be expended, but in cases apparently necessary. In fixing a boundary between the United States and the Indian tribes, instead of the East and West line mentioned in your Instructions, you will endeavour to establish an East and West line as far Norths as the completion of the completion of the forty first degree of North Latitude. In your negotiations with the Indians, you will make immediate payments as far as you shall have monies in hand; but in case you shall find it necessary to engage any considerable part of the said [strikethrough: disbursement] funds you are to stipulate that the payments thereof be made in two or three equal annual instalments the first to be as late in the year 1789, as can be obtained. Chas Thomson Sec^y New Yorke, May 2^d 1793 Sir I have the honor to lay before you the Treaties concluded, in pursuance of the instructions received from Congress on the twenty sixth of October 1792 and second of July 1792, with several of the Indian nations in January last— That they were not presented at an earlier period was owing in part to my own indisposition — to the severity of the Winter which rendered the communication by the Ohio, for a long time impracticable— and to the circumstance that the last Congress did not assemble after it was in my power to have sent them forward. With the treaties I beg leave to submit the minutes of the proceedings at the different meetings after the Nations were assembled, and I have added to them, by way of appendix, all the letters and messages that passed between them and me prior to their assembling— These were communicated to the Secretary at War from time to time, and tho' they will, no doubt, be submitted by him to your consideration, I thought it best, as they form a considerable part of the transactions, to annex them in that way, that the whole might be seen together. By the instructions of July the second, I was directed to endeavour at extending the northern boundary, as far north as the completion of the forty first degree of North Lattitude— Besides that it would have been extremely difficult to have made the Indians comprehend how that was to be ascertained, I found that any attempts to extend the limits at that time would be very ill received, if not defeat entirely the settling a peace with them; it was therefore not proposed, and the boundaries remain as settled at the former Treaties except the rectifying an Error about the portage at the Miamis Village. The negotiation was both tedious and tiresome, and for a long time had an unpromising aspect, but it came at last to as favorable an issue as could have been expected— and I trust will be attended with consequences friendly to the frontier parts of the United States— There are however several nations on the Wabash, and the Rivers which empty themselves into it, that are all dispersed, and from whom there is reason to suspect that a part of the Frontier of Virginia, and the settlements forming on the Miamis, will meet annoyance— indeed that they have not been disturbed during the Winter was not expected, either by me or the Chiefs of the Nations who met me at Fort Harmar. The Wyandots did appoint persons to go to them and inform them of the result of the Treaty, and insist upon their desisting from further Hostilities which may have some effect in preserving the late tranquility. The claim of the Wyandot Nation to the lands reserved to the Shawanese was strongly insisted upon by them and to be made an Article of the Treaty— to that I could not consent: but to satisfy them, and that it might be kept in remembrance, it is inserted at the bottom of it, by way of memorandum. It seems this is a claim that has always been held up, and the reason it was so much insisted on at this time, they said was, that they were sure that the Shawanoes, and Cherokees incorporated with them would continue to give us trouble— That it could not be expected to be borne with much longer, that they would be driven out of the Country, and then it would be claimed and held by the United States by right of conquest— they further added that, if the Shawanese continue their depredations, they would, themselves drive them off— They also pressed that a Fort should be taken by the United States at the Miami Villages as the surest means to overawe the Nations on the Wabash— It is certainly well situated for that purpose, and would command the greatest part of the Indian trade— As it was very uncertain whether Congress might approve of such a measure, as a Post so far as I find would with difficulty be supplied, and we in no readiness to carry it into execution if it should be approved, I desired them to consider well whether it could be done without a contest with the Indians who live there— and whether, in that case, there was not danger of they themselves being involved thro' the ungovernahleness of their young men— They acknowledged that they thought there was danger of both, but promised to send some of their principal men to the Miamis and prepare them for receiving a garrison peaceably, and to give me notice in the Spring. The reason why the Treaties were made separately with the six Nations and the Wyandots and other westerly tribes was a jealousy that subsisted between them, and which I was not willing to lessen by appearing to consider them as one people— they do not so consider themselves, and I am persuaded their general confederacy is entirely fictitious, indeed it would not be very difficult if circumstances required it to set them at deadly variance. The great lengths of time that elapsed between the appointed periods for the meeting, and that at which the Indians assembled, during which, numbers of them were constantly going and coming, has increased the expences in the article of provisions considerably, the utmost possible economy however, was used tho' the whole of the business, and in transacting it, I flatter myself with meeting the approbation of Congress. With the utmost Respect, I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient and Humble Servants A^r St Clair The President of the United States.