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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Wills Hill, Marquis of Downshire to William Tryon
Downshire, Wills Hill, Marquis of, 1718-1793
July 15, 1769
Volume 08, Pages 61-62

[B. P. R. O. Am. & W. I. N. C. No. 216.]
Letter from Earl Hillsborough to Governor Tryon.

Whitehall July 15th 1769.

Sir,

Your letters No. 26 & 27, have been received, and laid before the King.

The defenceless state of the Province under your Government, as reported in the first of those Letters, ought certainly to be attended to, and therefore His Majesty entirely approves of your again urging to the Assembly the Necessity there is of providing for their own security, so far at least as to prevent the Fortifications which have been erected from falling into Ruin, or becoming useless for want of a Supply of such Stores as are necessary to their defence. What may be proper to be done in case this requisition shall be unsuccessfull I will not presume to say, but I do not think myself warranted to encourage the least Expectation that it will be thought fit that this Country should take upon itself any expence for the protection of the Sea Coast of its Colonies, beyond that of its Ships of War, which indeed is the only certain and natural protection they can have.

The Assembly's petition to His Majesty relative to the revenue Laws, which I observe is entered upon their Journals, having been put into my hands by Mr McCulloh, I lost no time in presenting it to His Majesty, but have nothing in command from His Majesty to signify to you thereupon, having already in my circular letter of 13th May fully apprised you of the Sentiments and resolutions which have been adopted in respect to the Measures they complain of.

These Sentiments & Resolutions which so clearly mark out the Opinion entertained by the present Administration of the Inexpediency of laying Taxes in America by Act of Parliament for the purpose of raising a Revenue, will it is hoped give full satisfaction to His Majestys Subjects, and dissipate those groundless Fears and apprehensions which have already produced such disagreeable Consequences.

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The plan for a paper Currency which, I also observe from the Assembly's Journals, was proposed to be submitted to His Majesty's Consideration, has not yet been delivered to me by Mr McCulloh. Whenever he thinks fit to communicate it to me, I shall not fail to take the necessary steps for its having the fullest Examination.

I am &ca
HILLSBOROUGH.