603 | From the Earl of Hillsborough

    (No. 6.)

    Duplicate

    Whitehall April 4th, 1768.

    Sir,

    I have received, and laid before The King, your Letters to the Earl of Shelburne, dated the 21st and 30th January, and 3d of February 1768, which you have marked (I presume on Account of the Commencement of a new year) 1, 2, and 3.1

    His Majesty entirely approves your Conduct, in Relation to the Proceedings of the House of Representatives for preparing a Representation (which they presume to stile a Remonstrance)2 against some late Acts of Parliament; at the same Time His Majesty does very much disapprove those Proceedings, and consider the Assembly’s Refusal of all Communication with You upon this Occasion to be as irregular, as it was disrespectful to the Person and Office of His Governor.3

    I entirely agree with you in Opinion as to the Impropriety of allowing the Assemblies in the Colonies to pass by their Governors in presenting Representations to His Majesty or any of His Ministers; nor do I believe that The King will allow any to be received which shall be presented in that manner. That which is the Subject of your Letter has not yet been offered to me; if it should be offered, I shall think it my Duty not to receive it; in the first Place, because it has not been first communicated to You, and, in the next, because Mr. DeBerdt is not the regular Agent of the Colony.

    At the same Time that The King cannot but disapprove the Proceedings in this Case, it is with great Pleasure and Satisfaction His Majesty observes the Account You give in your two subsequent Letters of the Temper and Disposition of the Assembly,4 in the Case of the Proposition for offering a Correspondence with the other Governments on the Subject of their Deliberations.

    The Manner, in which that Proposition was received and rejected, does Honor to the very great Majority which appeared against it; and The King considers it as one very good Effect of your commendable Endeavours to convince the People, that their true Interest lies in a due Subordination to the Laws of this Kingdom.

    I am, with great Truth and Regard, Sir, your most obedient humble Servant

    Hillsborough.

    Governor Bernard

    dupLS, RC     BP, 11: 163-166.

    Endorsed by FB: Earl of Hillsborough d Ap 4 1768 r Aug 20 Upon a proposed Remonstrance of this Assembly _ Variants: CO 5/765, ff 4-5 (L, LbC); CO 5/757, ff 26-27 (L, Copy). Extracts were laid before both houses of Parliament on 28 Nov. 1768. HLL: American Colonies Box 1.