As a Report prevails that your Excellency in Councill propose soon to fix upon a proper situation for a Court House to be erected in Charlote County, I therefore think ita duty incumbent upon me to lay before your Excellency the following Extract from Lord Dunmores Letter to me of the 11% ult viz: 'J shall be extremely happy if the Legislature should pay me the compliment of fixing upon my Land for the Court house to stand upon; and in that évent I shall most cheerfully build a Court House or any other Buildings that may be thought raat site by the Publick."

In case his Lordship's Land should be fixed upon for the above purpose, I am ready to give Bond, if it should be required, for the faithful performance of what he Hing offered.

As this isa matter of great importance to the Inhabitants, and to every person having an Interest in that County, I would humbly beg leave to observe that two or three situations have been

772 CONTROVERSY RESPECTING THE

talked of for the Court House, all of them improper, being near the Southern Extremitys of the County; because it is demonstrable that it would prevent the settlement of the northern part of the County, and of course be greatly prejudicial to the Proprietors of Land there for there can be nc doubt that the fixing the Court House to the Southward will naturally draw the Inhabitants that way ; whereas if it should be placed ina more centrical situation, it will be a means of diffusing the Inhabitants more equally through every part of the County, to the equal advantage of the Proprietors of Land, and conveniency of the Inhabitants. - Should it be argued that how soon the northern part of the County is peopled, it is to be formed into a separate County ; I would answer that there is no probability of its happening for at least forty years to come, the number of Inhabitants in that extensive Tract of Country, being at present so inconsiderable.