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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Alexander Martin to John Sevier
Martin, Alexander, 1740-1807
December 1784
Volume 17, Pages 109-110

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GOV. MARTIN TO BRIGADIER GENERAL SEVIER.
[From Executive Letter Book.]

Danbury, December, 1784.

Sir:

By Major Outlaw I sent your Brigadier's Commission, which I expect you have received, and which I hope will be acceptable to you; as also some proclamations agreeably to a request of the Legislature to have all intruders removed off the Indian Lands. I request your attention to this business, as I have received a talk from the Cherokee Nation greatly complaining of tresspasses daily committing against them, and that their your men are afraid to hunt, as our people are continually ranging their woods, and marking their trees. The Northern Indians are ripe for mischief by the last information from Congress, and are expected to be very troublesome in the Spring, they having lately sent talks to the Cherokees and the Southern Indians on this subject, requesting their alliance, which they have as yet refused, no doubt through fear, but receiving these daily injuries they may be at last provoked to be a very dangerous enemy, when at a small trouble & expense they may be made a peaceable and friendly neighbour.

The British holding the post on the Lakes and other frontiers of the United States, and not surrendering them on the demands of Congress lately made agreeably to the Treaty, shows though they have made Peace, they are not reconciled, and are seeking no doubt some favourable advantage when they again may let loose their vengeance by first embroiling the savages against us, and also the Spaniards, and thus attempt to repeat the blow which heretofore has been so gloriously warded off.

I need not mention these things to you but only for information. The importance of keeping peace with the Indians you are sufficiently impressed with, and the powers with which you are armed are sufficient to check the licentious & disobedient, and remove every impediment, out of the way which may give the Indians uneasiness. You will therefore pursue my instructions on this subject last winter, now enforced by a Resolution of the Legislature.

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I am informed a daring murder has been committed on one Butler, a Cherokee Indian, by Major Hubbard, of Greene County, without any provocation. I have given directions for his being apprehended and conveyed to Burke Gaol for security, until the setting of Washington Superior Court, when he will be remanded back: Col. Gist of Greene County is entrusted with this service. I have directed him to call on you for guards, if the same be necessary for the Sheriff or other officers immediately concerned in this business. I beg you to lend every assistance in this service, of the most important kind, that such inhumanity & Barbarity be punished not only to give satisfaction to a people injured, but to support Government in your part of the State where it has for some time been dormant.

You will please to write to me the first opportunity on this subject. I propose to hold a treaty with the Indians about the 25th of April at the Great Island. Governor Caswell and Col. Blount will be Commissioners to assist at the treaty where I shall expect you to attend with such Guard as will be thought necessary, and of which you will hereafter have advice.

I am Sir, yours, &c.,
ALEX. MARTIN.