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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Richard Caswell to James White
Caswell, Richard, 1729-1789
July 09, 1786
Volume 18, Page 677

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GOV. CASWELL TO HON. JAMES WHITE.
[From Executive Letter Book.]

North Carolina, July 9th, 1786.

Sir:

I have the honor to receive your letter of the 8th of June some two days past. I am really sorry the Indian Treaties had been received and entered on the Journals of Congress previous to your arrival at Congress, and not a little surprised at the mode of ratification in those cases being so different from that observed with other Sovereign Powers, as the Commissioners under the authority of Congress were pleased to treat with the Indians & under that Character I did suppose the same Formalities & essentials would have been adopted in the Ratification, but I find in that I have been as much mistaken as I was in respect to the right the Commissioners assumed of Ceding the Soil belonging to the State to the Indians. I will not at present attempt advising what may be necessary to be done on this head. Col. Blount is arrived but I have not seen him. I wish to converse with him on the business.

I sincerely wish it was in my power to give you assurances of the payment of the balance of your Salary at New York, but that appearing to me impracticable, I have forwarded to Col. William Blount a warrant in your favor for £256, which I hope will be received in time to be of some use to you.

I have the honor to be,
With sentiments of great respect
And esteem Sir,
Your mo. ob. Servt.,
R. CASWELL.