William Charles Cole Claiborne |
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"to have and to hold the office with all the Powers, Privilege and Emoluments..."July 1801- December 1801Note: The documents are sometimes out of chronological order because they may be enclosures with letters to Federal officials in Washington or are letters from the Federal government which take perhaps a month to be delivered. |
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| Date Written | From | To | Subjects |
Friday |
James Madison | Wm. Claiborne | A Commission from President Jefferson through Secretary of State Madison names Claiborne as Governor of Mississippi "to have and to hold the office with all the Powers, Privilege and Emoluments..." |
Saturday |
Wm.C.C.C. | James Madison | From Nashville - Claiborne accepts the appointment, but says he will probably not be able to complete the arrangements until the first of October. |
Wednesday |
Wm.C.C.C. | James Madison | From Nashville - Claiborne informs Madison that the arrangements are complete and he will descend the Mississippi River the first week of October. Reports he gets are that the population and wealth there are increasing as are good relations with Spanish neighbors and Indians. He leaves in 8 to ten days. He is leaving Nashville to arrive at Natchez with his family, by water, between the first and 10th of November. |
Wednesday |
Wm.C.C.C. | James Madison | Tomorrow he sets out for the Mississippi Territory. The river is uncommonly low. The territorial assembly was convened in July and the session lasted for about five weeks. Colonel John Steele, who is the Secretary of the assembly is acting governor from April 3 until November 23, 1801, but he is ill most of the time. Seth Lewis is a Justice of the Territorial Supreme Court who mentions to Claiborne in a letter that Spain has actually agreed to give up Louisiana to France. He does not know the grounds for the report, but it is held in general belief for several months. The secret Treaty of Ildefonso between France and Spain on October 1, 1800, confirmed March 21, 1801. It is feared that England would seize New Orleans if the treaty is made public. |
Tuesday |
Wm.C.C.C. | James Madison | Natchez - Traveling since October 8, Claiborne did not
reach here until the morning of the 23rd, due to the low waters in the
Cumberland, Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. He notes three small settlements
on the Spanish, western, shore of the Mississippi between the mouth of
the Ohio and Natchez and a small post opposite Batches itself. New Madrid is about 70 miles below the mouth of the Ohio. A small fort there had recently been destroyed by fire, about 60 buildings, a few soldiers, the inhabitants mostly French. He is told that there is a well improved settlement a few miles away that is populated mostly by natives of the United States. 35 miles down river ether is a small village of about 20 buildings and 150 miles further down river is a small block house opposite the Chickasaw Bluffs garrisoned by a sergeant and 12 men. At the Chickasaw Bluffs is Fort Pickering, the first American outpost commanded by Captain Sparks of the third Regiment. 700 miles below the mouth of the Ohio are the Walnut Hills. He recommends more posts with the increase of commerce on the river. Col. Steele is quite ill and unable to give Claiborne information on the state of the territory. He mentions Governor Sargent and a pamphlet that denounces the president and himself. The Legislature meets next Tuesday. |
Tuesday |
Wm.C.C.C. | James Madison | His commission as governor includes the office of Superintendent
of Indian affairs. He has met with several Choctaw and has directed the
contractor at Natchez to issue rations to the Indians, a power exercised
by his predecessor. Gov. Sergeant had not filed any of the letters from
the Secretary of state as public records, so Claiborne does not know of
any instructions for Indian affairs. He asks to hire an interpreter to deal with troublesome Indians. An Indian who was whipped by a citizen has disappeared and feared dead and retaliation has been mentioned. Colonel Steele is still very ill. |
Wednesday |
Wm.C.C.C. | Address to Assembly | Promises to be fair, cordial, work hard for the common interest. Will improve the judicial system and create the militia. He tries to instill in the representatives of the people an understanding of the importance of their job and the benefits of thoughtful legislation. |
Wednesday |
Assembly of Mississippi Territory | Wm.C.C.C. | The Legislative Council and House of Representatives are very satisfied with the new governor's address. There are many inconveniences in the territory that they have been unable yet to convey to him, and they understand the consequences of delay. They assure him of their confidence and esteem. It is signed by Henry Hunter, Speaker of the House and John Ellis, President of the Council. |
Thursday |
Benjamin Hawkins | Wm.C.C.C. | Colonel Benjamin Hawkins is an agent to the Creek Indians at Fort Adams. He has received a message from Claiborne through William Dunbar. He reports that a conference with the Choctaw is in session. He asks that the citizens of the territory be friendly to the Indians especially in regard to the mails which must travel through Indian lands. This message is brought to Claiborne by a man whose brother has recently been murdered, possibly by Indians. or a Black man. |
Monday |
Wm.C.C.C. | Benjamin Hawkins |
Claiborne encloses a copy of a proclamation saying it does not sound tough, but he has found that friendly advice works better than threats of punishment with frontier citizens. A treaty with the Choctaws is signed at Fort Adams on December 17, 1801. |
Friday |
Wm.C.C.C. | Proclamation | Addresses ill treatment of Choctaw Indians by Whites between Homo Chitto and Buffalo. The Choctaw are now attending a treaty at Fort Adams. He hopes that better treatment of the Indians will allow travelers to sleep more secure and farmers to cultivate in safety. |
Friday |
Wm.C.C.C. | Proclamation | The General Assembly of the Territory of Mississippi was to have met on Monday the 14th but due to a heavy rainfall that caused all the streams to swell, many delegates could not attend. The members of the Legislative Council and House of Representatives are now required to meet on Saturday the 19th at 10 O'clock. |
Friday |
Wm.C.C.C. | James Madison |
A treaty has been concluded at Fort Adams with the Choctaw Nation. The chiefs have consented to the opening of a road through their lands to Tennessee, but refuse the erection of houses of accommodation. The commissioners of the treaty are General James Wilkinson, Benjamin Hawkins and Andrew Pickens. The road to be built will be called the Natchez Trace. Claiborne Continues by telling Madison about commerce, mainly wheat that is coming into the territory and their main crop, cotton which has exceeded $700,000 even though the population of the territory is not more than 9,000. He is troubled by the tendency of the past legislature (and the Sargent administration) to legislate against certain parties rather than on principles. Another lingering problem is the Land that the former Spanish officials granted to their favorites after the treaty but before they left the area. The grants were back dated to appear to have been previous to the treaty. He also finds that the inability of the former administration to organize a militia is troubling him. He asks that the executive send 400 muskets and as many rifles, since the inhabitants are not armed. The Spanish government in New Orleans pays great respect at this time to the commerce of the United States. It is still reported that Louisiana, as well as East and West Florida, have been ceded to France. The fortifications at New Orleans are much neglected. |
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