I. Whereas the County of New Hanover has now become so very extensive, that many of the Inhabitants thereof live very remote from the Place where the Court of the said County is held, whereby a great many Difficulties and Hardships arise to the upper Inhabitants thereof, not only in attending their Ordinary Business in the said Court, but also by being compelled to serve as Jurymen, and often Times as Evidences, at the said Court; For Remedy Whereof,

II. We pray that it may be Enacted, And be it Enacted by his Excellency Gabriel Johnston, Esq., Governor, by and with the Advice and Consent of his Majesty's Council, and General Assembly of this Province, and by the Authority of the same, That New Hanover County be divided by a Line, beginning at the Mouth of Rockfish Creek, on the North East River of Cape Fear, running East to Onslow County, and Westward, by a Straight Line from the Mouth of the said Creek, to the Upper Forks of Black River, where Cohecry and the Six Runs meet, thence up Cohecry to the Head thereof; and that the Upper part of the said County be erected into a County, by the name of Duplin County, and St. Gabriel Parish: And that the said County and Parish shall enjoy all the Privileges and Advantages that any other County and Parish in this Province now holds or enjoys.

III.And be it further Enacted, by the Authority aforesaid, That the Courts of the said County shall be held on the Second Tuesdays in January, April, July, and October.

IV. And be it further Enacted, That the Justices of the aid County, or the Majority of them, shall hold their first Court at the House of William McRee, at Goshen, and then and there nominate and appoint a certain Place for building a Court House, Prison, and Stocks, at the most proper Place in the said County; and shall further divide the said County into Districts and appoint Commissioners of the Roads for the same; and shall also make such Orders and Rules for erecting the said Buildings, and running the dividing Line aforesaid, at the proper and equal Expence of the Inhabitants of the same, by a Poll Tax, not exceeding One Shilling Proclamation Money, per year, for the Three Years, and no longer.

V. And be it further Enacted, That Mr. John Sampson, and Capt. Henry Hyrne, be, and are hereby appointed and authorized Commissioners; and are hereby impowered and directed to run the said Dividing Line between the Counties of New Hanover and Duplin.

VI. And be it further Enacted, by the Authority aforesaid, That William McRee, Jun., be, and is hereby appointed Sheriff of the said County, until the Time by Law prescribed for appointing Sheriffs for the several Counties in this Province, and shall be vested with all the Powers and Authorities any other Sheriff or Sheriffs in this Province is and are vested with. And to the End that no Action begun in New Hanover County, be defeated by the Division aforesaid.

VII. Be it Enacted, by the Authority aforesaid That where any Action is already commenced in the said Court of New Hanover County, and that the Parties or Evidences shall be Inhabitants of the County of Duplin, all subsequent Process against such Parties or Evidences, shall be directed to be executed by the Sheriff of New Hanover County: Any Law, Usage, or Custom, to the contrary, notwithstanding.

VIII. And be it further Enacted, by the Authority aforesaid, That Mr. John Sampson, Mr. William McRee, Mr. George Meares, Mr. Francis Brice, Mr. William Houston, Mr. Joseph Williams, Mr. John Herring, Mr. Anthony Cox, Mr. Mark Phillips, Mr. John Turner, Mr. Thomas Suggs, and Mr. Charles Gavin, be, and are hereby appointed Vestrymen of St. Gabriel Parish aforesaid, until the General Election of Vestrymen, according to law; and that the said Vestrymen shall be summoned by the Sheriff of the said County of Duplin, to meet at the Place appointed by this Act where the Court is to be held, and qualify themselves as a Vestry, and proceed to Parish Business.

IX. And be it further Enacted, That all Public, County, and Parish Levies now due from any of the said Inhabitants of the said County of Duplin, shall be collected by the Sheriff of New Hanover County, and accounted for in the same Manner as if this Act had not been made.

X. And be it further Enacted, by the Authority aforesaid, That the said County of Duplin be, and is hereby obliged to send Jurors to the Courts of Assize, Oyer, and Terminer, and General Gaol Delivery, to be held at Wilmington, in like Manner as the Counties of Bladen and Onslow.

Signed by,

GABRIEL JOHNSTON, ESQ., Governor.
NATHANIEL RICE, President.
SAMUEL SWANN, Speaker.