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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Arthur Dobbs to Charles Wyndham, Earl of Egremont
Dobbs, Arthur, 1689-1765
December 1761
Volume 06, Pages 595-596

[B. P. R. O. Am. & W. Ind. Vol. 214.]
Governor Dobbs to Secretary Lord Egremont.

Brunswick December 1761.

My Lord,

I have only to acknowledge the honor of a letter by order of Mr. Secretary Pitt from Mr. Wood dated the 28th day of May 1760 inclosing the copy of an Order of His Majesty in Council of the 15th revoking and repealing an Order of the 11th March 1752 relating to the nomination of Governors by which they are restored to your Lordships Department from the Board of Trade which I shall pay due obedience to as also another from Mr. Pitt of the 8th of July last inclosing His Maj. gracious declaration of his intention of demanding in marriage her present Majesty which has given His Maj. subjects here the greatest pleasure.

I have herewith inclosed to you a Congratulatory Address from the Council of this Province which was intended to be sent as the joint Address of the General Assembly but the several altercations betwixt the Governour Council & Assembly about procuring the supply in that short Session prevented it at that time and the unaccountable spirit of the Members of the Assembly appointed to meet last November who refused to make a House upon the quorum of 15 being assembled the number appointed by His Maj. Instructions

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even though 33 had come to Town and they would not even meet though to adjourn only unless they had 38 the majority of the whole House which they said was their right by Charter and which they would stand by and not obey his Maj. Instructions I therefore prorogued them five several times by short prorogations for nineteen days to try and bring them to temper and then told them if they would not obey and meet so as to adjourn I would let them dissolve themselves which they accordingly did. I have issued out writs to elect a new Assembly and upon their dismission prepared this Address by the Council to testify our duty to his Majesty at this critical juncture.

The late raised regiment and company were disbanded of course the first instant but it was providential that the peace with the Cherokees was signed and the Ratifications ready to be perfected before they were disbanded the Regiment having joined the Virginia forces and were entered into the Cherokee Country just as they signed the peace and made their Head men hasten down to Charles Town to perfect the Ratifications.

Pursuant to the new regulations the Council as the Assembly did not meet have signed a recommendation to you of Major Robert Rogers to be a very proper person to be made Superintendant of Indian Affairs in these Southern Provinces which I have inclosed to him in Charlestown to be forwarded to you.

As we have lost one of our Councillors Mr. John Swann who died here a few days ago and as I apprehend that the vacancy is to be filled upon your nomination as well as the other places in America I beg leave to recommend to Your Lordship Col. Wm. Dry Collector of this port a gentleman of distinction worth and fortune and zealous in the support of His Maj. rights and prerogatives to succeed him.

As I am not sure whether this nomination was in you or still continues in the Board of Trade I have also mentioned it to that Board until I should be further ascertained of it.

I am &c. my Lord &c.,
ARTHUR DOBBS.