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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from William Tryon to Wills Hill, Marquis of Downshire
Tryon, William, 1729-1788
May 27, 1769
Volume 08, Pages 45-47

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

Bath the 27th May 1769.

After the receipt of your Lordships letter the 21st June 1768 I required in Council the Receiver and Deputy Auditor General of the

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province to report the causes of the deficiencies in the collection of his Majestys Quit Rents and to suggest what would be necessary to give the collection better effect. The reports these gentlemen made me by letter, I have the honor herewith to transmit to your Lordship, at the same time that I take the liberty to inclose what occurs to me to be necessary to forward the success of the above object.

I am aware that on the consideration at home of the matters contained on the subject of your Lordships requisitions the salaries proposed to the officers employed will be thought out of all proportion. I confess the irregularity and confusion that has hitherto accompanied the collection of the Quit Rents, the want of a Rent Roll to be delivered by the Auditor to the Receiver General, the appointment of more proper Deputy Receivers and the laborious duties of their offices convinces me of the necessity of giving such handsome salaries until a Rent Roll can be completed and a good plan for the collection of Quit Rents placed on a solid foundation at which period the salaries may be lessened at discretion. The discovery of lands by descent as well as those held by patent (the records of which are lost) must be discovered by the Deputy Receivers, great encouragement therefore seems highly requisite to be given to these officers to excite their industry and diligence to make these discoveries. If they were furnished with the list of white taxables of their respective counties annually it would lead them to the occupants of lands from whom they might inform themselves of what lands they were possessed. The folio books Mr Rutherford compiled might also be of considerable information both to the Registers and Deputy Receivers, as well as to the Auditor General were the originals lodged in the Auditors office, and copies sent to the Register of each county of such lands as lay within their respective counties to which the Deputies should have free access.

The aid of the Legislature in the execution of the above business is evident and the expectation of procuring such aid in this case I apprehend will be founded on the principle of some present benefit to the people. It is under this consideration that I recommend the expediency of the release of Quit Rents and confirmation of titles.

Thus, my Lord, I have endeavoured to sketch the outlines of such regulations and establishments as appear necessary to lay a foundation for a better collection of his Majestys Quit Rents. If your Lordship will improve these hints and honor me with his Majestys

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further commands on the subject, I shall cheerfully pay all possible regard and attention to them.

I am &c.