Letter Signed

Cruel Murder of Two Cherokees

McHenry assures Governor Sevier that he and the President cherish peace on the frontier and therefore insist that the intruders on Indian land be made to obey the law. The President will augment the military force on the frontier so as to prevent mutual encroachments by citizens and by Indians. The Governor is expected to take immediate steps to bring the murderers of two Cherokees to trial.

1797

04

20

War Office

Cited in Sevier to McHenry, 06/06/1797.

Cited document sent from the War Office

John Sevier

James McHenry

original offenders

intruders upon the Indian land

citizens of the State of Tennessee

Cherokee Nation

the President [Washington]

War Office

Tennessee

frontiers

mutual encroachments

general tranquility

accounts arrived that two of the Cherokees had been cruelly murdered

peace

removal of the settlers

operations of the government

attachment to order

preservation of peace

point of justice and policy

just reproach upon our people laws and government

Indian land

peaceable removal therefrom

dutiful obedience to the laws

permanency

necessity of removing

orders to augment the military force

peace of the frontiers

laws

observation to the President

profound tranquility

good will observed

I have the utmost confidence in your attachment to order and the preservation of peace and confidently rely upon your taking the most immediate and decisive steps to have the original offenders secured and brought to a fair and impartial trial

1797042000201

1

20th April 1979
Secretary of War
[stamp:]
PRESENTED BY
J. PIERPONT MORGAN.
FORD COLLECTION.
Duplicate
War Office 20 April 1797
Sir
I have been favoured with your letters of the 17 of January and the 24 of March Ultimo;,
As I could entertain no doubt of your sincere desire to preserve the peace of the frontiers, by all those means which your station and the laws have put in your pouwer I had made the observation to the P{resident previous to the arrival of your letters which I was happy to communicate to him this opinion, so natural and so proper, had been strengthened, besides, by the profound tranquillity which had reigned for some time past on the frontiers; by the good will observed every where in the Cherokee Nation to the people of the United States; and by the hopes I had conceived that the Intruders upon the Indian land had disposed their minds to a peaceable removal therefrom and dutiful obedience to the Laws.
Anxious to give permanency to such a state of things and to confirm the intruders in the necessity of removing, the President had given orders to augment the military force on the frontier and to make such dispositions of it as should in the most effectual manner protect the Citizens of the State of Tennessee, and guard against those mutual encroachments which could not fail to check its growth and interrupt the general tranquillity. -
This
5
This arrangement which appears to have been well known in Tennessee was about to be carried into execution, when accounts arrived that two of the Cherokees had been cruelly murdered by some of our Citizens. Whether the intention of this act was to disturb the peace, to create difficulties to the removal of the settlers, or to obstruct the operations of the Government on the frontiers is not necessary now to be examined. Be this as it may, I have the utmost confidence in your attachment to order and the preservation of peace, and confidently rely upon your taking the most immediate and decisive steps to have the original offenders secured and brought to a fair and impartial trial. This is absolutely necessary in point of Justice and Policy and cannot be neglected without bringing a just reproach upon our people, laws and Government.
With very great Respect
I have the honor to be
Sir
Your obedient Servant
James McHenry

His Excellency
Governor Sevier