- Transcription
Brunswick
July 21st 1760
In my last letter to Mr. Pownall of the 13th of June, which went with a Triplicate of my Letter of the 30th May last to your Lordships, I acquainted him that upon Receipt of a letter from Lieutenant Governor Bull; informing me that the Upper Creeks had Killed our Traders, and that they apprehended a General Creek War. I by the Advice of the Council, had appointed the General Assembly to meet me at Wilmington the 26th. of June, after a few days Altercation, they have passed an aid Bill, a Copy of which I send to you, without the restrictions and Exceptionable Clauses in the former rejected Bill, a Copy of which I likewise send you, to shew the different Tendency of the first Bill. I have therefore been obliged to Issue £12000 this Currency, to raise and pay 300 Men in four Companies until the first of December next; and to pay the Debts and Claims incurred by sending out the Militia to defend the Frontier; upon their giving a Sinking Fund to Commence January 1763.
This point was carried by having the Assembly held at Wilmington, which Mr Child and his Junto thought to have disappointed, by the Northern Members not Attending as formerly for there were but four or five which attended from the Northern District, and they wrote to the Speaker and their Friends here, to proceed to no business unless thirty Eight, above half of the Assembly attended, which was contrary to his Majestys Instruction, who appointed 15 to be a Quorum to Act, however about 29 appeared after a few days; and it was carried upon a Debate to proceed to Business without waiting for a Majority of the whole Number of the Assembly; Upon their losing this Question, Corbin, who was delegated by Child and his Northern Junto to Obstruct the Publick Business, was instructed to push the same aid Bill which had been rejected before, and though the Committee brought in the Bill without the restraining Clauses in the former Bill; they were again added in the House and sent up to the Council who expunged all the unnecessary Clauses and Clogs tacked to the Bill as unparliamentary, and at length the Speaker’s and Junto’s Friends came off, and passed the Bill without the Additional Clauses, after passing some Resolutions that the Council's altering the Money Bill, should not be admitted as a Precedent; being upon so great an Emergency. They then agreed upon a Militia Bill for Six Months until next Session which were the only two Bills Passed; they again pushed for an Agent Bill, which was rejected by the Council So that the Northern Junto have been disappointed in all their Schemes, and are now breaking in pieces. The Speaker and their Southern Friends having broke from them, and the Northern Members have discovered Child's Schemes; and the Lawyers who Misled them to carry their own Ends by the Bills they had projected, which has not answered their Ends as I have found two Lawyers of Merit qualified to be Assistant Judges, though I can scarce find a third without taking in one of the Junto in case the Breach continues.
The Hurry of this Session has prevented me from Sending over the former Bills by this Conveyance as I would lose no Time in acquainting you with the Issue of this Session, so by this Conveyance can only send you a Copy of the Aid Bills the one I rejectd in May last and the aid Bill passed this Session, until I can get the Several Bills Passed in the Several Sessions properly attested, and have sent the Journals of the Upper House for the Sessions of April and May last, and the Journal of the Lower House for the Short May Session, I having certified the Journals of the April Sessions to the Speaker who sends them over, having yet not got a Copy from his Clerk. I beleive that will answer the Purpose at present having written so fully in my former letter. I have nothing further to Communicate than that by private letters from Charles Town they expect a General Indian War.
I am, with great Regard,
My Lords
Your Lordship’s
Most Obedient
Humble Servant
Arthur Dobbs
PS. My Speech together with the Addresses and my Answers Accompany this letter.
North Carolina.
Letter from Govr. Dobbs dated July 21st. 1760 informing the Board he has got an Aid Bill passed in lieu of one rejected, and the methods used by Mr. Child to frustrate the same and inclosing,
Reced Novr. 24.
Read —— 26. 1760—
E.28.
