Newbern Octr. 28th. 1755

My Lords

I Call'd the Assembly of this Province the 25th. of September last According to Prerogation, But the Season having Been very Sickly with Agues and Intermitting Fevers by a long Hot Dry Season wherein the Beginning of this Month and all August And September have been without Rain and the Latter part as Warm As the hottest in Summer and one third of the Members of the Council And Assembly laid up from time to time; I Clos'd it as soon as I Cou'd And they made great dispatch to get away. I herewith Inclose the Speech And address and shall prepare the Acts as soon as possible to be sent Over, the Titles of which I send to your Lordships. But hope you will soon fix the Seat of Goverment higher up Neuse of which I wrote fully to your Lordship's last May as it will take some years to make it Capable Of accomodating the Members, and Building Publick Offices, and The Water here is very Bad the Land low and Sandy with some Marshes Near it which adds to the Moisture and Heat in the summer & Autumn. The Assembly have Granted a Supply of £10000 £9200 of which is Borrowed out of the Bills struck and not Issued till his Majesty's Pleasure is Known 7500 for the purchasing of Glebes & Erecting of Churches and 2000 of what was appropriated for the Publick Buildings And 800 to be Rais'd by the Two Shillings ⅌ pound upon Taxables, to Be paid off in 5 years £9000 of this is to be for the Service of the Colonies Where most for his Majesty's Service to Raise 3 Companies of 50 Men Each to be Continued to the first of November 1756: If the War Shou'd Continue longer I don't know how a further Aid can be procured As our Currency must depreciate if any more is Issued, and I don't find At present that they are Inclinable to keep it up. £1000 is granted to build A Barrack and Fort for the Company on the Westren Frontier During this Session we have lost Mr. Craven one of our Council Who never attended a Council since he was first sworn Except last May At Edenton his place of Residence where I held a Council, and Another At Bertie about 7 Miles from him; As parties are Only Smother'd yet, Not quite laid aside I Expected Recommending one either from the Norward or Southard might Raise the Flame, so that to prevent Solicitations I was advised to Recommend my Son Edward Brice Dobbs The first on the Return the other two which I shou'd recommend are Mr. Alexander McCulloch Deputy Auditor who lives in Edgcomb County Near Roanoak, and Mr. George Moore at Cape Fear who has a Great Fortune and Good Alliances there; I was told Mr. Samuel Swann late Speaker wou'd Solicit for it, but as we have but two Lawyers in the Province to Attend Chancery he wou'd be much Wanted and is also A Leading Man and Serviceable at present in the House. These Are the Reasons for Recommending my son. In case his Majestys Service shou'd Call him out of the Province I shou'd procure his Resignation in Case of Another Vacancy and this might prevent The Breaking out a Flame again and in Case his Majesty Shou'd Incline to fix him in this Province He might be of Service in preventing a Breachs. I have Strugled all the Session To Support myself under the Feaver and Ague in Order to dispatch Business, But my Disorders encreased on me so much The 16th. of This Instant the Day the Session broke up I was Forced to keep my Chamber Being Seiz'd with a Lax & Dyarrhea Which weaken'd me very much so that I cou'd not until this Day Attend to Publick Business. But am now, thank God, tho' weak Recovering very fast.

Yesterday Henry McCulloch Esqr. Secretary of this Province Dyed By which there is another Vacancy in the Council, for the Recommendation Of which place I Refer you to the Enclosed.

I hope your Lordships have also got my Letter of August last with My Observations on the Back Country and the great difficulty we ly under in not Setling the Boundary line which Mr Glen did all He cou'd to raise disputes betwixt the Provinces and Setting the Catabow Indians against this Province Aledging They are his Indians. We are at a great Loss in getting any to prosecute for the Crown, the Deputy Attorney is ill and Does not Attend the Council nor prosecute When sent to. Inclosed I send your Lordships a Letter of his Grievances The Treasures Complain he won't prosecute the Sheriffs and Others who Retain money in their hands so that there is a Great Loss in the Getting in the Taxes or finding out the Arrears as The Sherrives Neglect to Acct.; what they Give in Being no Account; Having no Arrears Charged to them. I shall trouble your Lordships No longer in my present state of Health, not being able to Enlarge Further at this time, But to Assure your Lordships that I am with The Greatest Respect my Lords

Your Lordships

Most Obedient

And most humble Servt.

Arthur Dobbs

/A Duplicate/

Origl. not recd.

North Carolina.

Letter from Arthur Dobbs, Esqr. Govr. of North Carolina, to the Board, dated at Newbern the 28th. of October 1755, with an Account of the Death of some Members of the Council there, & recommending others to supply the Vacancies; & transmitting several publick Papers, vizt.

C.91.

Recd. Janry. the —
Read ——27 1756.

With six Papers.