Indian Papers of Texas and the Southwest, Vol. I

TEXAS INDIAN PAPERS, 1825-1843

132

semble on the Bank of sd. River, and requested to be permitted to return to sd. reservation by a passage through the wilderness to which request sd. Tarrant objected, and that sd. Indians then crossed sd. river into the Chickasaw nation. signed. D. ROWLETT Jno T Mills Dist Judge.- I certify that the enclosed documents are true copies of the orig- inal affidavits now on file 'in my office of the affidavits and sworn statements of Holland Coffee, JG Jowett Mark R Roberts D Rowlett and E H Tarrant Given under my hand this 13th day of Mar 1842-

JESSE BENTON JR. Dist Atty 7th Judcl. Dist.

No. 107

LETTER TO ANSON JONES FROM JESSE BENTON, JR.

Clarksville Texas Mar 11th 1842

To The Hon. Anson Jones. Secretary of State Sir,

In compliance with your instruction of the date of Jany 22nd last, I have instructed a strict and careful enquiry, concerning the invasion of the United States Territory, and injuries done to the Chickasaw Indians, by Citizens of This Republic, com- plained of by the United States. You will find by reference to the Affidavits herewith enclosed, that in every invasion of the country of the United States, our citizens have been Justified by the most imperious necessity. The Chickasaw and Choctaw Indians, if they have not been actually engaged in the depredations, now being continually carried on, by Indians, upon our frontier, Citizens, (which is the prevalent opinion here.) are constantly affording an asylum

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