Skip to main content

Newbern, 25th. Septbr. 1755. 

Gentlemen of His Majesties Council, Mr. Speaker, and Gentlemen of the Assembly. 

The Situation of Affairs being much changed since your former Meeting, and the Danger encreased from the French Scheme being put in Execution, not only of confining these Colonies by a Chain of forts; but of gaining all the Indians into their Alliance, and intimidating those who were in Allyance with us from appearing in our Defense, and by giving Premiums to their Indians and to the French in Indian Dress to murder massacre scalp & carry away Captives, all our Settlers wherever they can surprize them; who under the Sanction of a Peace with the French live in Security apprehending no Danger, and the Number of Soldiers sent privately from France from time to time, and lately avowedly to make good & extend their Country; demonstrates their Design of conquering this whole Northern Continent, and depriving us of our most valuable Religion Liberties and Possessions. 

The Flame has already reach'd our Borders, and God Almighty has extended his correcting Arm and made a Breach upon us, upon Account of our Wantonness Luxury and Neglect of the Practice of our Religious Duties and Moral VirtueWe are now to fight pro Aris et focis and it requires the united force of all the Colonies notwithstanding our great Superiority, to withstand their Arms, supported by the whole Power of France. 

His Majesty with the united Voice of Britain has most graciously exerted their whole Power to protect us, and repel these Invaders, notwithstanding the heavy Taxes and Debt of Britain, But without our joyning our united force to theirs, we shall be reduced by a lingring War, This confirms what I mentioned to you last Session, that a proper Sum chearfully granted at once will accomplish what a very great Sum may not do hereafter. 

Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of the Assembly.

I therefore earnestly recommend to you to grant as large a Supply as this Province can bear, not only to defend your own Frontier and Sea Coast, but also to act in Conjunction with our neighbouring Colonies, The Zeal you have hitherto shewn leaves me No room to doubt of your ready and hearty Concurrence, it being for your all, your Religion Liberty and Possessions. 

I am sensible of the Difficulty this Province lies under from the Scarcity of Coin or Bullion, and our Paper Currency not having Credit to pass in our neighbouring Colonies; I must therefore earnestly request you to support the Credit of your Bills, by giving what may be hereafter issued a Security on your Lands, and laying a sufficient Penalty upon those who reside in this Province who shall give any Preference to Gold or Silver, in buying or selling, against our Paper Currency, or who shall buy up Gold or Silver at a Discount upon our Bills, or who shall for the future contract for Gold or Silver and refuse to take our Paper Currency in Payment for Goods sold in our neighbouring Colonies; This will effectually support our Credit when our neighbours can pay the Ballance due to this Province on our own BillsI must also at the same time recommend to you to apply for a proper Copper Coinage for this Province to be coin'd in the Mint in England, it being of great Consequence in all your Markets.   

Gent. of the Council, Mr. Speaker & Gent. of the Assembly.

There was so much Business before you last Sessions which you cou'd not finish, that I must earnestly desire your Application in finishing it; The Revisal of your Laws is absolutely necessary to be brought soon to a Conclusion, a general Inspection Law upon your ExportsThe giving Incouragement for erecting County or Parish Schools for the Education of our Youth in the Knowledge of Religion and moral Duties is become absolutely necessary to promote Industry, and to preserve the Appearance of Religion amongst us. 

The Desertion from your Companies is become so excessive, from the Case Principles in the lowest Class of Men for want of Education; that they carry off their Arms and Livery and steal horses to carry them away, and appear publickly in this Province without being secured by any Magistrate, and the Jayls are so weak without any Jaylor or Person to guard them, that no Criminal can be secured, I must therefore most earnestly recommend to you in this time of Danger to make the Meeting Bill in full force in this Province, and to make your Jayls an effectual Confinement Without which all the Taxes you raise will be thrown away and answer no good End. 

A Law is also necessary to oblige Planters who have small Properties to bring up their Children to Industry, or to bind out their Children to necessary Trades, many of whom breed up their Children to Sloth and Idleness to the publick Loss of the Society, by wch. Means Artificers Wages might be regulated by affording the Necessaries of Life cheaper; the excessive Price of which at present is a great Discouragement to the Improvement of the Province. 

I must also recommend to you the Considering of a proper Law to encourage the Indians within this Province by making it equally penal to kill maim or wound an Indian, or Negro Servant as any other of His Majesty's Subjects, and to incourage the Education of the Indian Youth in the Knowledge of the English Language & Customs, by giving them Schoolmasters in their Towns who may assist in civilizing them, and inducing them to live industriously by the Produce of their own Lands, which Law shou'd also extend to our neighbouring Indian Allies. 

I find it is become too much a Practice in this Province That those who are intrusted with the collecting or laying out of publick Money, keep it in their hands and lay it out for their own Benefit, and can't be brought to account without being sued at Law, and many die, or leave the Province, without being brought to account for the same, by which the Publick is defrauded and the remaining Inhabitants must make good the Debt; I must therefore recommend it to you to oblige all who have collected or who are to lay out Money for the Use of the publick to account for the same in a determined time, and if they shou'd put the publick to the Expence of a Suit, that besides the Penalty of the Bond they shall be obliged to pay Triple Costs. 

I last Summer view'd part of the Sea Coast and with the Approbation of the Commissioners fixed upon proper places at Core Bank and New Topsail Inlet to erect Batteries to protect these Harboursand in a Progress I made towards the Western frontier fixed upon a proper Situation, upon Third Creek on South Yadkin near the Catauba's River to station the frontier Company, being most Central from North to South to protect the Inhabitants, and must therefore recommend it to you to have a small Fort or strong Barrack built there for the Lodging of the Company and Security of the Frontierthey at present having nothing to shelter them. 

Since it is become more dangerous to settle our Western Frontier I must recommend it to you that those who shall settle upon that Frontier may be indulged not to pay publick Taxes for some years after their first Settlement. 

As I have not yet received the Letters which I daily expect from England to know what Laws are confirm'd or what repealedI must defer mentioning any thing further until I hear from thence, only to mention as the Seat of Government is still in Suspense until I receive Letters from England and the Manner of making out Grants for Counties, in which I expect new Instructions, I must desire that you will not receive any private Petitions this Session, which may interfere with the necessary publick BusynessI therefore shall only recommend Unanimity and Dispatch and that you will promote a general Harmony, that without any partial Views all may act for the General Good of the Province. 

North Carolina
Govr. Dobbs's Speech to the Council & Assembly of North Carolina in October 1755, at the Opening of this Session.

Recd. With his Letter dated the 28th of October 1755.

Recd. Janry. the
Read ——27 1756.

C.92.