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Mobile
22 Decr [December] 1828

Dear Sir
You must Know that I never had but one Sentiment for you that was friendship -- I have seen the publications in the newspapers [unclear text: respecting ] the Creek Treaty in which I have no interest or concern; but my good [unclear text: friend ] hope you will pardon me for stating to you something which I know of the [unclear text: real ] character & conduct of a Mr John Crowell (Indian Agent) who has so conspicuously took part with the indians against the State of Georgia and your Excellency -- If you recollect in
1818 I saw you at Washington City where I went partly on my own business and was employed by several others as agent to to [to] their business among others I was employed by John h [unclear text: McGrew ] Esqr. [Esquire] to get a law passed to confirm several claims founded on [unclear text: Spanish ] orders of Secrecy for [unclear text: lands ] on the East [unclear text: Side ] of [unclear text: Tombigbee ] River granted to our to [unclear text: Our ] to [unclear text: & one ] name not now remembered [unclear text: McGrew ] paid me 300$ & was to give me 1000 Dollars more as a contingent fee to get the claims confirmed -- John Johnston also paid [unclear text: me ] [document is torn] fee and was to pay me a contingent [document is torn] to get his title confirmed


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by Congress There [Their] claims had been rejected by the Commissioners for no other reason but because they did not think they had any jurisdiction of [unclear text: Claims ] on the east Side of this River; Congress had in several other cases, & I believe all other [illegible text] cases confirmed there claims [unclear text: Secrets passed ] you confirming claims of Geo [George] Brewer & others to lands on the east Side of said River -- The Committee without hesitation reported a bill to confirm these claims of Johnston Chancy, [illegible text] &.c. [et cetera] but their bill was not taken [unclear text: up ] for want of him The nex [next] Session of Congress this worthy delegate got a new bill reported leaving out Johnstons claim (where by refering [referring] to the [unclear text: papers ] now [unclear text: I presume ] on file that the proof was much more ample as to habitation & Cultivation of Johnstons claim than the others). I acknowledge I was astonished at the claim of Johnston being omited [omitted] in a new bill; until I assertained [ascertained] to the satisfaction of my mind that he had received a Sum of money from [unclear text: McGrew ] -- I then was convinced he only [unclear text: lacked ] a bribe from Johnston for to get his claim confirmed any man who will Ex [document is torn] mine the proof & papers exhibited to [document is torn: Con ] gress in all the


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cases will see it was not for lack of proof that Johnsons case was omited [omitted] in the new bill but I am satisfyed [satisfied] it was for want of a bribe -- again Sir this same deligate [delegate] with a full & personal knowledge that a gang of pirates was in custody of the marshal which I took into custody myself and could not be tryed [tried] until a District Court was established and that more than one hundred negroes had been seized & were waiting for establishment of a [unclear text: Dist [District] ] Court to be tryed [tried] he made no effort to get a [unclear text: Dist [District] ] Court organised [organized] in the early part of the Session of
1820 but a bill was reported and delayed in its passage until the day [deleted text: of ] appointed to hold the first Court had passed before the president Signed the law which made it
Apl [April] 1821 in steed [instead] of
Apr [April ] 1820 that the first Court Could be held -- now I ask if [unclear text: Mr Crowell ] the only representative could not by reasonable efforts [unclear text: have got ] a law establishing the Dist [District] Court passed at the [unclear text: Commencement ] of the Congress had he wished as he was urged by the marshal to [unclear text: do ] to by these cut [unclear text: throat pirates ] the [unclear text: keeping ] of which cost the Government over 10,000 Dollars or will appear by accounts allowed and [unclear text: heard ] at the National Treasury -- now I


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[unclear text: alway ] have suspected [deleted text: Mr. ] Crowell did contrive this error by intrijue [intrigue] and on purpose to prevent [unclear text: any ] Dist [District] Court being held -- he also made every effort to get [unclear text: Files ] appointed marshal and to leave out [unclear text: Hanes then ] marshal for whom I acted as Deputy in which he succeeded much to my injury -- but for which I was in a fair way to recover my misfortunes I presume he exhausted every act of Villanry [Villainy] and intrigue as I am told the president was highly satisfyed [satisfied] with the old marshal and was averse to appoint a new one -- now is it sufferable for this [unclear text: bad ] intrijuer [intriguer] & Corrupt Villain to be charging others with intrijue [intrigue] & Villainy -- but [unclear text: Sir ] I find it is a melancholy truth that just such men as Crowell, old [illegible text] and Gilmore who killed himself to save himself from the hands of the public Executioner is the very men chosen to fill the offices of the Genl [General] Government -- I belong to no political party I have taken the liberty to state the facts to you from a long and unchanged personal friendship for you --

I remain your friend & H Sr [Humble Servant]

[Signed] [unclear text: E Lewis ]





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[ Note: A postmark stamp appears to the left of the written address; Mobile
Dec 27 ]
His Excell [edge of document ]
George [edge of document]
Milled [edge of document ]