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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Alexander Martin to Hugh Williamson and William Blount
Martin, Alexander, 1740-1807
November 02, 1782
Volume 16, Pages 449-451

GOV. ALEX. MARTIN TO N. C. DELEGATES IN CONGRESS.
[From Executive Letter Book.]

New Bern, Nov. 2d, 1782.

Gentlemen:

Your Letters up to the 12th of September including six numbers, I have had the honor to receive, and am sorry of the uncertainty

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of the consequence I have not had it in my power to make you a regular return. Your address to the French Minister in behalf of the State do you honor, as also yours explaining the late measures and transactions of the General Assembly in support of the Continental Union.

Perhaps your signatures had given more weight to that information rather than the same coming from the Printer. I have presented Genl. Sumner with the determination of the War Office, except the arrangement of the Line in 1777, ratified by General Washington which I believe the Officers will still contend for. Lieutenant Colonel Dixon one of the parties concerned is dead, and universally regretted; but the dispute survives and devolves on Major Murfree, who stands next in promotion.

The 20th Ultimo near 1,000 Militia marched in two divisions, under the command of Brigadier General McDowell and Colonel Sevier, from Morgan District against the Chickammogy and other hostile Towns of the Cherokees. This expedition was absolutely necessary, and was, by the advice of the Council of State, ordered out, (the Assembly having at their late Session recommended to the Executive to exercise their power in this business at discretion). They are to form a junction with Col. Pickens in their settlements, and after having destroyed the unfriendly towns to offer terms of Peace. The expence of this expedition, as you justly observe, hath equal claim to Continental Credit as others of a similar nature.

As I have been under the necessity to draw warrants on the surplus money, arising from the sales of Cornel’s Lot and Oldham’s Negroes, to enable the Judges and Attorney General to proceed on the duties of their offices, as also to support myself and Private Secretary, I am sorry I cannot advance you more than £2,560, which is £640 each, to be divided among four and sixty pounds over the £2,500. You will, from this distribution, receive eight month’s pay, to enable you to remain six months at Congress, one month to be on your way thither and another to return. Your last warrants for £240 each are both drawn and money received by your respective Agents. You find by this that no more than two Delegates can remain at a time at Philadelphia, otherwise our stock will be expended before the expiration of the year. This matter you will

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please to settle among yourselves. Only six hundred of our eighteen month’s draughts have marched to General Greene, owing to the great Supineness of Militia Officers.

Please to inform Mr. Morris two Boxes of his Notes are in my possession and remain untouched, of which I early informed him, but shall again write him on that subject.

Inclosed you have two Letters from the Viscount Damas Governor General of Martinique addressed to the Minister of France and Count de Rochambeau, which you will please to have delivered with the utmost dispatch.

I have the honor, &c.,
ALEX. MARTIN.