Documenting the American South Logo
Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from William Tryon to Wills Hill, Marquis of Downshire
Tryon, William, 1729-1788
February 01, 1771
Volume 08, Pages 495-496

[From Tryon's Letter Book.]
Letter from Governor Tryon to Lord Hillsborough.

Newbern the 1st February 1771.

At the earnest request of the House of Assembly of this Colony and on behalf of the inhabitants of this extensive province, I beg permission through your Lordships good offices, humbly to petition his Majesty that he would be most graciously pleased to move his

-------------------- page 496 --------------------
parliament now sitting for a repeal of the Act of Parliament restricting the emission of paper currency in the colonies, so far as relates to this country. This barrier removed his Majesty might still suspend his royal grant to the joint petition of the Council and Assembly of this province for an emission of paper currency till my arrival in England, should there yet remain any doubts of the necessity of such indulgence. The inclosures, which are copies of the messages that passed between the House of Assembly and myself, will set forth what their necessities demand, and what I earnestly wish to obtain for their relief.

The tenor of your Lordships letter of the 3rd of October (No. 35) I confess gives me the strongest hopes of success, since the conduct of the last Assembly will show, the prejudices of the people will admit, and the circumstances of the colony really induce a currency of better credit, for notwithstanding the boasted associations of people who never were in trade, and the sham patriotism of a few merchants to the southward of the province, the several ports of this province have been open ever since the repeal of the Stamp Act for every kind of British manufactures to the full extent of the credit of the country.