For alternate interpretation, click here to see Ms. Linn's transcription.

Important note: The text presented here has NOT been compared to the original petition by the Webmistress. It has, however, been compared to the published transcription in Ansearchin' News.

Source: Ansearchin' News, Vol. 14, No. 4 (Oct-Dec, 1967), pp. 163-164. Transcribed from the original document by Mrs. James O. Maddux, Spring City, TN. No copyright infringement is intended by posting this information here.

Outside fold: "1799 Sep. 18 House representative read and referd [sic] to the committe [sic] of proposition - sent to the senate - Read and referred as above, signed John Kennedy." "Not reasonable."

August 22, 1799 Sevear County

A petition of Sundry Inhabitants South of french Broad --

To the Honorable the general assembly of the state of tenesee [sic] and to the speaker of Both houses we your petitioners humbly Beg Leave to show to your honorable body that the Lokal cituation [sic] of our country is such that it contains a great quantity of pore [sic] Barren Land which we through necessity have been forcd [sic] to settle on and which in fact is not fit for cultivation could we have got Better & we look up to you as the gardenes [sic] of our Rights and pray you in your wisdom partriosm [sic] and virtue may to order if you should think proper to open a land office that we may have our Land at a modest price agreable [sic] to the deferent [sic] qualleties [sic] of the same and that we may be indugd [sic] for the purchase mony [sic] as long as you in your wisdom may think proper we also pray a repeal of that act that binds takation [sic - taxation?] on our Lands not being held by deed grant nor Entry we think the constitution of the state takes no land of the above descriptions we further Represent as a greavence [sic] the excise tax and stampt [sic] act as infringing our Rites [sic] and we your pethoners [sic] as in duty bound shall pray.