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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Henry McCulloh to the Board of Trade of Great Britain
McCulloh, Henry, ca. 1700-1779
November 12, 1741
Volume 11, Pages 59-60

[B. P. R. O. South Carolina B. T. Vol. 11. g. 70.]

To the Right Honble the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations.


12 Nov. 1741.

May it please Your Lordships,

I received a letter from South Carolina 2 days ago informing me that the Grand Jury held at Charlestown the 25th of October last, had the Rent roll bill returned to them and afterwards condemn'd the same as Prejudiciall to the Interest of the province. This is a

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proceeding of a most unusual nature and plainly shews what length the Members of the Council and the other Officers of the Crown in that Province will go, in order to defeat His Majesty's intentions declared under my Instructions. They were sensible that the Assembly could not with the least Honor retract from what they had agreed to, therefore they first got the Rent Roll bill printed in order to know if the Planters had any Objections thereto and Afterwards matters were so managed as to prevail on the Grand Jury to condemn the Bill as prejudicial to the interest of the Province. By this means the Assembly will have some Colourable reason for dropping the Bill which I am afraid they will be the more inclined to do, as there has been great care taken to inflame the Planters, and also that this Assembly will be dissolved in a little time and that the Ellections comes on next Summer. These proceedings my Lords are intended to Obstruct me in the execution of my Office and I do not apprehend that it is in my Power to do any thing for His Majesty's Service 'till such time as those in power are made sensible that they will meet with due punishment whenever they shall dare to act in Opposition to His Majesty's Orders which in many instances the Officers of the Crown have done, as will appear by the Representation which I have humbly submitted to your Lordships

I am
May it please your Lordships
Your Lordships
Most Obliged & most
obedient humble servant
HENRY MacCULLOH.

Cape Fear, North Carolina
12th November 1741.