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 Washington City DC  
Dec. 9 1839  
Felix Axeley Rossville NC 
Your favor of the  
18th ultimo was not recived [received]  until yesterday In relation to your interest in the Hollands field land I can say but little respecting it at present. I have for a long time been wanting to purchase all the titles provided the aggregate cost thereof did not exceed the sum I considered the land worth to me and thereby put an end to the litigation which if I should make such a purchase it would be to avoid The price you state for your interest would seem to be reasonable and I would be willing to give it provided I could purchase the other titles on terms above stated I calculate on reaching home in the month I can then ascertain more and inform you further on the subject should any thing [anything]  prevent my doing so I shall inform you.   
It will be unnecessary to send on arguments in support of the cases refered [referred]  to. The Commissioner of Indian Affairs has completed his report and submitted it to the Secretary of War who now has it under Consideration and he informs me he will complete his actions thereon  
 
 
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 until then but little can be said respecting it I presume however that none need have no fears as to the claims which were allowed by the board of Commissioners and it may turn out that your lawyers who interested me with your business will have no reason to believe that I have neglected to attend to your rejected claims. you will recollect that the board of Commissioners refused to let the protests against their decisions be filed in those cases, since here I applied to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs for that privilege to be given me which he granted and he has minutely examined all papers in those cases which has been the cause of the long delay.   
As to the situation of the Cherokees remaining East I regret to hear bad feelings seem to exist with some of the whites respecting them. In my letters to the Indians I have advised them to be at peace with each other and their white neighbors and as yet I have not been informed of those unfortunate people having given any just cause of offense. If my advocating their rights has offended any of my friends [deleted text: I am ]  however much I might under any other circumstances regret it I have one consolation that I have faithfully discharged my duty to those people a [illegible text]  discharge of which is worth more to me than the unjust approbation of the world and I had much rather be blamed for doing my duty than neglecting it and when entrusted with defending the rights of white or red man I hope I shall always be found faithful to my trust and am worthy of the confidence reposed in me without regard to consequences. The Indians are as much entitled to their rights as I am to mine they were born in the state have been raised in it and by the Supreme  
 
 
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Court of the us were denied the rights of foreigners in a decision made on the case between georgia & the Cherokee Nation in  
1831 and with North Carolina passed a law for their protection which was giving the consent of the state for those people to remain in it   
  
yours & c [et cetera]    
[Signed]  WHT [William Holland Thomas]