To Thomas Jefferson from Jesse Franklin and David Stone, 14 February 1805
From Jesse Franklin and David Stone
Washington 14th. Feby 1805
We have Received from the Governor of the State of North Carolina the inclosed Act of the Legislature of that State with a Resolution instructing us to endeavor to have a Road joining the one contemplated in the Act established thro’ the Country of the Cherokee Indians.
It does not occur to us, there is any mode by which that object may be effected but by Treaty with those Indians, we therefore take the Liberty to lay the Act before you and to request in the name of the State we have the Honor to represent that this may become the subject of negociation at as early a period as the general interest and convenience of the United States will permit.
We have the Honor to be with the Highest consideration & Esteem Your Humble Servants
J Franklin
David Stone
RC (DLC); in Stone’s hand, signed by both; endorsed by TJ as received 15 Feb. and so recorded in SJL. Enclosure: “An act to appoint and empower Commissioners to contract with any person or Persons for the purpose of opening and establishing a Turnpike road to pass through part of the Territory belonging to the Cherokee Indians,” ratified by the North Carolina General Assembly on 18 Dec. 1804; the act appoints commissioners to lay out a road approximately 14 miles in length from the North Carolina-Tennessee boundary to “where the same shall intersect with a Road laid off by order of the County Court of Buncombe leading to Scotts Creek” (Tr in same, attested by William White, secretary of state).