Lords of Trade to the Lds Comtee of Council 3 June 1755
To the Right Honble the Lords of the Committee of His Maj. most Honble Privy Council
My Lords,
Pursuant to Your Lordships Order dated 7 May last We have prepared the Draught of an additional Instruction to Arthur Dobbs Esq. His Maj. Governor of the Province of North Carolina authorizing him to give his assent to any Act or Acts for re-establishing the several Towns Precincts & Counties heretofore erected by Acts which have been
repealed by his Maj. Order in Council of 8 April 1754 upon the terms and conditions which Your Lordships have been pleased to approve And We beg leave herewith to lay the said Draught before Your LordshipsWhitehall June 3. 1755.
Additional Instruction to Arthur Dobbs Esq. Captain General and Governor in Chief of His Majesty's Province of North Carolina in America or to the Commander in Chief of the said Province for the time being. Given at Whitehall the day of 1755 in the twenty eighth year of His Majesty's reign.
Whereas His Majesty by his Orders in His Privy Council dated the 8th day of April 1754 did repeal, declare void and of none effect twelve Acts (amongst others) passed at sundry times in his Majesty's Province of North Carolina which Acts are intituled as follows, viz
An Act appointing that part of Albemarle County lying on the west side of Chowan River to be a Precinct by the name of Bertie Precinct. passed in the year 1722.
An Act for incorporating the Sea-Port of Beaufort in Carteret Precinct into a Township by the name of Beaufort. passed in the year 1723.
An Act to appoint that part of Albemarle County lying on the South side of Albemarle Sound and Morattuck River as high as the Rainbow Banks to be a Precinct by the name of Tyrrell Precinct. passed in the year 1729.
An Act to confirm and establish the Precincts of Onslow and Bladen and for appointing them distinct Precincts. passed in the year 1734.
An Act for erecting the Villages called Newton in New Hanover County into a Town and Township by the name of Wilmington and regulating and ascertaining the Bounds thereof. passed in the year 1739.
An Act for confirming Tittles to the Town Lands of Edenton for securing the Privileges heretofore granted to the said Town and for the further encouragement and better regulation thereof. passed in the year 1740.
An Act to confirm and erect that part of the Province called Edgcumbe County into a County by the Name of Edgcumbe County and for establishing the said County a Parish, etc passed in the year 1741.
An Act for erecting the upper part of Bertie County into a County by the name of Northampton County and for regulating the Limits between Society Parish and the North West Parish of Bertie, etc passed in the year 1741.
An Act for erecting the upper part of Crown County into a County and Precinct, etc. passed in the year 1746
An Act for dividing Edgcumbe County and Precinct and for erecting the upper part thereof into a County and Parish by the name of Granville County etc. passed in the year 1746
An Act for erecting the upper part of New Hanover County into a County and Parish by the Name of Dupplin County, etc, passed in the year 1749.
An Act for erecting the upper part of Bladen County into a County and Parish by the name of Anson County etc. passed in the year 1749.
And whereas his Majesty by the sixteenth Article of his Royal Instructions to you was graciously pleased to command and direct you to grant charters of Incorporation under the Seal of the said Province, to the several Towns, Precincts and Counties by the said Acts erected, confirming to each and every of the said Towns, Precincts and Counties the Rights and Privileges heretofore derived to them respectively by the said repealed Acts, And whereas the Assembly of the said Province of North Carolina have humbly represented that great detriment to private Rights and Properties and many Inconveniencies with respect to the future Settlement of the said Province will arise from the Repeal of the said twelve Acts and by the granting of Charters of incorporation as aforesaid and have therefore humbly besought his Majesty's Permission to pass other Acts for re-establishing the said Towns Precincts and Counties and for confirming the Rights and Titles of the People as by the said repealed Acts they were heretofore established We do therefore in his Majesty's Name hereby authorize and direct you to give your Assent to any Acts which shall be passed by the Council and Assembly of the said Province for re-establishing the several Towns, Precincts and Counties heretofore erected by the twelve Acts which have been repealed as aforesaid and for confirming the Rights of the People as by the said Acts they were established. Provided that no Clause be inserted in any such Acts, whereby Power may be given to any of the said Towns, Precincts or Counties to elect and send Representatives to the Assembly of the said Province or whereby the number of Representatives to be elected by the said Towns, Precincts or Counties or by any or either of them, may be fixed or ascertained, And Provided also,
that you take especial care that all other Acts which may have been passed in the said Province since the date of His Majesty's said Orders in Council of the 8th of April 1754 or which had not at that time been laid before His Majesty for erecting any Counties, Precincts or Townships by which such Counties, Precincts or Townships may have been impowered to send Representatives to the Assembly be repealed and that other Acts be passed for the same purposes not liable to that Objection.