North Carolina

16th Decr 1754

To His Excelly. Arthur Dobbs Esqr. Capt. General Govr. and Commander in Chief in and over the said Province.

The Humble Address of the General Assembly now met at New-Bern

May it please your Excelly.,

We his Majestys most Dutyfull and Loyal Subjects the members of the General Assembly of North Carolina beg leave to Congratulate your Excelly. on your safe Arrival in your Government and return you our hearty thanks for your Speech at the Opening of this Session.

The Temporal good as well as the Eternal Felicity of Mankind so essentially depends on the knowledge and practice of true relegion and the encouragment of a pious and Learned Clergy is so evidently necessary that we shall readily give all the Assistance in our power to Accomplish what your Excelly. has so justly recommended on that head.

The Numberless advantages and Invaluable priviledges which all His Majestys Subjects enjoy under His Wise and Beneficient Administration are such as will on every Occasion Stimulate our Endeavours to a faithfull discharge of our Duty to the best of Kings. The Large arrear of Quit rent due to the Crown and to Earl Granville deserve great Attention and we Shall pass a Bill for the most speedy and easy manner of Collecting the same that the poor and Indigent state of the province will Admit.

We shall Chearfully give our Assistance in Supplying any defects in the Laws which relate to the Courts of Justice in the Proper regulation of which the planting as well as Trading Interest is greatly concerned.

We shall fully consider the plan mentioned in your Excellys. Speech for making a paper Currency when ever you Shall please to lay the Same before us.

The Apparant Necessity both in a Political and Moral Light of keeping a good Correspondonce with the Indians in Amity with us will Engage us to take such Measures as will Secure their Trade and confirm their friendship.

The unjustifiable Encroachments of the French on His Majestys Territories in the Colony of Virginia and their unwarrantable Hostilitys so pathetically mentioned by Your Excelly. deserve his just resentment of every British Subject and will excite us to raise Such Supplys, as the Circumstances of our Constituents will admit of to enable your Excelly. to protect our Frontier and Assist the Other Govornments in repelling a Trechorous and Insatiable Enemy.

We shall endeavour to obliterate the Remembrance of our former Contests and the ill Consequences which have Attended them being desirous in all our Consultations to proceed with Unaniamity and publick Spirit in every measure that may be for his Majestys Service and his General Good of the Province which are so Intimately Connected that what ever Advances the One Contributes to the other.

We perceive the Necessity of Revising the Laws and Shall prepare a Bill for that purpose and your Excellency may be assured that we shall give due Attention to every thing that you have Recommended.

We Esteem it a Singular mark of His Majestys favour his Appointing a Gentleman of your Excellencys known Abillities and Character to preside over us and we Shall with the greatest Alacrity concur with the Members of His Majestys Council in every thing that may tend to make your administration Easy and Happy.

Jno. Campbell Speaker

North Carolina.
The Address of the General Assembly of No. Carolina, to Govr. Dobbs, dated at Newbern the 16th of Decbr. 1754.

Recd. with his Letter dated the 19th Decbr. 1754.

Recd. March 18th
Read April 8 1755.

C.49.
4.