Memorial from the Civil and Military Officers of Mero District
Item
Type
Modern Printed Transcription of Letter/Document
Title
Memorial from the Civil and Military Officers of Mero District
Description
The civil and military officers of Mero District [North Carolina] formally request that President Washington intervene on behalf of the citizens of their district, some of whom have been the victims of Indian violence. The state of North Carolina has been derelict in its duty to protect its citizens from Indian depredations.
year created
1791
month created
08
day created
01
author
secondary recipient
in collection
in publication
content note
Territorial Papers, Vol. 4
notable person/group
William Blount
Officers of the ceded territory
Governor Blount
Indian tribes
Cherokees
Creeks
Chickasaws
civil and military officers of Mero District
President Washington
citizens
notable location
Mero district
State of North Carolina
notable item/thing
address and memorial of the Officers, Civil and Military of Mero District
our remote situation
completion of the union of all the States
salutary consequences
attachment and veneration
welfare of the citizens of America
late treaty
peace to the territory
inroads and depredations of a number of the Indian tribes
horses
murders
plantations
support of their families
perfect amity
perpetrators of those murders
more ample protection
Act of Cession
grateful applause of a free people
document number
1791080190000
transcription
The address and memorial of the Officers, Civil and Military of Mero District--
Our remote situation from the seat of your residence hath prevented us from stepping forth so early as many have, to congratulate your Excellency on the completion of the union of all the States, an event productive of many salutary consequences, even at this period and to declare the attachment and veneration we have for your charactor and many virtues.
We know to promote the welfare of the citizens of America in general is your strongest desire, an evidence of this we have in the appointment of those officers in the ceded territory made immediate by yourself, they meet with general approbation, Governor Blount we are conscious at the late treaty hath done every thing that a man can do to restore peace to the territory.
We are situated in a part of your territory which is more liable to inroads and depredations of a number of the Indian tribes than perhaps any other people. Since the last week of May when the Cherokees were invited to a treaty, and while the talks were actually holding, the Indians killed nine of our citizens and stole fifty or sixty head of horses and still continue their depredations, these murders for the most part have been committed on persons who were cultivating their plantations for the support of their families. The Cherokees at the treaty inform that this mischief was done by the Creeks although they acknowledged that some of their young men were with them, the Chickasaws also with whom we are in perfect amity tell us and we have every reason to believe the Creeks and Cherokees combined are perpertrators of those murders. We implore your interposition, fully hoping to meet with a more ample protection than we have heretofore received from the state of North Carolina the expectation of which was a powerful incentive inducing us to use our utmost influence to obtain the Act of Cession.
Our remote situation from the seat of your residence hath prevented us from stepping forth so early as many have, to congratulate your Excellency on the completion of the union of all the States, an event productive of many salutary consequences, even at this period and to declare the attachment and veneration we have for your charactor and many virtues.
We know to promote the welfare of the citizens of America in general is your strongest desire, an evidence of this we have in the appointment of those officers in the ceded territory made immediate by yourself, they meet with general approbation, Governor Blount we are conscious at the late treaty hath done every thing that a man can do to restore peace to the territory.
We are situated in a part of your territory which is more liable to inroads and depredations of a number of the Indian tribes than perhaps any other people. Since the last week of May when the Cherokees were invited to a treaty, and while the talks were actually holding, the Indians killed nine of our citizens and stole fifty or sixty head of horses and still continue their depredations, these murders for the most part have been committed on persons who were cultivating their plantations for the support of their families. The Cherokees at the treaty inform that this mischief was done by the Creeks although they acknowledged that some of their young men were with them, the Chickasaws also with whom we are in perfect amity tell us and we have every reason to believe the Creeks and Cherokees combined are perpertrators of those murders. We implore your interposition, fully hoping to meet with a more ample protection than we have heretofore received from the state of North Carolina the expectation of which was a powerful incentive inducing us to use our utmost influence to obtain the Act of Cession.
Item sets
Document instances
| In image | In source | Location in source | |
|---|---|---|---|
| [view document] (0 pages) | [no image] | Collection: Printed Versions | [unknown] |
| [view document] (0 pages) | [no image] | Publication: Territorial Papers, Vol. 4 | [unknown] |
Document names
| Type | Name | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | William Blount | [unknown] | [n/a] |
| Recipient | George Washington | [unknown] | [n/a] |