- Collection:
- Southeastern Native American Documents, 1730-1842
- Title:
- [Letter] 1816 July 6, Cerokee [i.e., Cherokee] Agency [to] Major Gen[era]l Andrew Jackson / Return J. Meigs of an image
- Creator:
- Meigs, Return Jonathan, 1740-1823
- Publisher:
- Manuscript held by the The Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, TN, Tennessee Historical Society, box 2, folder 10, document tl016.
- Date of Original:
- 1816-07-06
- Subject:
- Cherokee Indians--Land tenure
Cherokee Indians--Government relations
Boundaries - Location:
- United States, Tennessee, 35.75035, -86.25027
- Medium:
- official reports
- Type:
- Text
- Format:
- text/html
image/jpeg - Description:
- This is a letter from Return J. Meigs, U.S. Agent to the Cherokees, to General Andrew Jackson, dated July 6, 1816. Meigs tells Jackson about a convention he attended with the Cherokees in order to establish the boundary line of their nation. He says that during the meeting the Secretary of War asked the delegation to cede more land, and when they claimed not to be authorized to do so, the Secretary ordered Meigs to work to encourage such a cession. The agent tells Jackson that he intends to do what he can to obtain more land from the Cherokees, and he puts forth arguments in favor of further cession that he intends to present to the Cherokee leaders.
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:
- ths016
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_ths016
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_ths016#item
- IIIF manifest:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_ths016/presentation/manifest.json
- Language:
- eng
- Bibliographic Citation (Cite As):
- Cite as: [title of item], Tennessee Historical Society, The 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]
Cerokee Agency
6th July 1816
Sir,
I was at the City when the Convention with the Cherokees was made settling their boundary line: The Secretary of War at that time made a proposition to the Cherokees then there as a deputation, to [deleted text: [illegible text] ] cede to the U States all their claims to lands lying west of a line to be run due South from that point on the Tennessee river which intersected by the Eastern boundary of Madison County to the line agreed upon by the said convention. The Cherokee Deputation did not Consider themselves authorised [authorized] to cede land. Before I came away the secretary told me that a treaty would be ordered to be held in order to obtain some cessions of land from the Cherokees & that I must make my best exertions to effect the Objects. I am now instructed
Page: [2]
to open negotiations with the Cherokees for the purpose afordd. [aforesaid] and shall omit nothing in my power to obtain the Cession of the lands mentioned also the the [the] cherokee lands lying on the North side of the Tennessee river. nothing but a cession of the lands first mentioned will put an end to the Chickesaw claim to the same lands, or most of them; that is one reason why they aught [ought] to sue. Another reason is they hold too much land, this only retards their improvement in civilization onother [another] reason is they are in Debt they want money to pay their debts & to make provisions for schools & other improvements -- The Cherokee chiefs particularly those who were in the Army all know & respect you; your opinion & advise [advice] would have more effect on them than that of any other man on the face of the earth and should it be in your
Page: [3]
way to express your sentiments to colo [colonel] Richard Brown & Colo [Colonel] J Lowry on the subject of one or of both these cessions you would lay me [unclear text: under ] verry [very] great obligations whch [which] if in my power I would make proper return in any way you should command me.
I have the honor to be with greatest respect Yr Obt [Your Obedient] Servant
[Signed] Return J. Meigs
Major Genl [General] Andrew Jackson
Page: [4]
Copy of R J Meigs letter To Genl [General] Jackson