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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from William Tryon to Edmund Fanning
Tryon, William, 1729-1788
April 27, 1768
Volume 07, Pages 717-718

[From MS. Records in Office of the Secretary of State.]
Letter from Governor Tryon to Colonel Fanning.

Wilmington the 27th April 1768.

Sir,

Your Letter of the 23d of April, with the several Letters inclosed was delivered last night; They opened a Scene which afforded me no less surprise, than real and hearty concern. I cannot too much Applaud your Sense of the Outrages that have been already acted, as well as those that may probably be carried into execution, even while I am now signifying my abhorrence of them. . . . The spirited and determined Resolutions of yourself and Officers merit my highest Commendations. The best Testimonies I can give of my Approbation of such steady Behavior in so Righteous a Cause, is an Offer which I with sincerity make to come up and join you against all your opposers, and this I will do as soon as you inform me my presence is necessary, with all the Dispatch that the Emergency of the Case requires; therefore do not hesitate personally to Inlist me in defence of the Laws of this Country.

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From a proper Sense of your generous Spirit, independent of the just Indignation you Feel at the Outrages committed against the Laws, I am conscious your Resentments must be keen against those persons who have offered You such unprovoked and dastardly Affronts. It is however my sanguine hope that You and your Friends may not be compelled, upon too unequal Terms, to carry Matters to Extremities before the Effect of the Proclamation, I now send you, has had an Experience of the Efficacy intended, and to be wished; or if ineffectual, until the Regiments of Militia of the adjacent Counties can be got in readiness to furnish you with such a Number of Men from each, as the Exigencies of the miserable state of your part of the Country may require.

The inclosed is a Copy of the circular Warrant Mutatis Mutandis, I have sent by Expresses to the Commanding Officers of the Regiments of Militia for the Counties of Burke, Halifax, Granville, Rowan, Mecklenburgh, Anson, Cumberland and Johnston. These with the Warrant empowering you to call out your Militia and to oppose and repel all Insurrections and to require to your Assistance such Succours from the Commanding Officers aforesaid, as you shall Judge expedient, will I trust be sufficient to bring the many deluded to a proper Sense, both of their Errors and their Duty, And the Ringleaders, their only real Enemies, to that Tribunal whose Basis is to arraign and Judge such Offenders: The Invaders of public peace and private Happiness. I must desire you to present my compliments to Mr Gray, Lloyd, Nash, and the other Gentlemen of your Corps, with assurance of my firm and steady support with all the strength and succour that a just Government can invest me with, I therefore most cordially wish both Yourself and them all the Success which the Cause of Justice Equity and Honor Merit.

I am Sir &c
Wm. TRYON.