To the Honorable the General Assembly of North Carolina.
Gentlemen:

The raging of the Small-pox in the Town of New Bern having prevented your assembling there on the Time appointed by Law for the Annual meeting of the General Assembly, and being myself of Opinion that our public affairs required as speedy a meeting of the Legislature as might be practicable, but not having power to call the same to any other place than that to which the same stood adjourned, I was induced to request your attendance at this place, not only for the purpose of making your Election of the public Officers of the State, who are directed by the Constitution to be annually chosen, but also to take under consideration sundry weighty matters proper for your deliberation, such as the state of our Continental Battalions, the pay of our Militia which have been and now are in actual service, the sending a further Aid to the Assistance of the Southern States, and providing our Militia with Arms and Accoutrements. To shew the necessity of your entering immediately upon the Consideration of these matters, I lay before you sundry Letters from the General Officers and Governor of South Carolina, with other Papers containing information respecting the same, and I shall direct the public Accounts to be also laid before you, by which you will be acquainted with the exhausted State of the Treasury. You will also receive General Bryan's Resignation, whose place you will please to supply by the appointment of such person as you shall think proper.