New Bern 10. June 1756

Duplicate

Sir

Having just recd. Advice that your Excellency arrived at Charles Town the first Instant, I sincerely and heartily congratulate you and the publick upon your safe Arrival, and hope you will soon relieve and unite your Province from the Confusions and Divisions your Predecessor had endeavoured to sow there to make your future Administration uneasy, and I hope for the future these two Colonies shall live in perfect Harmony, which I shall always endeavour to improve to the Utmost of my power to our mutual Satisfaction.

It may seem improper in my first Letter after your Arrival to mention any publick Busyness, but as I am informed from England that you have got new Instructions about the Limits of the two Provinces, Mr. Glenn having confounded all things upon the frontier and almost raised a Civil War betwixt the Colonies, in Case I had repelled force by force, having created Magistrates in this Northern Province, prevented their paying the publick Taxes they had always paid to this Province, and granted Patents and Warrants of Survey upon Lands which had been patented ten years ago in this Government by Orders from the Government in England, in which the late Colo. Selwyn and I were particularly concerned, and therefore I delayed executing the Laws here until your Arrival, as I knew Glenn's Spleen was particularly at me for blaming his Conduct with his Assembly and all wou'd be amicably adjusted at your Arrival. I must therefore desire you wou'd give no Ear to these firebrands who want to keep Lands without any Title, or paying Quit Rents or Taxes, and want to embroil the two Colonies, and put a Stop to these Warrants Magistrates and Patents upon the frontier until either We settle it, or it be decided in England, for we claim at present nothing to the Southward of 35°, where the Line was agreed under the Commissrs. hands and Seals, and Seals of the provinces to be the Boundary until further determined by his Majesty in Britain, and as soon as you please to enter upon it, I shall send you a Copy of the Line I proposed by the Advice and Approbation of the Council to represent as a proper Boundary to be fixt, which you from your Province may object to, if you think it may be a Prejudice to your Province, which I don't desire, but rather that it shou'd answer your Province as well as the Conveniency of this Province.

I shall add no more but to wish you a long happy and honourable Administration, and to assure you that I am with great Esteem and Regard

Sir,

Your Excellency's

most obedt. hble Servt.

Arthur Dobbs