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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Minutes of the North Carolina Governor's Council
North Carolina. Council
November 08, 1753 - November 17, 1753
Volume 05, Pages 36-38

At Rowan the 8th Day of November 1753 Robert Palmer Esqr produced to His Honr the President a Warrant under the Royall sign Manual appointing him surveyor General of His Majestys Lands in this Province in the Room of George Gould Gent Dec̄ed as also Commission from the Commissioners of the Customs appointing him Collector in the port of Bath in this Province whereupon he the said Robert Palmer took the several Oaths by Law appointed to be taken by Publick Officers made and subscribed the Declaration & took the Oaths of Office.

At a Council held at Wilmington on the 15th day of November 1753

Present The Honourable Mathew Rowan Esqr President
The Honble James Murray Esqr
The Honble John Rutherford Esqr
The Honble James Hasell Esqr
The Honble John Swann Esqr
The Honble James Innes Esqr
The Honble Lewis De Rossett Esqr

His Honour the President was pleased to Lay before this board a Letter to him from the Right Honourable The Earl of Holderness one of his Majesty's principall Secretarys of State dated 28th August 1753 which was Read in the words following vizt

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Whitehall 28th August 1753

Sir

His Majesty having received Information of the March of a considerable number of Indians, not in alliance with the King supported by some regular European Troops, intending, as it is apprehended, to commit some Hostilities on parts of His Majestys Dominions, in America, I have the King's Command to send you the Intelligence and direct you to use your Utmost Diligence to Learn how far the same may be well founded and to put you Upon your Guard, that you may, at all Events, be in a Condition to resist any Hostile Attempts that may be made Upon any part of his Majestys Dominions within your Government and to Direct you in the King's name that in Case the Subjects of any foreign Prince or State should presume to make any Incroachments on the Limits of his Majestys Dominions or to Erect forts on His Majestys Lands or Commit any Other Act of Hostility, you are Immediately to Represent the Injustice of such Proceeding, and to require them forth with, to desist from any such unlawful undertaking But if, notwithstanding your Requisition they should still persist, you are then to draw forth the armed force of the Province, and to use your best Endeavours to repel Force by Force, But, as it is, His Majestys Determination, not to be the Agresor, I have the Kings Commands, most strictly to Enjoyn you not to make use of the Armed Force under your Directions excepting within the undoubted Limits of his Majestys Dominions

And whereas it may be Greatly conducive to his Majestys service that all his Majestys Provinces in America should be aiding and assisting each other, in case of any Invasion, I have it particularly in Charge from his Majesty to acquaint you that it is his Royall will and pleasure, that you should keep up an Exact Correspondence with all his Majestys Governours on the Continent, and in case you shall be informed by any of them of any Hostile Attempts you are immediately to assemble the Generall Assembly within your Governments and lay before them the Necessity of a Mutual Assistance, & engage them to grant such supplys as the Exigency of Affairs may require I have wrote by this convayance to all His Majestys Governors to the same purpose. I am Sir your most Obedient Humble servant

HOLDERNESS

At a Council held at Wilmington the 17th day of November 1753

Present the Honourable Mathew Rowan Esqr President
James Murray Esqr
James Innes Esqr
James Hasell Esqr
John Rutherford Esqr
Lewis De Rosset Esqr

On the motion of Mr. Swann a Commission was issued directed to the members of his Majesty's Council and to Samuel Swann and George

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Moore Esqr impowering them or the majority of them residing or for the time being in the County of New Hanover to call to account all persons in whose hands are any of the negroes stores or other Goods belonging to a Spanish Privateer blown up before the Town of Brunswick on the 8th day of November 1748 or in whose hands any of the moneys due for the same is or shall be And such moneys &c by themselves or their Agent having recieved to distribute one half among the sufferers by the Depredations of the Crew of the said Privateer in Brunswick and the other half among the Captors of the Survivors of the said Crew.