Chs Town
Brunswick 16th February 1767.
I herewith transmit to you abstracts from the Journals of the last General Assembly of the Province held at Newbern, relative to the measures you represented to be necessary for satisfying the Cherokee Indians in running a western line between this colony and the Cherokee Indian hunting grounds; On my return to Brunswick the 23d of last month I found your letter of the 16th December left by Capt Gordon, this gave me the first intelligence of the cause of the Cherokees not meeting to run the said line agreeable to their appointment. The express you mention to have been sent by Mr Cameron never arrived to me. By the Earl of Shelburnes letter you inclosed I find the government at home seems greatly apprehensive of a rupture with the Indians and highly displeased at the encroachments that have been made by some of the colonies on the Indian lands. That all possible justice may be done the Indians on the western settlement of this province I myself purpose to accompany the commissioners appointed by Act of Assembly to run the said line. I must therefore desire you will fix the 16th of May next for some Indian chiefs to meet me at Salisbury from whence we will proceed to the westward to run the said line. I hope your affairs will permit you to pay the visit you have so repeatedly promised me at Brunswick and from thence accompany me on this service. Lest the Cherokee Chiefs may have any apprehensions in
passing thro' the settlements to Salisbury, I inclose you a pass for them under the great seal of the province; If this should not be satisfactory I will even meet them further to the westward. My reasons for fixing the 16th of May next for the rendevous are that it may not interfere with the Court of Claims to be held at Wilmington the middle of April, or the General Assembly prorogued to the first week in June next. The request you make me to give licences to Indian traders, and subject them to your regulations would be ineffectual without the sanction of a law to compel them to an obedience of such regulations, tho' I do not know of any Indian traders belonging to this province, yet if you will draw out a plan for the conduct and behaviour of Indian traders as you think will answer the ends proposed, I will most readily lay it before the next General Assembly for their concurrence and support.