Typed letter

Murders Committed in a Time of Profound Peace

Sevier comments on murders committed by settlers and by Indians and emphasizes that there is blame on both sides.

1797

06

06

Knoxville

James McHenry

John Sevier

savages

Chiefs of the Cherokee Nation

Cherokee

Creeks

French

two hunters

negros

Knoxville, Tennesse

Kentucky

frontiers

Philadelphia

savage cruelty

peace

French and Indian War

murder

removal of the settlers

hunting

thefts

horses

captivity of a number white persons, negros and other property

I am not fond of forwarding complaints against the Cherokee nation on account of some murders and thefts committed by some lawless fellows of the tribe, conceiving that it would as difficult for the chiefs of that tribe to prevent those disorders in every instance, as it would be for the rulers in Philadelphia to restrain murders and robberies often committed within that and other neighboring cities.

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State of Tennessee, Knoxville 6th June 1797.
Sir:
A few days past I was favoured with your duplicate of the
20th of April, tho as yet the original is not come to hand.
The conduct of the executive of this state has uniformly
manifested his intention to preserve the peace of the frontiers
by all the means in his station, and the laws had put in his
power. The very great and essential advantages and benefits
accruing from such a situation of affairs, requires no great
share of sagacity to discover the propriety of such an arrangement
and measure; and should every other executive department he as
pacificly disposed, I should not entertain a doubt but peace and
tranquility would abound throughout the United States. I acknowledge
that the chiefs of the Cherokee nation have discovered an entire
disposition for peace for some time, not from any good-will
for the people of the United States, for it is well known they
never entertain any towards them, therefore from such a principle
their pacific conduct have not arisen. When I say they have not
any good will for the people, I speak from experimental knowledge
of forty years. When the French attacked Americs, when under
the Brittish government, the Indian tribes generally joined the
former, and America felt the weight of their savage ferocity;
again when America was invaded by the Brittish, they uniformly
turned round in opposition to the Americans and French. From
such a line of conduct, the information obtained from history,
I am not induced to believe they ever had, or will have any good
will towards us; and I have good reasons to believe their
pacific disposition proceeds from another source.
You are pleased to mention that accounts arrived that two
of the Cherokees have been cruelly murdered, and whether the
intention of the act was to disturb the peace, to create difficul-
ties to the removal of the settlers, or to obstruct the operation
of the Government on the frontiers, was not then necessary to be
examined.
If the same person who give you the information of the
murder being committed have given himself the trouble to have
stated to you that one of those Indians had actually been at the
murdering of a brother of one of the two men, who it is supposed
killed the Indians referred to, and also some of the same party
at the murder of the mother, two sisters and sister-in-law of the
other, you might probably have accounted for it and suggested the
reason. I say murdering of those white persons, because it was
perpetrated in the time of profound peace. This outrage committed
on the two Indians was by two hunters who were in the company with
them, hunting in a remote part of the state of Kentucky. And
when an account of its having been done was communicated to me
by the executive of that state that there was just reasons to believe
it was done by persons living in this; my orders was immediately
issued for apprehending and securing the persons suspected,
with directions to be safely conveyed to the state of Kentucky
to be tried by the laws they had offended and transgressed against.
The transgressors immediately fled and left the state, well knowing
they could find no shelter in it; and I am determined they shall
be dealt with as the laws direct, if they can be taken. If not,
I am resolved they shall not be suffered to reside in any part
of the state of Tennessee.
I am not fond of forwarding complaints against the
Cherokee nation, on account of some murders and thefts committed
by some lawless fellows of that tribe, conceiving it would be as
difficult for the chiefs to prevent those disorders in every
instance, as it would be for the rules in Philadelphia to restrain
murders and robberies often committed within that and other
neighboring cities. Having good reasons to believe few repre-
sentations go forward of the brutal and savage conduct of the
Indians, I beg leave to inform you, that several very cruel and
barbarous murders have been committed on several of the peaceable
citizens of this state by the Cherokees and Creeks, also a
great number of horses stolen by those nations in the course of
autumn and winter last, retaining in captivity a number of white
persons, negros and other property, in violation of the treaties
and solemn promises made to the contrary. It is an unpleasant
reflection to behold as it were our dearest and nearest relatives
in the hands of savages, sold and bartered from Indian to Indian,
and from nation to nation, in order to glut and satisfy the ambition
of savage cruelty; for to remedy these enumerated and aggrevated
grievances, I trust and confidently rely that decisive steps
will be taken. Justice and policy require it, and if neglected
will be a reproach to the government of the United States.
I am, etc.,
(Signed) John Sevier.
Honorable James McHenry, Secretary of War.