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256 To His Excellency Wm Carroll Governor of Tennessee and United States Commissioner

Red Clay C.N. July 24, 1835

Sir, I enclose for your information copies of a certain correspondence between the Revd Mr Schermerhorn, United States' Commissioner, Major Currey, US. Agent; and myself, from which you will discover that the Cherokee people have been compelled to hold an election in the vicinity of Ridge's, in the charter limits of Georgia & distant not short of ninety miles from the Cherokee agency, on the 20th inst. for the purpose of determining in what mode the annuity should be disposed of.- The sense of the Cherokees on this question having more than once been expressed in favor of paying it over into the hands of John Martin Esq, the National Treasurer, it seemed there was no good reason left, why the agent should have persevered, by insisting on the election taking place at a time and place designated by himself, without consulting the feelings & convenience of the Cherokee people, who alone could be rightfully interested in the subject.- I happened to be at my Brother, Lewis Ross', house when Mr Schermerhorn arrived at the agency; and, upon his request, I had an interview with him. He expressed a desire to have an opportunity of seeing the most influential & leading men of the nation, that he might converse with them. I stated to him that in case Major Currey could be prevailed upon to change the place he had designated for the election, so as to hold it either at Red Clay or at the Agency, that I would endeavor to gratify his wishes, by inviting them to attend; but, as you will perceive from the documents submitted, this reasonable request was not complied with; and it then became my duty to request the general attendance of the people at the place designated by Major Currey, inasmuch as the Department of War having given instructions that the money should be paid over agreably to the votes of the majority of the persons attending.- Of the votes given in, there were 2225 for paying if