Brunswick the 5th September 1769.
On my return to Brunswick the 31st of last month, I had the honor to receive your Lordships letters No. 20, 21, 22, 23 & 24. His Majestys most gracious approbation of my conduct in the measures I pursued to suppress the insurgents afforded me the greatest happiness. I have issued the proclamation of general pardon and have every reasonable expectation that such lenity will restore the perfect peace of the country.
It gives me a sensible pleasure to find your Lordship so well disposed to serve Captain Collect. It is my real sentiment that his
merit and military abilities will do honor to any good offices you extend to him, tho' I cannot think that the encreasing the country establishment of the Fort, or raising an independant company to garrison it, would be either of service to government or beneficial to Captain Collect. He merits better things.The establishment of a Post through this province has not been carried yet into effect. Mr De Lancey has been sent expresses four or five times as far as this town with my despatches but not once through the province, not I am persuaded for want of a desire to establish the post, or assiduity in his endeavours to carry it into execution, but from the want of the means to support the expence. It is a disagreeable reflection, my Lord, that the chain of communication through the Continent should be broke within this province. I beg leave to propose a scheme that appears to me the most certain means to open the post through this government: It is for Mr Foxcroft, Post Master General for the Northern Department, to take this province into his district as I am credibly informed he has a considerable surplus from the revenue of the Post Office within his department. This colony might revert back again as soon as the Southern Post Office had a fund sufficient to bear the expence of carrying the Post as now directed. This country suffers greatly in its commercial concerns from the want of a communication by Post, and during the course of the last war the country was in a deplorable state, the merchants having had their ships taken by the enemy before any opportunity offered for them to give advice to their correspondents to the northward to ensure them.
I shall propose to the Legislature agreeable to your Lordship's directions to adopt such measures as may induce the planters to enter into the cultivation of raw silk. Parliament has set them the example and I hope they will second such encouragement.
His Majesty may be assured I shall employ my utmost endeavours to prevent the evil designs of factious and seditous men, leveled against the conduct and measures of his Majesty's servants and observe strictly every other command contained in your Lordship's letters above mentioned.