292 The Winning of the West 



to promise to subject himself to Spain, and doubt 

 less with no idea of playing the part of Spanish 

 vassal longer than the needs of the moment required. 



In July he wrote to Gardoqui, eager to strike a 

 bargain with him; and in September sent him two 

 letters by the hand of his son James Sevier, who 

 accompanied White when the latter made his return 

 journey to the Federal capital. 52 One letter, which 

 was not intended to be private, formally set forth 

 the status of Franklin with reference to the Indians, 

 and requested the representatives of the Catholic 

 king to help keep the peace with the Southern tribes. 

 The other letter was the one of importance. In 

 it he assured Gardoqui that the Western people 

 had grown to know that their hopes of prosperity 

 rested on Spain, and that the principal people of 

 Franklin were anxious to enter into an alliance with, 

 and obtain commercial concessions from, the Span 

 iards. He importuned Gardoqui for money and for 

 military aid, assuring him that the Spaniards could 

 best accomplish their ends by furnishing these sup 

 plies immediately, especially as the struggle over 

 the adoption of the Federal Constitution made the 

 time opportune for revolt. 



Gardoqui received White and James Sevier with 

 much courtesy, and was profuse, though vague, in 

 his promises. He sent them both to New Orleans 

 that Miro might hear and judge of their plans. 53 

 Nevertheless nothing came of the project, and doubt- 



M Gardoqui MSS., Sevier to Gardoqui, Sept. 12, 1788. 

 M Gardoqui MSS., Gardoqui to Miro, Oct. 10, 1788. 



