To His Excellency Arthur Dobbs Esquire Governor of North Carolina.

19th. of May 1760—

Sir

On Reading Your Message of Saturday last relative to the Address of the Assembly beseeching Your Excellency's Assent to the Bills for establishing Courts of Judicature, We observe you Say that, those Bills "only relate to the interior benefit of this Colony, and therefore not material at what Time they shall be offered in the Session." In Answer to which give us leave Sir to observe that even that object alone, surely Can not be of Slight concernment; but when we consider how many Licentious, disaffected, and evil disposed persons, in different parts of the Government, for many Months past, have at different Times assembled themselves in Great Numbers, entered into Traiterous and Dangerous Conspiracies; Broke open the Public Prisons, and Sat Malefactors and others at large; And by Force unjustly restrained others of their liberty.  And that hitherto no effectual methods have been taken to Suppress these Outrages. We think it a Matter of the Greatest Importance that those Laws should be passed as speedily as possible; in Order that the hands of Government may be Strengthened, and a Check put to such disorders.

We apprehend that by the Laws and Usage of the Parliament of Great Britain, the Commons are at Liberty to offer the Bills they pass in what Order they think proper, for the Royal assent, and that the particular Circumstances & Emergency of the Times are the only Matters which Govern them therein.

We have on all Occasions Manifested our Loyalty, to his Majesty, and a Most Ardent Zeal for his Service; by readily granting every Aid of men & Money you have required, even to the Impoverishment of our Constituents; And we are Still ready with our lives and Properties to Join in defence of His Majesty's Just Rights and Possessions; And have now under Consideration a Bill for that Purpose; But not only that, but every other Bill already Passed, and yet under the Contemplation of the two Houses of Assembly, have a Most intimate Connection with, and dependance on the Court Bills; and in many instances cannot operate, unless those should first pass into Laws, We thought it our Indispensable duty to give them the Precedency to every other Bill.

When you Consider these Reasons, we hope Your Excellency will immediately give your Assent to the said Bills. And give us leave Sir to assure you, that you will thereby render a Most essential and acceptable Service to the Country; as by that means Protection and Security will be afforded to the lives and Properties of those we represent.

Saml. Swann Speaker

By Order

Wm. Herritage Clk

North Carolina
Assemblys Replication to his Excellencys Answer about Passing the Court Bills

Rx with the Govrs. Letter of 28. May 1760.

Read Novr. 26. 1760.

E.19.
8