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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from William Tryon to William Petty, Marquis of Lansdowne
Tryon, William, 1729-1788
February 02, 1767
Volume 07, Pages 434-435

[From Tryon's Letter Book.]
Letter from Governor Tryon to Earl of Shelburne

Brunswick the 2d of February 1767.

I have the honor to transmit to your Lordship the Journals of the House of the last session of Assembly. The Address of the House to my

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speech was unmerited and undeserved at my hands, however as I was concious from the great indulgence shewn by his Majesty and the Parliament to the colonies, on a late occasion, a proper termination of these disturbances would be most agreeable to his Majesty; I own I framed my reply to that Address very different from my sensations on the receipt of it. The bias that this reply gave to the course of the business thro' the session inclines me to hope my conduct on that crisis was not greatly culpable. The proceedings of the Journals are so explanatory that they leave me no observations unless it is on the conduct of Capt Morgan. He came from Cape Lookout up to Newbern, as it is supposed to receive satisfaction of Mr Maurice Moore a member of the Assembly with whom in a scuffle he had with him at Brunswick in the year 1764, had his arm broke: soon after his arrival at Newbern he sent to Mr Moore to meet him under the Court House; an appointment Mr Moore refused with his reasons: A few days after this, without the least countenance or protection given to Mr Moore by the Assembly on this occasion, Capt Morgan addressed almost the whole body of the Assembly as they were returning from the House in the manner specified in the Journals. Capt Morgan on hearing the members were highly displeased with his conduct went on board the cutter or tender he came up in, and fell down the river to his ship. This latter part of his conduct relieved me from a dilemma I might have been under, had he been taken into custody. He has taken a vessel that was bound to Edenton with foreign rum and sugar, which has been condemned by the court of Admiralty at Newbern. He has certainly been of service in preventing the commerce of smuggling but his conduct on the whole reflects no honor to his Majesty's service.

The line that is to be run this spring between the Cherokee Hunting Grounds and the western settlements of this province, I have some intentions of attending myself if my health permits. Every other trust and duty committed to my direction, I shall execute to the utmost of my abilities.

I am &c.