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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Order of the Privy Council of Great Britain concerning instructions to American governors concerning land grants
Great Britain. Privy Council
February 02, 1774
Volume 11, Pages 243-244

(B. P. R. O. America & West Indies Vol. 111. p. 1.)

At the Court at St James's the 2nd of February 1774.
Present.
The King's most Excellent Majesty in Council.

Whereas there was this day read at the Board a Report from the Right Honourable the Lords of the Committee of Council for Plantation Affairs dated the 25th of last month in the words following vizt

“Your Majesty having been pleased by your Order in Council of the 9th of June 1773. to referr unto this Committee a Report of the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations setting forth That in obedience to your Majesty's Order in Council of the 7th of April last they had taken into consideration the powers and authorities for granting Lands contained in the Commission and Instructions to your Majesty's Governor in the Plantations and did humbly beg leave to lay before your Majesty a Sketch of additional Instructions to your Majesty's said Governors containing such regulations as considering the present state and conditions of the said Colonies and the real value of the waste and unsettled Lands therein are most adviseable to be adopted in all the said Colonies

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except that of Quebec, within which Province your Majesty hath to the great satisfaction of all your Majesty's faithful subjects there been graciously pleased to direct that the Lands shall be granted in the same mode and upon the same conditions as were practised when that Colony was under the dominion of the Crown of France, the Lords of the Committee in obedience to your Majesty's said Order of Reference did on the 28th of October last take the said Report and Sketch of Additional Instructions into consideration and thought proper to direct the said Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations to prepare Draughts of particular Instructions to the respective Governors or Commanders in Chief of your Majesty's several Colonies and Plantations in North America (except Quebec) conformable to the said Sketch and the said Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations having accordingly prepared Draughts for such particular Instructions for the Governors of Nova Scotia, New Hampshire, New York, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, East Florida and West Florida– The Lords of the Committee this day resumed the consideration of the same and having maturely weighed and considered the several regultions therein contained are humbly of opinion that the said Draughts of Instructions are proper for yr Majtys Royal approbation except that article which contains the table of Fees to be taken in the respective publick Offices in the Plantations which have been fixed and settled by Laws passed in yr Majtys several Colonies in America The Lords of the Committee are of opinion that the Article containing the Table of Fees aforesaid is unnecessary and have accordingly amended the Draughts of Instructions in that particular in striking out the Table of Fees therein inserted & directing that the Fees to be taken shall be such as are allowed by Law and no other and humbly lay the said Draughts of Instructions so amended before your Majesty for your Royal approbation”

His Majesty taking the said Report into His Royal consideration was pleased with the advice of His Privy Council to approve of the said Draughts of additional Instructions together with the alteration therein made by the Lords of the Committee and to order as it is hereby ordered that the Right Honourable the Earl of Dartmouth one of His Majesty's principal Secretaries of State do cause the said additional Instructions (which are hereunto annexed) to be prepared for His Majesty's Royal Signature.

G. CHETWYND.