New Bern 18 May 1759

Sir,

I acknowledged the Receipt of your Letters of the 9th and 29th. of December with his Majesty's Commands to lay them before the Council and Assembly last Month, from Brunswick which I sent by Sea to New York to go in the Packett. Your Letters having come so late to hand; I summoned by Expresses the Assembly to meet me upon the shortest Notice on the eighth instant and cou'd only get a Number together to adjourn the House on the 9th., the Members being so far dispersed, and am much concerned to inform you that they are now prorogued, without giving any further Aid to his Majesty. The Assembly indeed prepared a Bill and tacked Clauses foreign to it to increase the power of a Junto of the lower House, thinking the Council woud not venture to alter a Money Bill, but the Council having struck out the tacked Clauses, the Assembly insisted upon the Causes being inserted, so the Bill was laid aside.

Had the Bill passed as proposed a Copy of which I have sent to the Board of Trade it wou'd have been of no Service to his Majesty, they had only granted 200 additional Men and lowered the Bounty for raising them from £10 to each Volunteer to £5, when the Number last year cou'd not be compleated for the £50, so that a compleat Number cou'd not be raised and ready to march till the End of July, and probably cou'd not join his Majestys Troops 'till September, and then must have returned & be disbanded by the 10th. of December, and for this they expected a Compensation from Britain and chose an Agent to correspond with, and send the Money to a Junto of their House they appointed, the Power centring in the Speaker alone.

Upon this I have writ to Brigr. Stanwix, that by the former Act I have a power of sending 100 Men already raised to join him where required if they can be of any Service, but we have no Credit to pay them out of the province, and he must advance the pay upon the Credit of our Dividend of the £50,000 voted for these Colonies by Parliament, and these 2 Companies are all we have to garrison 2 Forts on the Sea Coast.

I am extremely sorry I have not been able to cooperate farther on the glorious Plan of securing the British Empire in America. I have done my utmost as will appear by my Speech and the Address sent over.

I heartily wish you Success to your vigorous Measures in which I hope the Divine Providence will continue to assist you in the Cause of true Religion and Liberty and Heartily congratulate you upon the glorious Effects which have hitherto attended his Majesty's Arms.

I am with great Respect

Sir

Your most obedient and

most humble Servant

Arthur Dobbs

No. Carolina May 18: 1759
Govr. Dobbs
Rx July 23d