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April 12, 1756
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A written Message from the Governor was delivered by Mr Walthoe,
Mr Speaker, and Gentlemen of the House of Burgesses,
“I have thought it proper to communicate to your House my Commission and
“Instructions to Peter Randolph and William Byrd, Esqrs; appointed Commissioners to
“treat on Behalf of this Government with the Catawbas and Cher okees, with my Letter to
“those Gentlemen, containing some Observations which I judged might prove of Ser-
“vice in their Negociations with those People, and my two Speeches to the Catawbas and
”Cherokees: And to give you all the Satissaction I am at present capable of, I send you the
“joint Letters of the Commissioners to me, dated the 17th of last Month; the Treaty I
“have not yet received, nor expect it before their Return.”
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Page 365 of
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MERCER GREETS 148 CHEROKEE AT FORT LOUDOUN WINCHESTER VA
April 21,22 , 1757
Captain George Mercer at Fort Loudoun, dated 24 April 1757, writes to GW:
“Thursday and Friday last came to Town [Winchester] 148 Cherokees, with Major [Andrew] Lewis, and yesterday I spoke to them, as they did not chuse an Interview sooner.”
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Mercer goes on to write that the Cherokee felt lied to and now their own young men of their Cherokee nation feel lied to by their own leaders.
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The phrase of “giving presents” means supplies of blankets, shoes, weapons, etc. The phrase of “treated as children” means to treat the Indians with the favor of giving them needed and nice things, like they would do so with their own children.
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