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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Address to William Tryon concerning his actions as Governor of North Carolina [as printed in the Boston Gazette]
No Author
July 15, 1771
Volume 08, Pages 618-619

[From the Boston Gazette of 15th July, 1771, 849, 3, 1.]
To William Tryon Governor in Chief in and over the Province of North Carolina.

The Address of the People called Quakers at their general or yearly Meeting for Worship, and transacting the Affairs of our Society, held on Rhode Island, for N. England by Adjournment from the 13th to the 17th Day of the Sixth Month 1771 inclusive.

Divers of us having heard of thy great Fame, since the King appointed Thee to the Chief seat of government in the province of North Carolina, how thou hast made justice and equity the rule of thy actions, and how thou hast inclined the hearts of the Representatives, of the good people there, to cause a magnificent Palace to be erected to support the dignity of a Governor, and the honor of the province, and to do many other things agreeable to Thee and how wondrously thou hast exerted thy self not only to punish, but destroy, all who dare complain of that despotic tyranny, and oppression, which our principles lead us to submit to, and our inclinations to promote, Finding ourselves moved by the spirit at this time, to follow the fashion of this part of the world, and to address those in high stations who are patrons of despotic power in themselves, and superiors, and of passive obedience, in all below them, and having addressed one of thy brethren remarkable for this character, think ourselves bound in justice, and impartiality, to acknowledge thy merits, though the same justice and impartiality require us to give the preference to him. Thou hast taken up the carnal weapon, and imbued thine

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own hands in the blood of those who turned when trod on. He has had the art to with-hold his hands from touching the carnal weapon, while the business has been done without it, and the perpetrators of murder screen'd from the penalty of the law. He has more compleatly ruin'd the constitution of his government, (and there he was “born and educated too,” which adds much to his merit) without putting them to the expence of raising an army, or himself to the hazard of being shot. It is true the King has been induced to send both a fleet and army there, to receive from their good Governor the surrender of their strong holds, and places of defence, and thoroughly to subjugate, and oblige his best subjects, (but represented to him as his worst) to submit to the tyranny before mentioned; but the expence of that is provided for another way, as is that of his good Governor's support; and after all this He has play'd his game dexterously enough to secure such a party as has procur'd him adulation and flattery from some of all ranks and persuasions, even from a few of the “ministers of the congregational churches,” who should entertain sentiments of liberty to have restrain'd them, and also from our persuasion whose professed “simplicity, and godly sincerity,” should abhor such a conduct, and who can have no motive to plead, but what may arise from the distant hope, that it may sometime hereafter be his interest to turn to our persuasion. Thy being appointed to the chief seat of Government in a neighboring province, is very agreeable and satisfactory to us. We earnestly desire that the two Governors we have thus distinguished, as they seem to be united in design, be united in affection, and answer fully the great purpose of their appointment; and among other things, protect in your several jurisdictions, our persuasion, in all their enthusiastic peculiarities; and especially secure to us the effects of that pretended liberty of conscience, which was really designed to lay the burden of our defence on our poor fellow-subjects, while we enjoy the fruits of peace in security.

With sincere love to Thee, we conclude, and remain thy assured Friends.

Signed in and on Behalf of our said yearly Meetings, by our Clerk.