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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Deposition of Joseph Blount concerning sectional dispute over the location of the North Carolina General Assembly sessions
Blount, Joseph
April 05, 1749
Volume 04, Pages 1196-1197

Joseph Blount of Chowan County in the Province of North Carolina Gentleman aged about Thirty Two years being sworn and examined deposeth as followeth viz:

To the first Interrogatory this Deponant saith that he was a Member of the General Assembly held at New-Bern in the County of Craven in the Twelfe day of June one thousand seven hundred and forty six.

To the second Interrogatory this deponant saith that the said Assembly was prorogued to Wilmington in the County of New Hanover at Cape Fear.

To the third Interrogatory this Deponant saith that he was in company with Mr. John Hodgson Mr. Benjamin Hill Members of Assembly and some others the day that the said Assembly was prorogued and heard Mr. Hodgson and Mr. Hill say that they would not go to Cape Fear to attend that Assembly for that they had been called and harrassed about

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to Assemblies so often and at such unseasonable times of the year that they beleived it was done on purpose to tire the Patience of the Northern Members as the Southern Members might get what Laws passed they wanted without the company of the Northern Members.

To the fourth Interrogatory This Deponant saith that in the latter end of October or the first of November One thousand seven hundred and forty six he was in company with Mr. John Hodgson a Member for Chowan County this Deponant was saying he was preparing to go to the Assembly at Cape Fear the said Hodgson told this Deponant there would be no House and that this Deponant had better not go to spend his time and money and run the risque of his death to no purpose but by any other person he doth not remember he was advised not to go.

To the fifth Interrogatory This Deponant saith that he doth not remember that he ever heard there was an agreement among the Northern Members not to go to the Assembly at Cape Fear but hath heard Mr. Hodgson a Member for Chowan County say that he would not go to the said Assembly and several others say that they could not go to the said Assembly for the reasons aforesaid.

To the sixth Interrogatory This Deponant saith that none of the Members of Currituck Pasquotank Perquimons Chowan Bertie or Tyrell did go to the said Assembly held at Wilmington.

To the seventh Interrogatory This Deponant saith that he knoweth of no other agreement among the Members of the aforesaid Counties not to go to the aforesaid Assembly held at Wilmington except hearing Mr. Hodgson and Mr. Hill two of the Members of the said Counties say that they would not go to the said Assembly.

Jo BLOUNT.

New-Bern the 5th of April 1749.