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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Talk by Old Corn Tassel to Richard Caswell
Corn Tassel, Cherokee chief
April 10, 1786
Volume 18, Pages 595-596

A TALK DELIVERED BY THE OLD CORN TASSEL TO JOSEPH MARTIN FOR THE GOVERNOR OF NORTH CAROLINA.
[From Executive Letter Book.]

Chotay, 10th April, 1786.

Brother:

I am now going to speak to you. We are many miles apart but my words will come safe to your ears. I have promised to let you hear everything I know that concerns you and your people; I remember it and will do it. Some of my young men have lately come from the Western Tribes of Indians and they tell me they are preparing for War and they will most certainly strike on your Frontiers this Spring and Summer. The Creeks are now preparing to strike at the same time, and have been trying to get our young men to join them but we will not agree to it. Tho' some of our young men are out at this time to take Satisfaction for some of their friends that were killed near one of their Towns by some of your rude young Men, who after talking friendly together some time took advantage of them when they thought no harm, and killed four without any offence. We tried to stop their friends from taking Satisfaction and apply to some of the White warriors for Justice but they said it was not worth while for the white people would only laugh at them and make warriors of them that did it as they did of the man they killed, Butler. We are told that the man that killed Butler made you believe that Butler shot at him first but we know good that he is a liar, for Butler nor the young man that was with

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him neither, had a gun and the white people know it, too. He only killed him for his Horses which he has now and will not deliver them to Butler's friends & Relations. He also took him up after his Friends had buried him and stripped him a second time. We therefore hope you will make him give up the Horses if you will do no more. We are very sorry that your people are suffered to Come in our Country making disputes; we want to live in peace with our friends, the White people, and we will never Quarrel with them if we can help it. We therefore hope that you, our elder Brother, will take pity on us and do us Justice and keep your people from us, only such as you point out to trade with us, which we shall take great care of. We are very afraid that we shall be blamed if the men who have gone out do any Mischief but we cannot help it, we did everything we could to stop them. We have been waiting a long time to see the people moved off our lands on the South side of French Broad river, but they still come nearer. We are told they are to be moved this Spring, we shall be very glad to see it.

I am and ever would wish to be,
Your Friend & Brother,
OLD CORN TASSEL.