Treasury
Brunswick 5th April 1766
I was honored with your Lordships Commands on the 25th of March last by the favor of Mr Lownde's letter of the 14th September 1765 requiring me to give my assistance to the Distributor of the Stamps in the execution of his office. Some Stamps for this province arrived here from Virginia the 28th of November last in the Diligence Sloop of War; but as Mr Houston, Distributor of the Stamps, was obliged publickly to resign his office in the Court House of Wilmington on the 16th of the same month, a copy of which I enclose, I desired Capt Phipps to keep the Stamps on board the Diligence. They were lately removed into his Majesty's Sloop the Viper, Capt Lobb, Commander, the Diligence having sailed for England. My endeavors, my Lords, to promote the circulation of the Stamps in this province have been accompanied with my warmest zeal, as I flatter myself the letter I wrote on that subject to Mr Conway one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State will testify. The ill success that has attended this discharge of my duty, has given me real concern; since the riotous Assembly of men in Wilmington, and Brunswick on the 19th 20th and 21st of February last, there has been no disturbances in this province, the ports have never been shut and entries and clearances are made in the form that was practiced before the Stamp Act was appointed by Parliament to
take effect; I continue in my opinion that these Southern provinces will regulate their further obedience, and conduct, agreeable to the measures that are adopted by the more formidable Colonies to the northward