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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from William Tryon to the Board of Trade of Great Britain
Tryon, William, 1729-1788
February 01, 1766
Volume 07, Pages 158-161

[From Tryon's Letter Book.]
Letter from Governor Tryon to the Board of Trade

Brunswick 1st February 1766

I have been prevented from making up my despatches for your Lordships Board since those I sent of the proceedings of the General

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Assembly held at Newbern in May last, by a severe and tedious illness which has visited me for these six months past. I now send your Lordships in a separate packet by the Heron, Parker, master, bound for Portsmouth the plans of the lines that were run in 1746 between the lands belonging to His Majesty and those set off for the Earl of Granville and also those of the temporary boundary line between the Carolina governments run in 1764 together with the fullest information I have been able to obtain on those subjects. The Heron, who likewise carries this dispatch is the first vessel that has left this port since the first of November, she sails with the old clearances, without stampt paper.

Mr. Simpson, late master of his Majesty's sloop the Viper who made his escape after being committed for the murder of Lieut Whitehurst of the said sloop surrendered himself up to justice, and took his trial at Washington Superior Court held last October. The verdict of the jury was manslaughter. The Attorney General to whom I wrote to prosecute for the Crown was prevented from attending, by a confirmed bad state of health: His deputy brought on the trial before the principle evidences arrived in the province who were on board the Viper every day expected, and who were present at the duel, as may be seen by the depositions

His Majesty's officers of the customs for this river have seized two vessels, the first a brig named the Samuel, Hezekiah Welch, master, was stopped the 29th of May by Mr Pennington comptroller on suspicion of the master having made a false entry; upon search near one hundred hogsheads of foreign molasses was found on board her, that had not been entered. This quantity has been condemned by a decree in the Court of Admiralty of this province. The sale of this molasses clear of all charges amounted to £324.. proclamation money; value in sterling £163.. this brig came from Hispaniola bound to Boston. The second vessel named the Fox, Nath1 Porter, master, was seized by Mr. Dry, the Collector, the 15th of October last on suspicion of her having broke bulk before entry. This vessel was condemned in the above court together with her cargoe which consisted of wines from the Azores and rum from Santa Cruz. The sale of this ship and her cargoe is just finished. As the Collector informs me he has not been able to make out the particulars of the amount of the sale, I will send them in my next dispatches.

I am next to inform your Lorship, I opened in his Majestys Council the 20th of December last at Wilmington the commission

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his Majesty has honored me with as Governor of this Province. By the advice of the Council I dissolved the Assembly and issued new writs in his Majesty's name for the elections of a new Assembly, the writs returnable the 22d of April when the General Assembly is to meet at NewBern.

Mr. Berry, Chief Justice of this province shot himself in the head the 21st December last and died in Wilmington the 29th of the same month. The Coroner's inquest sat on the body and brought in their verdict “Lunacy.”

I have given the commission of Chief Justice during pleasure to Mr James Hasell, senior member of his majestys Council, next to the President; He is much the gentleman, has acted in this office at different times seven years to general satisfaction: Has been an inhabitant of this province upwards of thirty years and always esteemed a steady friend to the measures of government.

Mr Hasell, present Chief Justice, held the Commission of Chief Baron of the Exchequer: I have appointed Mr Robert Howe an Associate Judge, a gentleman of good character and abilities to be chief Baron of the Exchequer during pleasure.

The present members for his Majestys Council, are

Mr Murray, President
Mr Hasell, Chief Justice
Mr Rutherford, Receiver Genl
Mr DeRosset,
Capt Brice Dobbs
Mr Sampson
Mr Alexander McCulloh
Mr Henry Eustace McCulloh
Mr Palmer, Surveyor General
Mr Dry
Mr Heron } Members

I send your Lordships the names of the three following gentlemen for his Majesty's nomination of a Counsellor in the room of Mr Berry, Vidt, Mr Samuel Strudwick, Mr Francis Corbyn and Colo Lloyd. Mr Strudwick came into the province at the time I arrived, has large possessions in this county, is a gentleman of very good character, and has already been warmly recommended to your Lordship's board. Mr Francis Corbyn was in the Council till suspended by the late Governor, he is a near relation of Mr Corbyn Morris's, one of the Commissioners of his Majesty's customs. Colo Lloyd served with credit under the late General Bouquet in the Virginia provincial forces, against the indians; he is about thirty years of age and happily unites the spirit of the soldier with that of the gentleman. I gave Mr Murray, President, leave of absence for one year, to go to Boston; this leave expires next April. As Capt Dobbs has not been in this colony since my arrival: I should think it is probable

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the death of his father may determine him not to return here; this will make another vacancy in the Council

The Act of Parliament laying Stamp duties on the Colonies, has been as generally rejected in this province as in any colony on the Continent: The particular conduct of the inhabitants; I have transmitted to Mr Conway one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State therefore I shall not trouble your Lordships on this subject. The Stampt papers arrived the 28th of November last in his Majesty's sloop the Diligence, Capt Phipps, Commander, from Virginia, where they still continue: I have issued a proclamation signifying their arrival, and that they would be delivered from on board the Diligence to any person who was properly qualified to receive them.

As the arrival of dispatches from the public boards is extremely uncertain here at all times, but more particularly precarious in the present times; I should wish that any commands your Lordships honored me with, might be inclosed to the Governor of South Carolina or to the Post Master General residing in Charles Town with orders to forward them to me by express

I am &c