Early Governors' Papers

To his Excellency John Sevier Governor of the State of Tenessee & Respectable Gentleman - Richard Sparks and John Wade Captains of The 3^d Regiment U. S. army we rec^d your Letters By the hand of M^rSharp in which we Thank you for your kind Salutation to us. Whereas we are admonish^d to obedience to the Laws Of our country it is what we wish ever to be We have been subject both in taking up arms To defend the rights of our country and paying Our Lawful dues but we are drawn ignorantly Into a transgression if in one we be and that By the Irregular conduct of our Legislative Body in the first place North carolina by an Act of Assembly Granted to Colonel Richard Henderson and Co. twenty odd years ago two Hundred thousand Acres of Land in Powels val ley which rights has been established by Con gress as we are informed and other gentlemen Have obtained patents for Land in s^d valley Which has came froward and sold and some of Us has bought and gave our money and property For it and has setled s^d land which has Been previous to an act of Congress passed may 19^th 1795 as for the land being granted to the Indian tribes after these rights being obtain^d Is a mistery to us by these means we are in thrall^d but Honoured gentlemen we do ^earnestly beg your pardon if we have done wrong and hope you Will show as much [finity?] as is in the compass of your power & we hope you will give us time to move off for our case is