1

Knoxville 2 January 1798

Sir

I am Just now informed by letter from the Gov.^r of N.^o Carolina
of a very daring and alarming fraud, that has been carried
on for some time by W.^m Terrill and others. I cannot
better explain to you the Nature of the Crime, then by
refering [sic] you to the copies of the Governors letter, and some
resolves of the General Assembly ^herein enclosed. The Governors request
You will discover in his letter to Myself; but how far, I should
be Justifiable to carry the same into full effect, is a doubt
with me, However anxious I may be to bring to Justice
the perpetrators of a Crime of so base and glaring -

To seize upon the different ^offices of Armstrong, with the Documents
and papers therein, might probably do great injury
to a number of innocent persons, and would at all
events Occasion much delay and trouble ^& expense to many
of the ^good Citizens of this, and neighboring states. The emergency
of the business does not admit of any delay, and the
offices