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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Report by James Glen concerning the North Carolina/South Carolina boundary [Extract]
Glen, James, 1701-1777
July 1749
Volume 11, Pages 113-114

[B. T. R. O. So Carolina B. T. Vol: 15. I. 47.]
Answers from James Glen Esquire Governor of South Carolina to the Queries from The Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations.

Recd Sepbr ye 13th 1749.

With Govr Glen's Letter dated ye 19th July 1749.

Extract.

My Lords

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His Majesty by his Instructions to me was graciously pleased for preventing disputes betwixt the Provinces of South and North Carolina to direct a line to be run thirty miles to the Southward of Cape Fear River parelel to and observing the Course of the River to its head for a Boundary on that part, these orders are so express and plain that one would imagine there could be no dispute but lawless People never want a Pretext not to do what they have no mind to; and I am sorry to say that numbers of such who are settled in those parts without legal Titles evade paying any Quit Rents to the Crown and shew little regard to either Government; When they are questioned by the Officers of this Province they pretend they belong to North Carolina whose Officers I suppose they rather silence than satisfie by a like answer.

I say pretend because a little before my arrival here, a line was run or said to be run by persons who I am afraid did not rightly understand or at least did not duly execute his Majesty's Instructions Wherefore if the Governor of North Carolina were De Novo instructed upon that head agreeable to His Majesty's pleasure

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expressed in the 36th Article of my Instructions I make no question but His Majesty's gracious Intentions might yet be fulfilled.

An Indian Nation called the Catawbas in amity with this Government distant about eighty miles North from Saxa Gotha one of our new Townships bounds us on that Quarter.

On the Northwest we have the Cherokees our Allies whose nearest Towns are about three hundred miles from Charles Town tho indeed their hunting grounds stretched much nearer to us.