Early Governors' Papers

Murfreesboro 20 Jany 1819

Dear Judge

The Death of Judge Roane of which you will have heard ere This reaches you, has made it my duty to appoint his Successor, Tis therefore with comment or apology that I tender the appointment to you, con =fidently expecting from your Patriotism on a former occation [sic] that it will suit your convenience to accept

on This occation [sic] I feel much embarrassed when I come to reflect upon The difficulty I had to encounter previous to your acceptance of the former Pro Tem appointment, but sir I must solicit your friend =ship in the selection & will not tender the appoint =ment untill I hear from you, who must be a much better Judge of the requisite qualifications and willingness to accept The appointment, Than I can possibly be.

Should you be engaged in your circuit when This reaches you, which I earnestly hope will not be the case, you will make such dis =position of your time as you may think proper for my self I should always esteem it as an act of Justice done to your own character & the interest of the state to leave the business of the Courts in your circuit in such condition as to the parties litigant that the way to Justice and dispatched will be as little im =peded as possible. We are now endeavoring

(A Copy)

Murfreesboro: 5^th April 1819.

Gentlemen,

I was duly honored with the receipt of your letter, touching your appointment from the President of the United States authorizing you with Col: Cannon to hold a treaty with the Chickasaw Na= tion of Indians, for the purpose of obtaining a [assign?] of their claim to a salt spring referred to in the [4^th?] article of the late treaty held by Jackson & Shelby with said tribe of Indians

I acknowledge that the Legislature of the United States have acted very generously in trans= =ferring their right in this Spring, to the State of Tennessee, and I also admit the Justice of charging this State with the necessary expenditures: But I have to regret being compelled to assure you that there are no funds at my disposal by which to enable you to effect this very desirable object.

It is therefore obvious that no pubic re= =sources can be placed at your command until the

Jos. M.^cMinn to Major Brown Commissioner to examine Surveyors officers &c

Executive office Murfreesboro 6^th Ap^r 1819

Sir

Your letter of acceptance of the office of commissioner under the act entited an act &c has been duly received and in pursuance thereof your commission is herewith forwarded.

The law under which you derive your autho =rity, having been drawn very much in detail, and the objects of the Legislature so distinctly exhibited as to render anything in the form of instructions almost unneces =sary, except as to the following Points.

Altho the Commissioners books are not named in the Law, they are nevertheless deposited in The Registers office, by legal authority, & consequently form a part thereof, which will place them entirely under your Controul [sic] in relation to an examination and report thereon, the object of which will be to ascertain the gross amount of acres ^in warrants which have issued between the or =ganization & termination of the Law under which the different board, of commissioners have acted.

I recommend a carefull [sic] examination of the Books Kept by The Registers for recording warrants &

Murfreesboro 18^th Oct^r 1820

Sir

Your letter of the 30^th August last, did not reach my hand unti 14^th inst, owing in part to my being Absent, from the seat of Government for the space of 4 weeks past,

I am greatly obliged by your at =tention to my request, relative to the de =scription of Colo Johnson sword; but Sir your price so far exceeds any sum which has been spoken of here, that, I am in =duced almost to negative the proposition for sir the price of one sword say $1200 is at least double equal to what has been thought by men of some information, would be the cost of both-

But as I am willing to admit that Colo Johnsons ^sword agreeable to your description, must be one of first rate, I will propose giving you eighteen hun =dred Dollars for two sword, equal in size, and equal in richness of mounting &

Murfreesboro Ten Sept 25

20

General William Carroll Nashville Tennessee

1817