.MTA1Mg.NzA1MDg

Brainerd Hamilton Co. Tennessee Jany 16th 1837

John Howard Payne Esq. New York City NY

 Dear Sir   Understanding that you are about to publish a history of the Indians, I take thee liberty of sending you a few sheets relating to Indian Antiquities -  Rev D.S. Butrick had intended to have collected more full information, & to have had the whole examined approved by a number of noted antiquarians & signed by them, & Mr Ross the Principal Chief - but Mr Ross' stay at home last year was so short, & the political disturbances of the Nation so great, that he was disappointed, & of course considered himself unable to comply with your request & wrote a few sheets for a person in Alexandria But on speaking of this to Dr. E. Butler he thought sir that you might be disappointed, & therefore proposed to have? the sheets, though in someunclear imperfect? forwarded? to you, rather than to any other person for publication. Mr Butrick therefore is willing that I should transmit them to you, as containing such information as he has been able to obtain from the Indians - The first page he has crossed, as you have already its contents, in a more full & perfect manner -    Respectfully your obt servt    A.E. Blunt
 P.S.  I will forward the sheets as Mr. Butrick has them prepared -