Transcribed from microfilm and contributed by: Charles A. Sherrill, 1992
A project of the Bradley County Historical Society

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Petition Number 34, Year 1839_

Envelope addressed to Mr. James Walker, Nashville, Tennessee. Clerk has added “Petition from citizens of Bradley Co. asking as suspension of land entries in the Ocoee Dist.”]

Cleveland, Nov. 24th, 1839

Honorable gentlemen Mr. James Walker & McMillin, Gentlemen. Their has been this Day to Each of you a Petition Sent on and i have been Requested by the friends of the Petitioners with others to write you gentlemen A joint letter on the Subject and i Pledge my Self to bothe of you That i do feel quite Incompetent to the task, but at all times i am free to obey the will of My friends and little did i Expect to attempt to address a letter to your honours on so Important [an] occasion as i deem this to be, but for the necessitous condition of the People Require something Promptly to be affected for their Relief, and as Citizens we know of no other Remedy or Sourse of Relief Except the Suspension of the Entering of the Ocoee Districts.

We therefore, Request you gentlemen to urge our Claims, as we are all deeply interested That the time of Entering the balance of the Ocoee district Should be Protracted two years from the fourth of Jan. next, We are Solicitous on the Subject, for the best of Reasons, we are poor, and in a new Country & besides all other difficulties there is a great Scarsity of money & but little in Circulation Except what are in the hands of the Speculaters & Capitalists and they are not disposed to lend unless they Received and Enormous Interest which the borrowers could not Refund on any Principles of Propriety therefore the lands are Passing in to the hands of the money holders at very reduced prices and at a very Enourmous loss to the State an the evil affect is in trouth making the Rich Richer & the Poor Poorer & a heavy Reduction to the State.

Consequently we urge you gentlemen as our Representatives in that honourable body to make known our claims & we are apprised that Relief will be Extended to and Embarrassed Community deeply Indebted to her own Citizens & under many liabilities Which She cannot Extracate Her Self Possably unless afforded times to market her horse, Pork & hogs.

This being performed will enable every man to make is business meet the Pressure & heardness of the times and Should we be neglected by your Honerable boddy now in Session We are assuredly plaised on Precarious ground an necessarially become the tenants of the Rich to make them more opulent & we Still Impoverished & Seeke a home in the western world. These are our Clear Views & manifestations of our feelings on this Subject.

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P.S. on the Receipt of this i wish an answer & wish to know where they (Petitions) were mailed & at what time they came to hand. The Citizens of our town are all well, business down very low. I wish to be Remembered to Mr. Gillespie. I hope you will give your attention to our Request in answer to our letter.

With Much Respect Yours,

Thomas G. Stewart

To Mr. Walker & McMillian

Monday morning Nov 14th 1839