1

To his Excellency John Seveir

Sir

The general assembly have received duly
weighed, and have well appreciated your very interesting
communication of the 7^th instant.

The general Assembly, feel in all ^its force, the weighty obli
=gations imposed upon them by the cause of their constituents,
whose interests will ever be near to them, and they will
use every effort to adopt the salutary means, by which
those interests are to be cherished

The statutes of great britain it is true, were enacted in
an age of Tyranny and usurpation, yet having been an in
a great measure ingrafted into the American code of laws,
will require the most accurate investigation to separate them
from our civil code - Happily our wise constitution has
guarded against our their influence in religious concerns,
equally happy for America is it; that the constitutions
of the several states are founded on republican princi
=ples, and that grand Bulwark of all, the constitution
of the United States has guaranteed those invalua
=ble blessings to them. The Legislature is proud to say, that
the shackles of british common law, is as little felt here, as
in any state of in the union, and the legislature pledge themselves
that the Sons of Tennessee, will be foremost in breaking all
such improper barriers to freedom~

The Legislature feel with you Sir, the necessity of providing
for that valuable & worthy class of citizens resident north of
Tennessee, whose services in the cause of their county, are
too deeply impressed on the minds of everyone
acquainted with the settlement of this county to be easily
forgotten. Their case shall be promptly & early laid before the
General Government by the delegation from this State. The