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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from the Regulators to William Tryon
Regulators of North Carolina
August 19, 1768
Volume 07, Pages 810-811

The Insurgents Letter to the Governor.

August 19th 1768.

May it Please Your Excellency,

We received your letter by the hands of Mr Lee at the only time that ever our Officers showed any real intention of informing us to what uses our money is applied and at a time when we had hopes and were persuaded matters were likely to be settled to the peace and satisfaction of the Public. But finding by it that your Excellency was displeased and charges us with breech of Honor and that we have given occasion for to be looked on as rather bent on destroying the peace of this Government than to wait for Justice.

At which we are truly affected with sorrow and concern at the the thoughts of any differences arising between your Excellency and us, and that as through false reports and alarms the commonalty under Oppression have been incensed and occasion given we determine to use our utmost endeavors to guard against such Offences for the future.

But amidst our sorrow we are rejoiced to find your Excellency to be agreeable to our resolutions, to petition the Legislative Body which is generally agreed on.

As to the demand for security, not to rescue the prisoners, we beg that it may be considered that the alarms of raising men and Indians to cut off the Inhabitants of this County as Rebels, when they know in their hearts and Consciences they were guilty of no other Crime, but endeavoring to obtain justice, and detect fraudulent practices in the officers which has been so common in this Province that it is mentioned in many Public Acts of Assembly made to remedy the same which constantly prove unsuccessful, and we conceive ever will be so until the Public is encouraged to assist, and help by complaining and producing matters of fact, against the particulars.

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Now these alarms were thought by the most considerate men to be without ground who interposed, pacified and moderated the People, and these it is likely may be looked on as the Principals or leading men. And these will ever use the same care, and will no doubt be always able to govern the multitude by reason & yet would be unwilling to enter into bonds, for the noise of such a step would be rather more likely to hinder their influence.

Moreover there never was any intent to rescue Prisoners but to beg and pray of the Governor to dissolve the House of Assembly and so far as we know the sentiments of the people in general, this one step alone, would at once stop every mouth and every complaint, but what would go through and by way of such Representatives as would then be chosen.

As the Governor may observe by the Detail of our Proceedings, that it was the Representatives refusing us a Conference, and threatening us for requesting one, and frightening and detering us from petitioning for redress, that first gave occasion for disorder—Therefore as the stoping the free Passage of this Channel for Relief, has occasioned the Obstruction of good order, so the opening of which passage, will as assuredly restore it again.

JAMES HUNTER
THOs WELBORN
PETER JULIAN
Signed in behalf & by Order of the Regulators.