Robert King Carter's Correspondence and Diary

   A Collection Transcribed
        and Digitized
   by Edmund Berkeley, Jr.


List of Letters | About This Collection

Electronic Text Center , University of Virginia Library


Summary

ADS

Proclamation by Robert Carter as President of the Council to Continue all Officers in Their Duties, August 1, 1726

     Robert Carter, having become the president of the Council of the colony of Virginia, and having succeeded to the administration due to the death of the lieutenant governor, Hugh Drysdale, issues a proclamation August 1, 1726, to continue all office holders in their duties.



Proclamation by Robert Carter as President of the Council to Continue all Officers in Their Duties, August 1, 1726


-1 -

Williamsburgh, [Virginia]

first day of August 1726





     Virginia L.          By the Honble the President of his Majesty's Council of this Dominion
                             A Proclamation for Continuing of Public Officers in
                                  the Execution of their Several Trusts and offices



          Whereas his most sacred Majesty by Commission under the Great Seal of Great Britain in the
first Year of his Reign did constitute and appoint the right Honable George Earl of Orkney to be Lieut
and Governor General of this his Majesty's Colony and dominion of Virginia And by the said    --
Commission has (amongst other things) been Graciously pleased to declare his Royal Will And    --
pleasure That if upon the Death or Absence of the said George Earl of Orkney out of the said Colony
And there be no person upon the place Comissioned or appointed by his Majesty to be Lieut. Governor
or Commander in Chief that the Eldest Counsellor whose name is first placed in his Matys [Instructions ?]
to the said Earl of Orkney who Shall be at the time of such Governrs. Death or Absence residing
within this colony, shall take upon him the Administration of the Government and Execute his
Majesty's Said Comission and Instructions and the Several powers and Authorities therein contained
in the Same manner and to all Intents and Purposes as any other Governor or Commander Chief
should or ought to do until his Majesty's Pleasure be known therein And Whereas it has
pleased God to call out of this Transitory Life the Honble Hugh Drysdale his Majesty's Lieutent [sic]
Governor and Commander in Chief whereby and by the Suspension of Edmund Jenings Esquire from
being a Member of his Majesty's Council Administration of the Government is desolved on
me as president of the Council To the End therefore that the peace of this his Majestys
Dominion may be the better preserved and the Ordinary Course of Justice continued without   --
Interruption I have thought fit by and with the Advice of the Council to publish and [proclaim ?]
That all Magistrates and Officers both Civil and Military are continued in all and Singular
their powers Authorities and jurisdictions until further order be taken therin whereby requiring
them and every [one ] of them to proceed in the Execution of their Several Duties, And all his Majest's
Subjects within this colony are hereby Commanded to be aiding and abiding to them therein and to
Yield all due Obedience to this Proclamation


                                   Given at the Council Chamber in Williamsburg this first --
                             Day of August 1726 In the Thirteenth Year of his Majestys Reign

God Save the King                                                                                             Robert Carter





NOTES



Source copy consulted: This document is privately owned, and its owners prefer to remain anonymous.



The document was folded and addressed on a blank portion of the obverse leaf: "For his Majesty's Service | To | The Sherif of the County of -- | Prince George." It was endorsed, presumably by the clerk of Prince George County, "Proclamation | continuing Officers | August 1726 -- | Published Sept. 13th 1726." It bears a very large original signature of Robert Carter as is noted by the use of bold italics. The document has been framed for many years, and there are some wrinkles along the right side that prevent a clear reading of several words.

[1] George Douglas-Hamilton (1666-1737), first earl of Orkney, a distinguished general in the British army. was rewarded in part for his service by being given by Queen Anne the sinecure of governor of Virginia in 1710, a title he held until his death in 1737. He never visited the colony but sent a succession of deputies as lieutenant governors. (Lawrence B. Smith. "Hamilton, George, first earl of Orkney" in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online.)


This text added to the site January 13, 2009, and reviewed September 26, 2011, to add footnotes, and to strengthen the modern language version text.