1-136 (Text)

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GOVERNMENT AND GENERAL ORDERS.
The GOVERNOR has observed, with great Regret, the Reluctance of the SETTLERS in general throughout this Colony, in coming forward to supply His Majesty's Stores with GRAIN in the present alarming Season of Scarcity; and that instead of manifesting a due Sense of Gratitude for the repeated Favors and Indulgencies they have received from Government, they seem determined to take every Advantage of its Necessities, by withholding their Tenders to as late a Period as possible, to give them an Opportunity of exacting a most exorbitant Price for their Grain, knowing that it must be submitted to from the Necessities of the Times.
THE Conduct of those Persons who stand considerably indebted to the Crown for Cattle issued to them from the Government Herds, as well as for various Articles which have been furnished them on Credit from the King's Stores, is still more inexcusable and reprehensible, in their not coming forward with their Grain at such a Crisis. Such Persons can no longer expect any Lenity or Forbearance; and the GOVERNOR will accordingly direct, that they shall be sued for their respective Debts at the next Court of Civil Jurisdiction. - Settlers of a different Description. and especially those who are in opulent Circumstances, principally owing to the Assistance they have derived from the Bounty of Government in originally granting them Lands, Stock, Provisions, and Government Men to cultivate their Grounds, ought to have been the first to come forward at such a Season to supply Government with such Grain as they could conveniently spare, at a reasonable and moderate Price. - The GOVERNOR, however, laments to find he has been disappointed in almost every Instance, and therefore conceives it a Duty he owes to the Crown, and to the Trust reposed in him by His Majesty, to signify to the Settlers of this Colony in this public Manner, that unless he shall find in their future Conduct more Promptitude in coming forward to supply His Majesty's Stores with Grain, on reasonable Terms, and discharging the Debts they have incurred to the Crown, he shall be under the painful Necessity of resorting and entirely trusting to Foreign Markets for supplying the King's Stores with Wheat, and such other Grain as may be required; which it may not be amiss to remind them can he done at Half the Price now paid for that purchased in this Colony; The GOVERNOR, however, will very reluctantly resort to this Expedient, and only in the Event of the Settlers manifesting the same Disposition at the ensuing Harvest they have shewn on the present Occasion. The GOVERNOR therefore trusts, this Communication of his Sentiments will have its due Effect on their Minds, and that they will see the Necessity of observing a more fair and becoming Line of Conduct in future. He also strongly recommends to the lower Class of Settlers to adopt Habits of Industry and sedulous Attention to the Cultivation of their Farms, so as to provide a sufficient Quantity of Grain, not only for the Consumption of their own Families, but to enable them to supply the Government with this Article at a reasonable Rate.
WHILST the GOVERNOR has thus bad Occasion to animadvert on the Reluctance of the Settlers in general to furnish their Grain to Government, he is desirous thus publicly to make his Acknowledgments to one individual Settler; namely, THOMAS GILBERTHORPE, in the District of Pitt Town. - This Person was the first to come forward, in the present Season of Scarcity, with the lowest and most reasonable Tender, to supply Government with all the Wheat and Maize he could spare, and was the only Settler in the Colony who last Year delivered into the Store the complete Quantity he had tendered at the stipulated Rate, although Grain had advanced in Price considerably after he had sent in his original Tender. - Such an Instance of fair and upright Conduct is entitled to the GOVERNOR's present Commendation and Acknowledgment, with an Assurance that his meritorious Conduct on both the Occasions alluded to shall not pass unrewarded.
The GOVERNOR directs the foregoing General Order to be read on Sunday the 13th, and Sunday the 20th Instant, by the Chaplains in the several Churches of the Colony.
By Command of His Excellency the Governor,
J. T. CAMPBELL, SECRETARY.