Irvine, William, 1741-1804 to Captain Denny
Order a pdf of this item here.
Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC05542 Author/Creator: Irvine, William, 1741-1804 Place Written: Carlisle, Pennsylvania Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 1794/07/19 Pagination: 2 p. : Height: 24.7 cm, Width: 20 cm Order a Copy
Discusses a dispute between the United States and the Six Nations over land. Contends that "there is nothing in the Constitution...that gives the Legislature much less the Executive a shadow of Power to cede...a single foot of ground, the territory right of soil or jurisdiction of any state." Criticized Israel Chapin, an Indian agent to the Iroquois, for telling citizens of Pennsylvania to "quit their lawfull business" and "flattering the savages with a hope that this ground is to be relinquished." Discusses how to maintain peace, commenting on the power of the governor and criticizing Secretary of War Henry Knox. A lack of protection from the Indians helped fuel the Whiskey Rebellion, which was then just beginning to erupt. General Irvine led government troops against the Pennsylvania rebels.
Citation Guidelines for Online Resources
The copyright law of the United States (title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specific conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.