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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Richard Caswell to Charles Thomson
Caswell, Richard, 1729-1789
July 20, 1785
Volume 17, Pages 484-485

GOV. CASWELL TO HON. CHAS. THOMSON, SECRETARY OF CONGRESS.
[From Executive Letter Book.]

North Carolina, Kinston,
20th July, 1784.

Sir:

I had the honor to receive your Letter of the 28th May last, the 10th current inclosing sundry Acts of Congress. 1st. 23d April, 1784, for laying out, into distinct States the Western Territory ceded to the Union by Individual States and purchased of the Indians, &c. 2nd. Ascertaining the mode of disposing of Land in the Western Territory so ceded & purchased. 3d. A recommendation to this State to repeal the Act of the 20th November last and to compleat

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the Cession of the Western Territory, as made by the Act of the 2d June, 1784. 4th. For the regulation of the office of Secretary of Congress passed 31st March, 1785.

The latter regulation having made it the duty of the Secretary to transmit to the States the Acts of Congress and to correspond with the States for the purpose of receiving communication from them. I shall with pleasure receive from you such papers and information as you shall from time to time think proper to transmit to me, and will in future communicate to you, the receipt of the same, as they come to hand, and every other matter that I think it will be necessary for Congress or you to know respecting the public transactions in this State, whilst I am in the Executive, which I entered upon in May last, since which I have received as follows:

1st. Your Letter of 18th March enclosing a resolution of Congress respecting unliquidated claims against the United States.

2d. Letter of the 24th March, enclosing an Act passed 15th March, for negotiating a peace with the Southern Indians and appointing Commissioners for that purpose.

3d. Letter of the 15th April enclosing an Act passed the 13th April impowering the States which shall have settled with their respective Lines on the principles of the Act of the 1st June, 1784, to charge the United States—also the Act alluded to of 1st June.

I have also received the Act of the 27th May for appointing Surveyors.

All these Acts shall be properly attended to, and such of them as may be deemed proper for the Consideration of the General Assembly shall be laid before that Body.

I have the honor to be with great respect & Esteem Sir,
Your most obedient & very humble Servant,
R. CASWELL.