Early Governors' Papers

And again should the President of the United States have reasons, which I cannot discover or think possible for continuing the present passway from Washington to Mero district, by way of the ferry being in future considered as the road established by the fifth Article of the Treaty of Holston, you will in my Judgment consult the true interest of the people of Tennessee in pointing out to him the propriety and [strange symbol again] necessity of (his so declaring by some written instrument, because if he passes the Act soon without appointing Com) his appointing Commissioners to straighten and mark it-

For you will observe unless he does appoint persons to mark the road, that the Commissioners appointed by the Act have no authority to act under it, in other words they will have no authority to Open it, or to exact a toll upon it for keeping it in repair.-

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Knoxville 18^th July 1817

To Samuel Jackson Mathew Aiken. James V. Anderson John M^cAlister John G. Eason and John Kennedy esquires directors of the Holston Tennessee bank.

Gentlemen Your Joint address of the 3^rd Instant is now before me, to which I beg leave to submit the following reply. Its with great satisfaction I observe your resolution for avaling your selves of the benefit of an institution which cannot fail in producing much public good. It will meet considerable aid from the adjoining Counties, but its best guarentee [sic] will be found to arise from your commercial capitol and the industry and enterprise of your own Citizens which from the best and most recent account are not surpassed by any of your neighbours in this section of Country

But to give you an explicit answer to your request. I am compelled to say that I have borrowed seven thousand five hundred Dollars since I came into office to meet payments due