Sir

By your Excellency's Letter of the 27^th. of Decemb. last I find that a mere naked Information, which You say to have receiv'd of a Sloop mounting fourteen Guns actually fitted out at S^t. Thomas, has not only alarm'd You, but also induced Your Excellency on the Strenght of this Information, to call upon me in the Name of the King, Your Master, not only to stor, and disarm the said Sloop fitted out from S^t. Thomas, but aiso to prevent any Vessel, piraticallv taken from the King vour Masters Subiects being brought into and sold within mv Government—

I must beg leave here upon to animadvert, that I am at a loss to find any Probability for your Excellency's believing such Informations; as I am confident that your Informer has no other Proof than hear Saying: and I am amazed that Your Excellency will on the Slight Strenght of Your Informers Tale, accuse me of Disobedience of my Kings Laws and Ordinances, which I unavoidably must have committed if your Assertion had only the Shadow of truth—

I declare upon Honor, that there never was fitted out any armed Sloop or Kind of Vessel at S^t. Thomas; and I will have forfeited my Life, if ever any Vessel has been carried to Buck-Island belonging to His Danish Majestv opposite to the Harbor of S^t. Croix, there landed and sold her Cargo.

I call therefore upon Your Excellency in the Name of truth and honesty, to oblige your Informer to prove his Informations: and in failure thereof, to punish him, according to his commmitted Crime of falsehood: by which the Informers of every Grad[e] will be deterred from reporting false Stories—

Let me further beg of Your Excellency to establish an honest Agent here and an other at S^t. Thomas in whom You can have Confidence: and You will then not be importuned with false Reports, nor I troubled with their Vexations, which grieve me, as my Point, in them many Years I as Governor have served my King and Country, has constantly been Obedience to my Master and his Allies,joint with the Welfare of that Government which I have been intrusted with: and which now seems to be doubted with You by Virtue of your Informations.—¹

I am with due Regard Your Excellency's [&c.]

S^te. Croix
Januarii 30^th. 1778