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August 3d 1760
Having Wrote so fully to your Lordships in my former letters the Transactions of the last April and May Sessions, and having sent you in my last the Transactions of the last June Sessions with the Copies of the 2 Aid Bills proposed at the May Sessions and rejected, and the other as passed last July with the Tacked Clauses and all the other Speeches, answers, and Messages &c to which I Refer. I have nothing until I can send you over the attested Bills which were past under the great Seal, Except my Answer and Defence against the Inquisitonal Resolutions and Address to his Majesty, sent over by the Attorney General and his Junto, because I would not break through the Kings Instructions, and, as far as in me lay, lessen his Majestys Prerogative, to bring in a Junto of Lawyers to Assist him in procuring the Government to himself and every lucrative Employment, of the few that are here, for themselves and their Friends upon my Removal.
My Answer to Every part of his and their Charge I hope Your Lordships will find as full and Explicit as so Vague and General a one will admit of, which if they think proper to pursue I shall give Proof to all Positive Facts alledged, and as far as can be done to any Negative ones, which, I hope will prove Satisfactory to your Lordships, and at the same time expose the unprecedented Part they have acted to Over awe the Assembly by letting them have no time to reflect previous to the Report of the Resolutions. I am therefore induced to think that when the whole is laid open to your Lordships, that My Innocence and Integrity will be fully proved, and that their Conduct will appear to be the Effect of disappointed Malice in not having been able to persuade me to give up his Majesty's Prerogative and break through his Instructions, which if I had done they would have had a Just Cause of Complaint against me.
I am therefore convinced that Your Lordships will justify my Conduct, and will advise his Majesty to strengthen my hands to Oppose and Suppress a Republican Spirit of Independency rising in this Colony. The Assembly think themselves instilled to all the Priviledges of a British house of Commons and therefore ought not Submit to his Majesty's Honorable Privy Council further than the Commons do in England, or Submit to his Majesty's Instructions to his Governor and Council here whose power they would usurp and place all in a Junto of an Assembly here.
I also must inform your Lordships that I think it is for his Majesty's Service, that Mr Child his Majesty's Attorney General who has raised all this flame Opposition and Delay to his Majesty's Orders, should be dismissed from his Employment in this Province; and if Lord Granville should still support him after this behaviour, that it may be in some other Employment which may not Prejudice his Majesty's Affairs in this Province.
I am, with great Respect,
My Lords
Your Lordships
Most Obedient
Humble Servant
Arthur Dobbs
Postscript.
Having not had an opportunity of sending over my Answer sooner I send also by this Conveyance all the Bills Passed in the April May and June Sessions, and the Journals of the Council and Upper House.
As I think it my Duty to disappoint those Gentlemen of the Junto, who thought to raise their power to Oppose his Majesty's Just Prerogative by having a greater Influence in the Assembly when Appointed Assistant Judges Quam diu se bene Gesserint; Notwithstanding the limiting Clause I have found out three Gentlemen Proficients in the Law of at least equal abilities and knowledge in the Law, of unexceptionable Character, whom I have made Assistant Judges; who have no family or Party Attachments in this Province. Mr. Dewey who has been long a Proficient in Virginia and now residant here. Mr. Marmaduke Jones Nephew to the late Sir Marmaduke Wywil and Mr. Charleton whose Father is an Officer in the Army and resides in England. These, My Lords, are Gentlemen, whose Integrity and Knowledge will be owned even by the disappointed Candidates; and therefore hope the Appointments will meet with your Lordship's Approbation.
North Carolina.
Letter from Arthur Dobbs Esqr. Govr. of No. Carolina to the Board, dated August 13d. 1760, inclosing
E.39.
Received
Read March 5. 1761.
