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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from George Burrington to the Board of Trade of Great Britain
Burrington, George, 1680-1759
July 01, 1731
Volume 03, Pages 140-142

[B. P. R. O. North Carolina. B. T. Vol. 8. A. 13.]
GOVr BURRINGTON TO LDS OF TRADE.
[1 July, 1731.]

To the Right Honourable the Lords of Trade and Plantations

My Lords.

Having finished my Report of the State and Condition of this Province as I am commanded by His Majesty's Instructions, herewith I transmit the same to Your Lordships Board, and shall be Extremely pleased if it has the Good luck to meet with Your Lordships Approbation, the accounts I give are Just and true according to the best of my Knowledge and Informations I could get what Relates to my Own Behaviour is Submitted to Your Lordships Judgement I can truly say I

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have acted in everything to the best of my Capacity, and have not knowingly Deviated a Tittle from the Powers and directions I brought with me, when I have His Majesty's interest in View and pursue his Instructions, I think I cannot Err.

I have been entirely left to myself since I entered upon the Country's Business and instead of help and Assistance from His Majesty's Council and Officers here as I might reasonably have Expected (and surely it was their Duty to have given me) I have had and still have them a weight upon me, There has been no foolery or Villany sett on foot that they are not Concerned Inn which has increased since John Mongomery the Attorney General arrived at once he struck in with this Party, I have the whole force of his Wisdom and the three following Gentlemens to Guard against.

If I am wanting in my Report or have Omitted any thing that might have been done for His Majesty's service it must be attributed to the conduct of these Gentlemen; I have been so farr from Disobligeing or doing any thing to make them Uneasy, that on the Contrary I have used all my Endeavours to serve them and cannot account for their behaviour to me. (when I mention the Council I doe not mean all there being but three principally that I complain against) Mr Ashe a Gentleman (when I had the Charge of this Government under the Proprietors) I conceived so good an Opinion off that I intrusted him with all my Concerns during my stay in England. The second is Mr Edmond Porter; who has to say of me that I Refused to make myself a party in his unjustifyable quarrels and would not screen him from several Prosecutions against him for his Violent and unlawfull proceedings in the Court of Admiralty of which he is Judge. The third is Mr Smith the Chief Justice a Weak Rash Young Man, Drunk from Morning till Night, set on work by the Other two and some of the Managers in the Assembly. when anything was to be said or done that the Others were ashamed off, he was their Mouth and Tool he has Resigned his seat at the Council Board sometime Past, it is now reported he is going home with Complaints Against me, this for anything I know may be true, Tho' upon the Strictest Examination into my Own Conduct I am no way Conscious, that I have given the least Pretence to these Gentlemen to Complain, but every thing may be Expected from the Folly and Madness they have shewn, and the heats of Nonsense that is for Ever among them.

My Lords.

I am convinced my Actions will speak for themselves and that I shall have no Occasion to bespeak your favour Your Justice I have a Right to

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Demand and am sure it will not be Denyed me (which is) that if any complaints are Lay'd before you, I may not be censured unheard, I desire only an Oportunity of Answering whatever may be Objected against me.

I am With due Respect Your Lordships Most humble And Most obedient Servant
GEO. BURRINGTON