It is with the greatest Chearfulness that we the Grand Inquest for the Counties of New Hanover, Onslow, Bladen, Anson, Duplin, Rowan and Cumberland, Congratulate Your Excellency on your safe Arrival in this His Majesty Province of No. Carolina—

As our Royal Sovereign has made choice of you Sr. our Governour and Commander in Chief, we Esteem it an Instance of his Paternal care that he has appointed one so well Versed in the Brittish Constitution, and who has so much at heart the Enlarging the Commerce of it, by every Improvement of the Collonies to the advantage of our Mother Country.

We shall gladly Contribute all in our Power to make your Government amongst us Safe, easy and Prosperous, by Enforcing the Laws so as to Protect the Inocent and Present the Guilty—

It is with great Concern Sir that we are under a Necessity, in this our first Opportunity of waiting upon your Excellency, to Represent the case of Murder committed by Persons unknown on Seventeen of His Majestys Subjects within Our Inquest, when all Our Inquiry is baffled, and about Ten Persons more missing, supposed to be carried off by our Publick Enemies or Indians under their Influence—The Late unjust Incroachments made by our aspiring Neighbours, and Inforced by method of a piece with those barbarous Cruelties give us the Strongest reason to suspect they have promoted this Inhuman Carnage—We doubt not Your Excellency will take all the proper measures to prevent such Massacres for the future—

In Order to which we hope your Excellency will be Enabled by the ensuing General Assembly to take Effectual measures for the Defence of this Province against every Attack of our restless Enemy who daily Imploy every Engine, however barbarous or Inhuman to Obtain an Universal Monarchy in Spite of the most Solemn Treaties & Engagements—

That your Excellency may live to have a hand in defeating their Ambitious Views, and to see this a flourishing a Useful and a Well improved part of His Majesty Dominions, (which we are convinced you have very much at heart) is the most sincere desire and Prayer of