To the Right Honble the Lords of the Committee of His Majesty's most Honble Privy Council for Plantation Affairs.
My Lords,
Pursuant to your Lordships Order dated the 12th instant we have prepared Draughts of Instructions to the Governors of North and South Carolina signifying to them His Majesty's Pleasure concerning the immediate Establishment of a temporary Line of Jurisdiction between the said Provinces and we beg leave herewith to lay the said Draughts before your Lordships.
my Lords &c:
Whitehall March 29th 1763.
Whereas it hath been represented to us that great disputes have arisen and much mischief and confusion are likely to ensue amongst our subjects on the Frontiers of our Provinces of North and South Carolina from the want of a certain known Line of Jurisdiction between the said Provinces. In order therefore to prevent all further disputes of the like nature and to preserve the Peace and Tranquility of both our said Provinces until a perpetual Line of Partition between them shall be finally determined by us We have thought fit signify to you our Will and Pleasure that the Line already agreed upon begun and in part set out by Commissioners appointed by both the said Provinces in the year 1735. in consequence of His Majesty's late Instructions to Gabriel Johnston Esqre then Governor of North Carolina shall be the temporary Line of Jurisdiction between our said Provinces of North Carolina and South and in case it shall appear that the said Line has not been marked out by the said Commissioners so far North as the Thirtyfifth degree of North Latitude you are hereby authorized and required to appoint Commissioners to proceed jointly with commrs to be appointed by our Governor of North Carolina in continuing the said Line in the same direction in which it has hitherto proceeded to the said Thirty fifth degree of North Latitude and from thence due West until it meets the Eastern Limits of the Lands claimed by the Catawba Indians. And it is our express Will and Pleasure that no Settlement whatsoever be made nor the Jurisdiction of either Province exercised upon the Lands claimed by the said Indians until the said claims shall be finally adjusted. And our further Will and Pleasure is that the Forts which have been erected by either of our said Provinces to the Westwards of the said Lands so claimed by the Catawbas shall be deemed to belong to and continue to be maintained by that Province at the expence of which they were erected and have hitherto been supported—