April 10, 1731 Volume 11, Pages 23-25
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South Carolina.
Whereas it hath been made known unto me that several Parties of the Tuscarora Indians under his Majesty's Government of North Carolina have made frequent Inroads into His Majesty's Province of South Carolina and have (at divers times) Killed taken and destroyed several Indian Slaves belonging to the said Province of South Carolina and many of our friendly Indians residing in the heart of this settlement and insulted divers of the Inhabitants without any colour or pretence whatsoever or any occasion given for so doing.
And whereas I thought fit at the request of the Commons House of Assembly to appoint you the said William Waties to represent the said injurys to His Excellency George Burrington Esqre Governor of His Majesty's Province of North Carolina to the end that not only the said Insults may be prevented for the future but that satisfaction may be made by the said Tuscarora nation for what are past You are therefore hereby required on receipt of these your Instructions to repair to the Government of North Carolina and on your arrival you are to deliver to His Excellency George Burrington Esqre the letter from me to him directed which you will receive herewith.
You are to make your journey by way of Cape Fear and in the best manner you can inform yourself if any of the said Tuscaroras have lately passed or repassed that way and which of them are known.
You are to acquaint His Excellency the said Governor Burrington (or the Governor and Commander in Chief for the time being) with the particulars of the insults and injurys which heretofore as well as of late have been made and done by the said Tuscarora Indians to His Majesty's subjects in this Government and to our friendly Indians.
You are to request His Excellcy Governor Burrington that be
cause the sevl Head Men of the said Nation to be sent for to come before His Excly and more especially such as have been lately in this settlement (if known)You are to request His Excellency that you may have liberty to give them a Talk Face to Face in the name of this Government which if complied with you are to charge the said Indians with the particulars of the insults and injurys by them done to this Government and to demand satisfaction
You are to demand of the said Indians whether on the like complaint afore made they did not promise to do no more injurys to this settlement.
You are to demand of the said Indians whether on the said complaints afore made they did not promise to do no more Injurys to this Settlement.
You are to tell the said Indians that all the English in the several Govmts have but one Great King and are all one and the same people and therefore that if any injury be done to the white people in their persons or to their black or Indian Slaves Horses or Cattle that all the said Governmts are requested to assist each other in resenting their injurys as they have fully experienced already in the old wars between them and the White People.
You are to acquaint them that if they make any more Inroads and offer any more Injuries or refuse to make satisfaction for what is past this Government will treat them as Enemies and will immediately call in the Catawbas and Cherokees to their assistance and cut them off.
That this Government does expect they will immediately before your departure return all the Slaves they have taken (if alive) and if dead to pay the value of them.
You are to insist that they enter into articles with you in the name of this Government that they will come no more into this Settlement nor do any more injury to our White People Indian Slaves Horses or Cattle nor to our friendly Indians living within our Settlements on pain of being all cut off and destroyed as above said.
You are to communicate these your instructions to His Excellency the said Govr Burrington and to give him a copy thereof and you are in the name of this Government to request of His Excellency his favour countenance and assistance in all and singular the matter aforesaid.
And you are to act and do in all the matters aforesaid and in all matters and things whatsoever that may or shall hereafter occur to you or be thought beneficial and useful to this Government for promoting the ends aforesaid according to the best of your knowledge and judgment desiring that all due credence and dispatch be given to you the said William Waties in this behalfe.
Given under our Hand and the Great Seal of this His Majtys Province the tenth day of April in the fourth year of His Majesty's Reign and in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and thirty one.
Recd Febry 22. 173⅔.
Great place to research, Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
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