New Bern 30. Augt. 1757.
Having the Opportunity of Capt. Arbuthnot of the Guarland going to England from his Station in Virginia, I send your Lordships inclosed a Duplicate of the Money Bill past here last May Sessions; and also the other Acts, with the Journals of the Council and Assembly, which I had no safe opportunity of sending since.
I likewise send Your Lordships a Copy of the Report of the Boundary Line made in South Carolina, and transmitted to me by Govr. Lyttelton, which I presume he has also sent to you from So. Carolina, and along with it a Duplicate of the Plan I sent Your Lordships before from this Province that you may have both before you together to enable you to advise his Majesty where to fix an equitable Line. I think every thing they write to support their having the Line fixed upon the footing of the former Instructions you had withdrawn are obviated in what I sent over; as will appear by this Duplicate, a Copy of which I had sent to Govr. Lyttelton, so that they had it before them—all that they say in relation to their being wraped up in a Triangle by Georgia, is that they wou'd have this Province lie under the same Inconveniency, but won't accept of an Equivalent beyond the Savannah from Georgia, who can't suffer by it, so that I rest it upon Your Lordship's Judgment—but hope it will be soon decided as we are in great Confusion by it's not being done, no Taxes being raised nor Laws enacted, nor can the Lands be settled, they granting Warrants and Patents upon our Patented settled Lands. The Catauba's have been spirited up by Mr. Glenn's former Management to insult our Planters and had the Impudence, sitting the Supreme Court in Salisbury in Rowan County; to insult the Chief Justice, upon their Return, after doing little or nothing in Virginia, having robb'd a Waggon, and tied up a Waggoner with his own Chain, and upon their being followed and the Goods retaken, they returned, loaded their Guns, and insulted the Court. They have since after having Agreed and desired that we shou'd build them a fort and their King and Sackem fixed upon the Spot, and laid out the Ground, and we had wrought 3 or 4 Months upon the Fort, they have sent down to Governor Lyttelton to stop building the fort they will not have it built by us but by them and by Governor Lyttelton's Advice I have stop'd proceeding upon it until Mr. Atkins comes to fix it with them—paying too much Respect and making them presents has made them haughty, and we must arrive at it at this Juncture.
I hope your Lordships will send me Instructions upon the several Points I wrote in my former Letters last Winter.
I am with great Respect
My Lords
Your Lordships
most obedient and
most humble Servant
Arthur Dobbs
North Carolina.
Letter from Arthur Dobbs Esqr. Govr. of No. Carolina, to the Board, dated 30. Augst. 1757, containing some Observations on the Proposal of So. Carolina for fixing the Boundary Line & an account of the insolent Behaviour of the Catawbas.
D.6.
Received Novr. 9.
Read Novr. 11 1757.