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Treasury Department, 
Jan. 18, 1854 
James W. Terrell, 
Quallatown, N.C. 
Sir: 
Your Bond, as the agent of this Department for paying the Cherokee Indians remaining in North Carolina, the annuities due them, under the act of Congress of  
29 July, 1848, has been duly received & is approved.  
I now transmit to you a statement prepared by the 2d [2nd]  Auditor of the Treasury, showing the amounts due to said Indians enrolled under said act, from  
29 July 1851, the time of the last payment, to the  
29 July, 1853 (provided the said Indians were alive on the latter day) amounting in the aggregate to the sum of $6082.56. But as a number of said Indians must have deceased since the  
29 of July 1851, and a few have been paid at this Department since the statement was prepared, I conclude that $5500 will be sufficient to meet the existing demands, and have instructed the Treasurer to remit to you that amount.  
This amount will be checked to you on the Books of Treasury, and when the proper disbursements are made, which 
 
 
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you are requested to make as diligently as may be, you will forward your accounts, including the statement now sent to the 1st Auditor of the Treasury for the settlement thereof.  
You will observe that this statement comprehends only those Indians entitled to the annuity, who were alive on the  
29th July 1851.  
It has been decided that the annuity in every case, ceases with the decease of the Indian, and that the proper representation of such Indian, can receive only the annuity due up to the time of his death. In all such cases therefore you will make the compensation at the rate of $6.39 per [unclear text: ann ]  from the  
29th July 1851, to the day of the death of the Indian, & pay the representatives, the amount due according to such computation instead of the amount assumed to be due in the statement.  
In all such cases of death, you will take the affidavit of competent person of the date of such death, and of the proper representatives of such Indian and will endorse the evidence with 
 
 
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the no. of such Indian, as set forth in the statement, and transmit the same with your accounts.  
you will take a receipt from each Indian or his representative (as the case may be) in the proper columns opposite his name and number. The names of the witnesses to the payment, and to the signature of the Indian, must be signed on the same line in the right column. For better information & description, you will ascertain from such Indian at the time of payment, his age, & insert it in the statement next to his name.  
No part of the money directed to be sent is intended for your compensation, which agreeably to my letter of  
October 25 last must be delayed till an appropriation is made in conformity with the estimate which has been submitted to Congress for that purpose  
 
I am, very respectfully, 
[Signed] James Guthrie, Sec'y [Secretary]  of the Treas'y [Treasury]  
 
 
 
 
 
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W H Thomas 
 
11 [unclear text: Nov ]  185 [unclear text: 7 ]  
North Carolina Cherokees 
[unclear text: recd [received]  ]   
25 Nov 57  
 
returned to Wm Thomas a printed argument addressed to [unclear text: Com ]  of Indian affairs  
Decr [December]  2/57