- Collection:
- Southeastern Native American Documents, 1730-1842
- Title:
- [Letter] 1797 June 8, Knoxville, [Tennessee to the] warriors and cheifs [sic] of the Cherokee Nation / J[ohn] Sevier of an image
- Creator:
- Tennessee. Governor (1796-1801 : Sevier)
- Publisher:
- Manuscript held by the Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, TN, Governor Sevier, box 1, folder 3, document tl043.
- Date of Original:
- 1797-06-08
- Subject:
- United States--Politics and government--1783-1809
United States--Foreign relations--Great Britain
Great Britain--Foreign relations--United States
Cherokee Indians--Government relations - Location:
- United States, Tennessee, 35.75035, -86.25027
- Medium:
- letters (correspondence)
- Type:
- Text
- Format:
- text/html
image/jpeg - Description:
- This is a letter, dated June 8, 1797, from Tennessee Governor John Sevier (1796-1801, 1803-1809) to the warriors and chiefs of the Cherokee Nation. Sevier explains that there have been talks of a war between the United States and foreign powers. He says that these powers will make an attempt to get the Cherokee warriors to fight against the Americans, and he warns the chiefs not to let their young men and warriors listen to the talks but remain loyal to the Americans.
Digital image and encoded transcription of an original manuscript, scanned, transcribed and encoded by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville Libraries in 2001, as part of GALILEO, funded in part by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. - Local Identifier:
- gs043
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_gs043
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_gs043#item
- IIIF manifest:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_gs043/presentation/manifest.json
- Language:
- eng
- Bibliographic Citation (Cite As):
- Cite as: [title of item], Governor Sevier, Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, TN, presented in the Digital Library of Georgia
- Extent:
- 4 pages/leaves
- Holding Institution:
- Tennessee State Library and Archives
- Rights:
-
Page: [1]
Knoxville
8th day of June 1797
Brothers
I have no doubt [deleted text: but ] you have heard that some disputes is likely to take place, tho [though] I hope it will not be the case, between America [deleted text: Us ] and some of the Nations over and beyond the Great Waters. Should Such a war take place, I have reason to believe they will endeavor to cause the young Warriors of your Nation onst [once] more to lift the hatchet against your brothers the americans. I take this opportunity my brothers to Warn you in time, that you may Watch over your Young men, who is too apt to listen
Page: [2]
to talks of War, (I dont mean the young men of your Nation in particular) but [deleted text: of ] all other young men, as well as [deleted text: those of ] yours [deleted text: Nation ], is too ready to listen to talks of this kind, without considering the great injury it May do to the good people of their nation, And the many poor women & children that Always Suffers in consequence of such events.
Now my friends Should any people whatever come or Send [deleted text: in to ] [added text: into ] your Nation requesting or encouraging your people to make war, against any of your American brothers, dont you listen to [deleted text: them ] their talks, but on the contrary hold your brothers fast by the hand, who is the only people that can be your good friends, or [added text: your ] great enemies; we live Very [deleted text: Close ] near to each other and on the same land, And it is the wish of [added text: all ] the [added text: good ] Americans, to live in peace and friendship with [deleted text: all ] [added text: you & all ] their red brothers The people over the big water dont care much
Page: [3]
about us people of America, and was we to go to war [deleted text: Against each other ] and kill and destroy each other over so much, they would only laugh at us for it, and call us fools -- I hope you will listen well to my talks and think good of them in your hearts -- remember that I have always advised you to live in peace, with Your American brothers, and also all other people, and your own good Sense will none tell you, it would have been best for you to have lived in peace -- You remember last war you was told by people over the Great Water, that the Americans was like nothing that they would all be killed & drive away, but you have long seen [deleted text: such ] [added text: those ] stories was all false, you see the Americans is still here and as firm as the mountains therefore I hope you will listen to [added text: no ], more talks of such a kind
Your friend & brother
[Signed] J. [John] Sevier
Warriors & Chiefs of the Cherokee Nation
Page: [4]
Cherokees
8th June 179 [text omitted]
No. [Number] 5
Recorded