Subject: Agent for Southern Indians 19 May 1758
Resent-Date: Fri, 27 Mar 1998 23:08:44 -0800 (PST)
Resent-From: SCROOTS-L@rootsweb.com
Date: Sat, 28 Mar 1998 02:11:33 -0500
From: Steve Coker 
Organization: gamecock@yours.com
To: "SCROOTS-L@rootsweb.com" 

Friday the 19th of May 1758.

"... A Message from the Governor by Mr. Bassnett.

Mr. Speaker & Gentlemen,

I transmit to you herewith a Letter I have receiv'd from the Lords Commissioners
for Trade & Plantations Acquainting me with his Majestys Appointment of Edmond
Atkin Esqr. to be Agent for and Superintendant of the affairs of the Southern
Indians, & Expressing the Expectations of their Lordships that you will be ready
to Concur in what ever may be necessary to promote His Majesty's Interest &
render Mr. Atkins Commission Effectual to the Good purposes for which it is
intended, particularly in making Provision for Presents & Such other Contingent
Expences as are necessary to Support & Maintain our Interests amongst the
Indians.

The present Conjuncture is Such as renders it necessary in the highest degree
that Mr. Atkin shoud Visit the Indians & particularly the great Creek Nation and
that he shou'd Endeavour by the earliest Applications to that People to improve
the favourable disposition they now manifest to us, into a Closer Attachment to
his Majesty's Interest.

His Personal residence among them might probably not only Effect this, but also
open the way to Such an Intercourse with the Chactaws as this Government has
Long wish'd to Establish.

As Mr. Atkin has a Considerable Quantity of Presents furnish'd by the Crown, I
have only to recommend to you to Provide for the Charge of Carrying those
Presents and also for defraying the Expence of proper attendants for Mr. Atkin
when he Shall repair to any of the Indian Nations.
                          William Henry Lyttelton.

And then the Messenger Withdrew.
And Mr. Speaker read the Message to the House.
Then the Letter from the Lords Commissioners for Trade & Plantations to his
Excellency, dated Whitehall 1 July 1756 was read.
And his Excellencys Message being read a Second time.

Resolved (upon the Question) That this House will make provision for defraying
the Expence of Carrying the Presents granted [by] His Majesty to the several
Indian Nations.

Then the Question being put that Provision be made for Paying an Interpreter and
another Man to attend Mr. Atkin when he Shall Visit the Indian Nations not
Exceeding Six Month[s] at the rate of Fifteen pounds Each per Month.

The House divided.
The Yeas go forth.
Teller for the Noes, Mr. Moultrie-14.
Teller for the Yeas, Mr. Manigault-14.
And the Votes being Equal, Mr. Speaker voted with the Yeas.
So it was resolved in the affirmative.
Order'd that an Answer be prepared to his Excellency's said Message.
And Accordingly the following one was drawn, vizt.

May it Please your Excellency,

As we are desirous of Contributing every thing in our power that may tend to his
Majesty's Service, we have resolved to Provide for defraying the Expence of
Sending the Presents granted by His Majesty to the Indian Countries as also to
pay two Men (one of them to be an Indian Interpreter not Exceeding Six Months)
at the Rate of Fifteen Pounds per month Each to Attend Mr. Atkin on his intended
Visit to the Indians.

Ordered that the Said Answer be presented to his Excellency by Mr. Gadsden & Mr.
Graeme...."

Source:
The Colonial Records of South Carolina
The Journal of the Commons House of Assembly
Published by the South Carolina Department of Archives and History
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 51-62239
ISBN: 1-880067-28-5

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