- Collection:
- Southeastern Native American Documents, 1730-1842
- Title:
- [Letter] 1839 Sept. 29, Washington City, [D.C. to] Geo[rge] W. Churchwell, Knoxville, Ten[nessee] / W[illiam] H. Thomas of an image
- Creator:
- Thomas, William Holland, 1805-1893
- Publisher:
- Manuscript held by the Special Collections Library, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, MS2058 William Holland Thomas, box 1, folder 1, document wt077.
- Date of Original:
- 1839-09-29
- Subject:
- Cherokee Indians--Claims
Cherokee Indians--Government relations
United States. Office of Indian Affairs - Location:
- United States, Tennessee, 35.75035, -86.25027
- Medium:
- business letters
- Type:
- Text
- Format:
- text/html
image/jpeg - Description:
- This is a letter from William Holland Thomas, dated September 29, 1839, to George W. Churchwell. Thomas tells Churchwell that he has filed 3000 claims on behalf of the Eastern Cherokees and most have been decided on favorably by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. He also mentions legal issues relative to powers of attorney and that requests have been made of the War Department by John Ross, Principal Chief of the Cherokees in the West, that may impact Eastern Cherokee claims.
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:
- wt077
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_wt077
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_wt077#item
- IIIF manifest:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_wt077/presentation/manifest.json
- Language:
- eng
- Bibliographic Citation (Cite As):
- Cite as: [title of item], MS2058 William Holland Thomas, Special Collections Library, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, presented in the Digital Library of Georgia
- Extent:
- 2 pages/leaves
- Holding Institution:
- University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Special Collections
- Rights:
-
Page: [1]
Washington City
Sept 29, 1839
Geo. W. Churchwell Esqr [Esquire], Knoxville Ten,
Dear sir,
Contrary to my expectations I have remained here until the present time. After I had finished making out Cherokee claims and filed them (about 3000) the Commissioner of Indian Affairs [unclear text: reported ] in favour [favor] of all except these due the commutations of removal and subsistence they in the aggregate amounted to $55.000.00, I afterwards attained permission to file additional evidence in support of the claims and the Commissioner promised to reconsider his opinion in relation thereto, If he again decides against it I will then take an appeal to the secretary of war who will probably refer it to the Atto [Attorney] general.
As related to our reservation cases the report thereon is not yet completed but I am informed by the Commissioner it will be finished next week, and will then be submitted to the secretary of War, until then but little will be known respecting it. I presume you need have no fears of any claims being rejected which had been allowed by the Board of Commissioners. My present opinion is that their decision will be regarded as final
I applied to the Commissioner for permission to file John F Gillaspie's arguments and yours in the cases for which they were intended. he granted the permission and they have been filed accordingly. I also filed a letter before the Department requesting that the claims of Lawyers ( [illegible text] presented) for services rendered the Cherokees in preparing and attending to their reservation claims might be considered and judgement awarded thereon [deleted text: accordingly ] agreeable to the evidence in relation thereto.
But the Commissioner is of opinion that the Department under the treaty has no right to adjudicate those claims, he informed me though at the same time that he presumed there would be no objections to making payment on powers of attorney properly authenticated. (Equitable fees) John Ross and company wrote on here last summer requesting that no further claims under the treaty be paid until they could make some arrangements among themselves and some of the reservees whose claims you and Gillaspie attended to have
Page: [2]
been writing to the Department respecting their claims. You will perceive the dangers I apprehend [unclear text: in ] subsequent powers of attornies [attorney] [unclear text: revoking ] those formerly given. I therefore thought it might be advisable for me to remain and apply for payment as soon as the decision of the secretary of War is obtained on the Commissioners report I will write you immediately afterwards, and let you know all the particulars.
I am of opinion there will be a chance of gaining a considerable number of rejected claims but I think it best not to set them up until these allowed are paid. Should you meet any person in Knoxville who thinks proper to inquire about me give my respects to them. (I mention the above for your own information only.)
yours & c. [et cetera]
[Signed] W. [William] H. Thomas