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Knoxville Sept 30 1817
Dear Sir
I feel it my duty when ever an infraction of the laws of this state happen to report to that officer whose peculiar province it is to see that the laws are faithfully executed the Legisature at their last session required all persons to list & pay for tax on the real quantity of land contained in their several surveys this law has been evaded by some persons who Claim under large grants by Conveying to fictiti ous persons all the land in the bounds of their Claim not fit for Cultivation when they return their list it is without the oath heretofore presented by law this is occasioned by the negligence of the Justice to
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whom the return is made thus the state is defrauded of her revenue. by the present law it is impossible for the Collector to detect the fraud without first having the whole tract surveyed together with several [Conveyances?]
respectfuly John Cocke Clerk of Grainger County
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From General John Cocke
His Excellency Joseph McMinn present
In Senate Oct 13th referd to the revenue com= mittee [? ?]
