How great y'n, Gent., must be my surprize, and with w't Amazem't must Y'r Co't'y, and the World, see such High Expectat's cast down so low! See You called upon in the day of Y'r Country's distress, hear you declaring Your Knowledge of her danger and professing the most ardent Zeal for her Service; yet find these declarat'ns only an unavailing Flourish of Words, and y't inconsistent with Them and the Purposes of Y'r Meeting, You Withold Y'r aid and thereby leave the Enemy at full Liberty to perpetuate their destructive and unjust designs. The Independ't Companies ordered by His M'y, cloathed and paid by him, and now employed in Y'r imediate defence, You absolutely, by Y'r resolve to me, deny subsistence to: A thing unprecedented in any of His M'y's dom's where they have been employ'd in their defence from Incursions or threatened Invasions. I have my Master's Service, and the Safety and Hon'r of Virg'a, so much and so truely at Heart, y't I cannot but be deeply affected at a Conduct so contrary to her Interest and not altogether unconcerned for You, Gent. of the Ho. of Burgesses, y't You sh'd appear in so bad a Light to His M'y, and give such an ill Impression to the neighbouring Colonies. However, as I find You are determined not to do w't Y'r Duty to His M'y and the present obvious danger indispensably require, I think it proper to avoid aggravating unnecessary

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Expences, particularly In[con]venient at this Time, and therefore, to put an end to Y'r Continuance here, I do prorogue You to the 17th day of Oct'b'r next, and You are accordingly prorogu'd to y't Time.