Documenting the American South Logo
Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Arthur Dobbs to the Board of Trade of Great Britain
Dobbs, Arthur, 1689-1765
December 15, 1755
Volume 05, Pages 461-462

[B. P. R. O. North Carolina. B. T. Vol. 12. C. 100.]

Letter from Governor Dobbs to the Board of Trade, dated Newbern the 15th of December 1755.

My Lords

I have herewith sent to your Lordships the Acts of the last Assembly under the Province Seal and the Duplicates of the Journals of the two Houses of the first Session. I had not your Lordships Letter of the 16th of June until last night when I got a duplicate of it from Governour Morris the original never having come to my hand and along with it he Sent me your Lordships Letter of the 19th of September of which I got the Duplicate last Saturday and on Monday Morning issued a Proclamation for the Colonels and commanding Officers who had not lately made me returns of their several Regements or Troops or who had not returned an Account of what arms each Troop or Company had forthwith to mend their returns and transmit them to me, and also that all the County Clerks should send me a List of their Taxables in each County distinguishing the Whites from the Blacks wherever they could and what Number they imagined might have secreted their Taxables as I find many do for by getting information lodged in this County of Craven last year we have increased the number of Taxables about 300 the Laws have been so negligently looked into I shall when these come in, fully answer the first of the Letters about the Forts Ammunition and arms the 1000 arms I got when I came over will be distributed to the five companies raised and to be raised and to the Militia of the exposed Counties and near the sea coast for our Defense ammunition or lead we have none but from hand to mouth and very little in the Merchants

-------------------- page 462 --------------------
hands But I shall refer it till I answer the Letter fully to each Particular. The Former Letter about the state of the Colonies in general and the management of the Indian Trade I shall collect my thoughts upon it and freely send my opinion to your Lordships that you may compare it with the thoughts of Gentlemen in the other Provinces and form your Judgment when you shall have the several Opinions before you and shall loose no time in preparing answers to both your Letters.

Governor Dinwiddie is sending two Commissioners and Presents to the Cherokees and Catawbas for to confirm their Friendship and to procure their assistance and has wrote to me to send two from this Province to joyn them which I shall do thō I have no presents to send them. We long much for Mr Littleton's arrival otherwise Mr Glenn will counteract us and keep them away as he did before.

I sent your Lordships a List of 3 persons for to be of the Council there being two vacancies here and sent duplicates at the end of 8thber which I hope you have received.

I have nothing further to add but that I am with due respect,

My Lords, &c.,
ARTHUR DOBBS.

New Bern December 15th 1755.


Additional Notes for Electronic Version: Dobbs' letter enclosed legislative journals - See Related Documents.