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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Anthony Ashley Cooper, Earl of Shaftesbury to John Yeamans
Shaftesbury, Anthony Ashley Cooper, Earl of, 1621-1683
June 20, 1672
Volume 01, Pages 212-213

[B. P. R. O. Shaftesbury Papers. Section IX. Bdle. 48. No. 89.]
EARL OF SHAFTESBURY TO SIR JOHN YEAMANS
20 JUNE 1672.

Exetr House 20th June 1672.

By the last acct that came hither from Carolina, I find yt you were not received there with such Generll Satisfaction nor so forwardly admitted to the Governmt we intended you, as perhaps was Imagined. I am sorry to find any Differences at all among you, the Causes whereof I shall not inquire into. But shall advise you as my friend not to make use of the Governmt we have put into yr Hands, to Revenge yourself on any who have spoke theire apprehentions wth that ffreedom, which must be allowd, men in a Country wherein they are not designed to be oppress'd and where they may Justly expect equall Justice & protection.

I have too great a value for your condition and Ability not to desire continuance of a right understanding between us; and therefore I must take the Liberty, to deale ffreely wth you in a Matter wherein we are both concerned, and tell you plainly that I cannot avoid thinking that the Suspitions of those men who have express'd some feare of yr Managemt of ye Government, had some ground; Since your too forward Grasping at the Governmt when you came first thither, and your endeavours since to diminish the Authority of oer particular Deputys who are our representatives and invested there, with all our Power, hath given us even at this distance some umbrage, 'Tis in your power to sett all right, I Know you have Dexterity enough to do it. You are now upon foundations of a larger extent then are usuall, and perhaps then in other places you have

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met with, and if you will but suite the Mannagemt of your Gouvernmt to them, and Direct it Wholy to the impartiall prosperity of the Whole Plantation and all the Planters in it, you will remove the jealousies which I must tell you some of the Plantation have conceived of you, you will oblige the Lds Proprietrs and reap all those advantages which are sure to attend him who is the greatest and most considerable man in a thriving Plantation, and who hath contributed much to the advancemt thereof.

For my own part, I assure you that having set my mind on carrying on this Plantation and engaged my word that the people shall live safe there under the Protection of a faire and equall Governmt upon Confidence whereof most of the Planters have come thither. I shall think myself extreemly injured by any one who shall put such an affront on me, as to make those who trusted me, be deceived, and I am resolved at any rate rigourously to require Satisfaction of any one who by any undue proceedings shall discompose the quiet of this Settlement. On the other side I shall be as ready to acknowledge to any one whatever kindness they shall doe or assistance they shall give to this plantation. I the more frankly make this declaration to you Sr John because you have already contributed much, and are like to doe more to the growth, and increase of this Platen where you have a considerable and growing interest, which ought to make you have ye same concernmt for it that I have.

I return you my thanks for the fforward inclination you have shewne to Carolina, and tell you more over that you have it in your hand by endeavouring the Publick good of it to make me your friend as much and as long as you please, I am

Your very affectionate Friend
SHAFFTESBURY.
To Sr John Yeamans.