4406. LANDS (Indian), Intrusions on.
—Knowing your disposition to have these
people[the Cherokee Indians] protected in the
possession of their unpurchased lands, I take
the liberty of mentioning to you that the old
Tassel, in a late message to me, complains
of intrusions on their lands, and particularly
of some attempts to take from them the great
island. This, by the late extension of our
[Virginia] boundary, falling, as I understand,
within your State[North Carolina], removes
the application for protection to your Excellency,
whose power alone can extend to the
removal of intrusions from thence. As to so
much of their lands as lie within our latitudes,
as well as the lands of other Indians generally,
our Assembly, now sitting, has in contemplation
authorized the Executive to send patrols
of the military through them from time to time
to destroy the habitations which shall be erected
in them by intruders.—
To the Governor of North Carolina.
Ford ed., ii, 275.
(Wg.
1779)
