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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from John Stuart to William Tryon
Stuart, John, 1718-1779
February 05, 1766
Volume 07, Pages 164-165

[B. P. R. O. America & West Indies. Vol. 269.]
Letter from John Stuart (Indian Agent) to Governor Tryon

Charles Town
5th Febry 1766.

Sir,

My having been long absent from this place in discharging the duties of my Office, as Superintendant of Indian Affairs, hindered me from doing myself the honor of writing your Excellency on your first arrival in your Government.

I now take this opportunity of paying my compliments of congratulation to your Excellcy, and I sincerely wish your Administration may be attended with all imaginable success and happiness.

My business in the two Floridas was to settle the affairs of my Department, and to assist the respective Governors, in making peace with, and ascertaining the boundary Lines between the surrounding Indian Tribes and their Provinces, which is considered as essential to the preservation of their tranquility.

I have the pleasure to acquaint you that our endeavours were crowned with success, having obtained several considerable cessions of Land, and in a great measure effaced the bad impressions left on the minds of the Savages by the insinuations of the French.

During my absence Governor Bull in attention to the complaints of the Cherokee Indians relative to Encroachments made on their

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Hunting Grounds by grants obtained from the two Carolinas, proposed fixing a boundary line, his proposal met with some difficulty on the part of the Indians, which however has been surmounted and the line is to be run accordingly.

I enclose your Excellency a copy of their Talk, on that occasion, in which they proposed, that a line be also run between your Province and their Hunting Grounds, pointing out the course of said Line, and where it is to commence.

I beg leave to offer it as my opinion, that the fixing a boundary Line is a measure necessary and essential to tbe preservation of peace with the Indian Nations, and which will have a good effect on the minds of all the Indian Tribes, as well as the Cherokees. I have this day sent away Alexander Cameron Esqre, my Deputy, who has in charge to see the line between the Cherokees and this Province run out, on which occasion he is to act jointly with a person employed and authorized by this Province.

I have also directed him to follow any directions your Excellency may think proper to send upon that occasion, and to act conjunctly with any person, who may be authorized or employed by you; and if my proposal meet with your approbation it may be proper to acquaint Mr Cameron with your determination, as soon as possible, that he with the Indians may be ready to go upon the service if required.

It will give me great pleasure to facilitate any measure for the good of your Province, and to show with what respect I have the honour of being,

Sir, &c