Documenting the American South Logo
Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Richard Caswell to John Sitgreaves and Richard Dobbs Spaight
Caswell, Richard, 1729-1789
January 20, 1785
Volume 17, Page 427

GOV. CASWELL TO THE HONBL. THE DELEGATES IN CONGRESS.
[From Executive Letter Book.]


Guilford, January 20th, 1785.

Gentlemen:

I have not been favored with any dispatches from you since my leaving New Bern and transmitting you the repeal of Cession Act.

-------------------- page 428 --------------------
As this was one of the principal objects of the last Assembly, I am anxious to have information on the subject, tho' I make no doubt several of your Letters lie in the different Post Offices that contain a full detail of this business that have not reached me.

The most material occurrence since the rising of the Assembly is that, a Major Hubbard, of Greene County, has killed one Butler, a half breed Cherokee without provocation as 'tis said, which is likely to produce a flame and disturbance between that people and ours on this account, unless timely prevented. Orders are sent to apprehend Hubbard, with directions to keep him confined until Washington Superior Court where he is to stand his trial. In the meanwhile, I have sent a Talk to the Cherokees expressive of our friendship, discountenancing all such unlawful proceedings, and requiring that they forbear all acts of hostility---that an enquiry will be made into all their wrongs, at the treaty in April next, and a redress endeavoured to be made, tho' this is almost impossible as our people are daily offending them and trespassing on their lands. I am doubtful they will be influenced by the ill disposition of the Northern Indians, who have lately been tampering with them, to urge them for War. I have not heard how Congress succeeded in their treaties with the Northern Tribes.

Your last contained information that the Post on the Lakes were still held by the British and were intended to be retained for some time. Permit me to suggest that a remonstrance should be made to the Court of Britain requiring their reasons for this infraction of the treaty—should they not be satisfactory, an Army ought to be raised and these Posts attempted to be taken by force. A manifesto ought also to be published to the World explaining the reasons for so doing: However this business requires prudence, caution & address which I make no doubt will be made use of by the Honourable body, of which you are a member.

I am Gentlemen, &c,
GOV. CASWELL.

Note.—Washington, Greene, Davidson and Sullivan counties mentioned in this volume are the counties of that name in what is now Tennessee. The city of Nashville is the county seat of Davidson Co. W. C.