- Collection:
- Southeastern Native American Documents, 1730-1842
- Title:
- [Letter] 1840 Jan. 8, Washington City, [D.C. to] Jesse and Thomas Raper, Murphey [i.e., Murphy], Cherokee [County], N[orth] C[arolina] / W[illia]m 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 wt146.
- Date of Original:
- 1840-01-08
- Subject:
- Cherokee Indians--Claims
Cherokee Indians--Government relations
Cherokee Indians--Treaties
United States. Office of Indian Affairs
Ross, Lewis, d. 1869 - Location:
- United States, North Carolina, 35.50069, -80.00032
- Medium:
- business letters
- Type:
- Text
- Format:
- text/html
image/jpeg - Description:
- This letter is from William Holland Thomas to Jesse and Thomas Raper, dated January 8, 1840. Thomas describes the decisions of the War Department relative to Cherokee claims. He also discusses the activities of Principal Chief John Ross and his delegation in Washington, including the lukewarm reception that Ross has received. Notes at the end of the letter indicate that duplicates were sent to several other people. One of the duplicates includes a note concerning the attempt of white settlers to petition for the removal of the Indians remaining East.
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:
- wt146
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_wt146
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_wt146#item
- IIIF manifest:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_wt146/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:
- 3 pages/leaves
- Holding Institution:
- University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Special Collections
- Rights:
-
Page: [1]
Washington City
Jan. 8, 1840
To Jesse and Thomas Raper Murphey Cherokee NC
The Secretary has completed his action on the Commissioners report the decisions made by the Board of Commissioners on claims provided for by the treaty are final. with few exceptions all the claims allowed by them were provided for your claims were among those confirmed -- The claims for percapita [per capita] improvements, spoliations, property sold, are also confirmed. The preemption claims having been rejected by the Atto gen [Attorney general] in
1838 [unclear text: on exparta [ex parte] evidence ] . I have been trying to get it again refered [referred] to him for reconsideration. The removal & subsistence claims it is decided cherokees East are entitled to but it is believed they can not recve [cannot receive] it unless they remove within such time as the President may designate. that it can not [cannot] be placed on interest. but as the affixing the constuction [construction] to the treaty belongs to the Atto gen [Attorney general] . I am making arrangements to get his opinion thereon. by which I have no doubt the Department would be guided as there is a disposition manifested to do the Cherokees justice.
I Asked the Department to separate the claims of the Cherokee East from those west and to make the proper entries on the Books but that subject could not come up until the above was decided it is now under consideration presume it will be decided in a few days.
Page: [2]
I have reason to believe the decision will be as I have desired -- Ross and his Delegation have it is said procured the consent of a majority of the cherokees to have the treaty of
1835 amended and to make a new one containing a provision that the money due the cherokees shall be paid to the treasurer of the nation and have notified the Department that Lewis Ross is elected Treasurer to recve [receive] all monies due the cherokees East so far as their interest was concerned I should protest against any changes being made prejudicial to their interest. Ross and his Delegation as yet have not been recd [received] by the Department -- a few days since the Secretary of War addressed a letter to them informing them that until Ross disproved the charges against him of his having been concerned in the murder of the Ridges and Boudinott & of exerting the creeks and the seminoles to hostilities against the us no communication from him or having his name signed to it would receive the attention of the Department. and until then he would be regarded as a murderer and enemy of the US payment has been suspended by order of the Department under the treaty until the difficulties among the Cherokee are settled.
I will leave here for home as soon as your business is in a situation that I can leave.
yours & c [etcetera]
[Signed] Wm [William] H Thomas
Duplicate in substance to Preston Starritt & Jno [John] Timson Peach tree Duplicate to cherokees on valley river -- Jno [John] & E Welch Rossville added that their powers of atto [attorney] had been recd [received], and filed "I am informed some of the white citizens from some cause unknown to me have petitioned for your removal in consequence of this entertain no unkind feelings toward any of the signers of that petition. The only thing necessary is to demean yourselves as good citizens by being temperate
Page: [3]
none can [unclear text: long ] remain who will not conform to this rule in in [in] a white population - for you would if were permitted to remain -- soon sink into degradation and annihilation like the Catawbas and many other tribes. I therefore as your friend advise you to adhere closely to your temperance rules. Be peaceable with each other and your white neighbors. Honest in every thing [everything] and industrious to provide for your families. Bear this in mind and trust in god that great spirit who has as much regard for his red children as his white --
Yours &c [et cetera]
[Signed] WHT [William Holland Thomas],
Duplicate in substance
9th 1840 To Jno [John] & E Welch & Capt John McConnell & cherokees [unclear text: Val ], [illegible text] cherokees on v r. [valley river] & Dick ageeska and cherokees on cheoih. both directed to Rossville po [post office] NC, Duplicate in substance to chiefs of the Qualla Town Cherokees
Jan. 11, 1840, Duplicate in substance to Jas [James] Blythe Richard Downing & friends Fort Hembre NC.
January 13, 1840