- Collection:
- Southeastern Native American Documents, 1730-1842
- Title:
- Letter, 1851 Apr. 28, Washington City [to] Thomas Corwin, Sec[retary] of the Treasury / W[illia]m H. Thomas
- Creator:
- Thomas, William Holland, 1805-1893
- Date of Original:
- 1851-04-28
- Subject:
- Cherokee Indians--Claims
Green, Duff, 1791-1875
Green, Benjamin E. (Benjamin Edwards), 1822-1907 - Location:
- United States, North Carolina, 35.50069, -80.00032
- Medium:
- letters (correspondence)
- Type:
- Text
- Format:
- text/html
image/jpeg - Description:
- Letter dated April 28, 1851 from William H. Thomas to Thomas Corwin, Secretary of the U.S. Treasury, regarding Thomas's position as the lawyer for the North Carolina Cherokees in which capacity he pursued their claims from 1836 to 1846. The letter details the involvement of Duff Green and his son, Ben E. Green, in the prosecution of the Eastern Cherokees' claims before Congress and the subsequent payment allotted and received by the Greens and Thomas for their services.
Digital image of original manuscript, scanned by the University of Georgia Libraries in 2000, as part of GALILEO, funded in part by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. - Local Identifier:
- wtp052
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_wtp052
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_wtp052#item
- IIIF manifest:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_wtp052/presentation/manifest.json
- Language:
- eng
- Bibliographic Citation (Cite As):
- Cite as: [title of item], William H. Thomas Papers, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries, presented in the Digital Library of Georgia
- Extent:
- 3 pages/leaves
- Original Collection:
- Manuscript held by the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries, William H. Thomas Papers, box 01, folder 12, document 03.
- Holding Institution:
- Hargrett Library
- Rights:
-
Page: [1]
[added text (appears to be different ink and hand): Ex 3 ]
Washington City
April 28, 1851
Hon. Thomas Corwin
Sec. [Secretary] of the Treasury,
Sir:
As the powers of attorney which have been filed and the Certificate of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs which has been submitted prove that I was employed by the North Carolina Cherokees, in the year of
1836, to prosecute their claims for removal and Subsistence. That the prosecution was continued from that period to
1846, finding that I would be compelled to make an appeal to Congress I [unclear text: visited ] Raleigh NoC [North Carolina] and procured the passage of a Resolution requesting the delegation in Congress to use their influence in favor of the settlement of these claims, I subsequently employed Genl [General] Duff Green and son B. E. Green to aid me in the prosecution of the claims before Congress. On the first application Congress provided for these claims by the Act of
July 29, 1848. After the passage of that Act it was ascertained that [unclear text: now powers ] would have to be taken before any payments would be made I returned to North Carolina and procured powers from
Page: [2]
a majority of the Cherokees authorizing me to draw the money due for fees but also moneys due to me for monies due to me from said Indians. In most cases, it was provided in the powers of attorney that General Duff Green [deleted text: and ] his Son and myself should be paid ten percent not only upon the interest to be paid but also upon the 53.33, set apart in the treasury for each Cherokee, which is about equal to 18 percent upon the interest separately. Out of the first money [unclear text: received ] I advanced to the said Green $ 2,000 and took their receipt in which it was agreed if their fees did not amount to that sum the balance was to be refunded to me. I have since let them have other sums of money which I presume amount to about $ 500. And if the fees be paid upon the total sum yet due upon an equal division allowing them one half of the commissions these will yet be a portion of the fees due to them which I am anxious shall be paid. But the draft issued in my favor and upon powers of attorney and in which no person is interested with [unclear text: me ] the fees due there on to the Greens already having been advanced. A portion of the money was due to me as creditor of the Indians and the 9th article of the Cherokee treaty of
1835 provided should be paid.
Your obt Servt [obedient Servant]
[Signed] Wm [William] H. Thomas
Page: [3]
Letter to Secretary of the Treasury In relation to fees d [added text: et ] ained by Greens