Mr. Livingston, who is lately returned from you, informs me the Congress really expect commissioners-If they come quickly and offer you something like a carte-blanche, perhaps wee may have peace upon the footing of reconciliation, otherwise, from the rising spirit and temper of the people, I presume you will be under a necessity of declaring yourselves the High & Mighty States of the Thirteen United Colonies, and trust to your arms for the support of your Titles. And if wee look into the History of most ages and Nations wee shall find the respective Governors of them, whatever pretensions they make to Law, Justice or right divine, in their formal claims, yet generally take possession with the sword, & hold it by the same strong tenure. myself, who am not even a rower in the Boat, I suppose I shall be permitted to exercise the weapons of my Profession, while the custom of breaking heads and shins continues to be in Fashion.

For

I wou'd go on and extend this letter to the bottom of the next page, for your edification & improvement as a Politician, Statesman & Legislator, but that I am just now called to an old Gentlewoman who has burnt her navel, by having her petticoats set on fire & you know my attentions to the sex in particular, as well as a general sense of duty, supersede all other considerations. Adieu then, my old Friend & whatever firing or blistering or burning may happen, let you & I possess our Spirit in patience, & calmly bear those evils wee can neither prevent or cure.

I am ever sincerely & affectionately Yours,

NEW YORK, 14th April 1776.

J. JONES.

James Duane, Esquire.

JOHN JONES TO JAMES DUANE.

After so long an absence I am very sorry, my Dear Friend that fortune cou'd not indulge us with a single hour to ourselves.

I had many things to say to you, which can not be so properly conveyed in a letter. I must, however, make some little addition to the conversation which passed between us the last evening at General Schuyler's. The reasons I there assigned for not attending the Senate this winter are such as I flatter myself will fully absolve me with those few whose approbation I wish to obtain. For the rest of the world, as popularity or power were never the objects of my pursuit, I am perfectly indifferent about the matter. My political creed is, I am persuaded, too continental for the meridian of any particular latitude. For this reason, did my health & other circumstances permit me, I am convinced that what few talents I am master of out of the line of my profession, wou'd only serve to chagrin & mortify me when brought into the field of political controversy. Whenever occasions offer where I can render the least services to my country, whether in or out of the line of my profession, I hope no private or selfish motives will influence me to decline them, but I must beg leave to judge of the fitness or propriety of my own conduct. Agreeably to your request I have visited Mr. McFarlan, whose local complaints appear to me by no means so allarming as his general bad habit of body, which can only be corrected by a proper diet with a little bark, the mode of taking which I have pointed out in a few short directions.

I am just now setting out for Hurly where I expect to pass a day or two with my brother & so home-delightful name-Would to Heaven wee were all seated in our respective ones in peace. Patience & perseverence will, I hope, at last accomplish this truly desired end of all our toils & dangers. My best wishes attend Mrs. Duane yourself & family. From your sincerely Affectionate Friend JOHN JONES.

ALBANY 16th. January 1778.

James Duane Esquire.

(To be continued.)

GENERAL JOSEPH MARTIN.

BY JOHN REDD.

WITH ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTS.

(Concluded in this number.)

APPENDIX I.

DRAPER'S COMMENTS ON REDD'S SKETCH.

Haywood states that Walden, Cox, Blivins & some 16 others visited Powell's & Carter's Valleys & established a station there in 1761. Draper did not believe this & asks Redd of it. Redd had never heard of it; the Indians were then at war with the whites; the long hunters hardly ever went more than 2 or 3 together & he does not think the statement true. He thinks they may have established a hunters station there a few years after 1761.

Martin's fort (station) was on Martin's Creek, north side, several fine springs near it. It consisted of 5 or 6 cabins, they were built some 30 feet apart with strong stockades between them; in the stockades were port holes, & the station covered about mile, in slope a parallelogram, woods came near it on north; not re-occupied after abandoned in 1776.

In 1775 Brice Martin made an entry at Beaver Dam Springs some 6 miles below Martin's Station. He made none here in 1769 for he was then with his brother in his effort to settle Powell's Valley, where they remained but one day.

Brice Martin died in Henry Co., Va., in 1817 or 1818. Tall, active muscular, dark hair. Had 2 sons only, Wm., died about same time as his father; Jos. migrated & "was livin Tenn. some 8 or 10 years ago" (1849).

The proprietors of the lands purchased of the Cherokee Inds, and whereon you live is a part, have lately been informed that sundry familys are settled down the Valley twenty or thirty miles below the gap; which hath given umbrage to the Indians, and in consequence of some disputes have arrisen & a man or so killed; if this be a truth, we are induced to believe that such settlements have been made without your approbation, as you were desired not to allow any person to settle below a place called the narrows. Such a piece of conduct at this time would be highly prejudicial to the proprietors, and perhaps bring on disputes between us and the Indians, when everything of that kind should be cautiously avoided. Therefore, we hope you will exert your endeavours to put a stop to such procedure, and if any person shall have settled down the Valley as above said, contrary to the proprietors directions, and of course (we suppose) without your consent, you will be pleased to let them know that they will not have lands granted to them there, but ought immediately to remove themselves to some other place, as we can by no means think of suffering people to settle on our lands in such a manner as to involve us in any dispute with the Indians. I am for Richd. Henderson & Co.

To Capt. Joseph Martin.

Sir, Your most obt. Hbt. Servt.
Wm. Johnston.

APPENDIX III.

[From a copy by L. C. Draper now in the Wisconsin State Historical Society.]

TROOPS ON NORTH CAROLINA FRONTIER, 1777.

Report of the committee appointed to enquire into the expediency of keeping a body of militia stationed on the frontier of this State, and to whom were referred letters from the Governor of Virginia, and the President of South Carolina, on the subject of a treaty of peace with the Cherokee Indians.

Your committee having examined Sundry letters, depositions, &c. &c. have obtained well-authenticated information that the Cherokees have committed frequent hostilities on the frontiers of this State, and the State of Virginia, during the last winter and this Spring-and that they have killed nine of the inhabitants since the 20th of January last, with the usual circumstances of savage barbarity.

And that the Indians under the Dragon Canoe and other chiefs, adverse to peace, are still pushing on the war, and perpetrating almost daily acts of cruelty and murder.

Your committee are, therefore, of opinion that there is little or no probability of peace with those savages for the Ensuing Summer.

Your committee are further of opinion that it is expedient and necessary to take into the puble service, and keep in pay, 400 men for the defence of the frontiers of this State, and that the service will be much better performed by Independent companies than by Malitia.

Your committee are, therefore, of opinion, that Eight Independent companies ought to be immediately raised in the District of Salisbury, Each consisting of one Captain, two Lieutenants, two Sergts., one drummer, one clerk of fifty privates. Four companies for Washington, and four com