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Lord
Dunmore's Proclamations
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By
his Excellency the Right Honourable JOHN Earl of DUNMORE,
his Majesty's Lieutenant and Governor General of the
Colony and Dominion of Virginia and Vice Admiral of the same.
A
PROCLAMATION.
Virginia,
to wit.
Whereas
his Majesty did, at the Request of the Assembly of this Colony,
permit the Western Boundary thereof to be extended as the
same has been run and ascertained by Colonel Donelson, and
other Surveyors, deputed for the purpose; and whereas his
Majesty hath for the greater Convenience of, and the preventing
of Litigation and Disputes among, such Persons as shall be
inclined to settle upon any of his vacant Lands, ordered that
all that Tract of Land included within the aforesaid Boundary,
and all other vacant Lands within this Colony, be surveyed
in Districts, and laid out in Lots of from one Hundred to
one Thousand Acres, and as fast as the said Surveys shall
be compleated by the Surveyors, duly authorized, and the Surveys
thereof returned, that the Lands, so surveyed and allotted,
be put up to public Sale, at such Time and Place as shall
be appointed by public Notice; and that hihest Bidder for
such Lots and Parcels of Land, at such Sales, be the Purchaser
thereof, , and be entitled to a Grant in Fee Simple of the
Land so purchased as aforesaid, by Letters Patent under the
great Seal of the Colony, subject to no Conditions or Reservations
whatever, other than the Payment of the annual Quit-Rent of
one half Penny Sterling per Acre, and also of all Mines of
Gold, Silver, and precious Stones: And whereas Advice has
been recieved, that one Richard
Henderson, and other disorderly Persons, his Associates,
under Pretence of a Purchase made from the Indians, contrary
to the aforesaid Orders and Regulations of his Majesty, do
set up a Claim to the Lands of the Crown within the Limits
of this Colony; I have thought fit, therefore, to issue this
my Proclamation, strictly charging all Justices of the Peace,
Sheriffs, and other Officers, civil and military, to use their
utmost Endeavours to prevent the unwarrantable and illegal
Designs of the said Henderson and his Abettors; and if the
said Henderson, or others concerned with him, shall take Possession
of, or occupy any Lands within the Limits of his Majesty's
Government of Virginia, merely under any Purchase, or pretended
Purchase, made from Indians, without any other Title, that
he or they be required, in his Majesty's Name, forthwith to
depart, and relinquish the Possession so unjustly obtained;
and in Case of Refusal and of violent detaining such Possession,
that he or they be immediately fined and imprisoned in the
Manner the Laws in such Cases direct.
GIVEN
under my Hand, and the Seal of the Colony, this 21st Day of
March, in the 15th Year of his Majesty's Reign.
DUNMORE.
GOD
save the KING.
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By
his Excellency the Right Honourable JOHN Earl of DUNMORE,
his Majesty's Lieutenant and Governor General of the
Colony and Dominion of Virginia and Vice Admiral of the same.
A
PROCLAMATION.
As I have ever entertained Hopes, that an Accommodation might
have taken Place between GREAT-BRITAIN and this Colony, without
being compelled by my Duty to this most disagreeable but now
absolutely necessary Step, rendered so by a Body of armed
Men unlawfully assembled, firing on His MAJESTY'S Tenders,
and the formation of an Army, and that Army now on their March
to attack his MAJESTY'S Troops and destroy the well disposed
subjects of the Colony. To defeat such treasonable Purposes,
and that all such Traitors, and their Abettors, may be brought
to Justice, and that the Peace, and good Order of this Colony
may be again restored, which the ordinary Course of the Civil
Law is unable to effect; I have thought fit to issue this
my Proclamation, hereby declaring, that until the aforesaid
good Purpose can be obtained, I do in Virtue of the Power
and Authority to ME given, by His MAJESTY, determine to execute
Martial Law, and cause the same to be executed throughout
this Colony: and to ****** the Peace and good Order may the
sooner be restored, I do require every Person capable of bearing
Arms, to resort to His MAJESTY'S STANDARD, or be looked upon
as Traitors to His MAJESTY'S Crown and Government, and thereby
become liable to the Penalty the Law inflicts upon such Offenses;
such as forfeiture of Life, confiscation of Lands, &.
&. And I do hereby further declare all indented [sic]
Servants, Negroes, or others, (appertaining to Rebels,) free
that are able and willing to bear Arms, they joining His MAJESTY'S
Troops as soon as may be, foe the more speedily reducing this
Colony to a proper Sense of their Duty, to His MAJESTY'S Crown
and Dignity. I do further order, and require, all His MAJESTY'S
Liege Subjects, to retain their Quitrents, or any other Taxes
due or that may become due, in their own Custody, till such
a Time as Peace may be again restored to this at present most
unhappy Country, or demanded of them for their former salutary
Purposes, by Officers properly ***** to receive the same.
GIVEN under my Hand on board the Ship WILLIAM by Norfolk,
the 7th Day of November in the SIXTEENTH Year of His MAJESTY'S
Reign.
DUNMORE
(GOD save the KING.)
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