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Sir:

Mr. Edward Bridgen, Merchant of London, a particular friend

of mine and a zealous one of the American cause, acquaints me that his lands on the Sound in Cape Fear River, with his negroes and debts owing to Bridgen and Waller have by virtue of some late Laws of your Province been all Confiscated. I have not seen those Laws. I would hope that they may be some exception in them favouring the property of our friends, as it would grieve me to see those suffer as enemies, who have from the beginning of our difference with England, uniformly, openly and firmly, espoused the interest of our Country, which to my certain knowledge is the case of Mr. Bridgen.

I, therefore, beg leave to request your Excellency’s protection & interposition in favor of that Gentleman, that so if by no construction of the Laws as they stand his estates may be exempted, he may, however, obtain a subsequent Law to set aside the confiscation & restore his property, an indulgence which it appears to me his conduct has justly merited. I give with pleasure this voluntary Testimony in favor of a very worthy man, but it will afford me infinitely more if it may be of some utility to him.

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