Oneida, 22 April 1791. Hon^d Sir, When I was in Philadelphia the winter past, and honored with a personal interview with you, the character & present situation of the Indians were a subject of much conversation — among other things the propriety & practicability of an accommodation with the Indians in the vicinity of the Miamis, to prevent the hazards of an Indian war were enquired into — Their complaints & misconceptions which at length broke out into open hostilities, I ascribed to two causes — viz. the influence and artifice of un-principled traders & others who had immediate access to them; — & secondly their ignorance of the fixed determinations & real dispositions of Congress to do strict justice to the Indians. To remove those prejudices & remove their mistaken apprehensions, it was proposed, That a number of their Chiefs should be brought down to Congress, that both might have a fair hearing. This idea was suggested by Captain [undecipherable] alias Complanter — who on the occasion remarked, "that the voice of Congress could never reach those Western tribes of Indians before it passed thro' so vast a tract of country it would either evaporate into the air, or be inter-rupted by the voice of Birds" — alluding to the artifice of evil minded persons and unfriendly to the States — Some time after my return from Philadelphia, as a friendly correspondence is kept up be-twixt Cap^t Brant & myself, I wrote him upon the state of the Indians at large; and the discouragement that attended every attempt (already made,) to introduce the arts of civilized life among them; Subjects upon which we had frequently conversed with the utmost freedom. — I also expressed my fears that their love of war with their spirit of jealousy, would terminate in their ruin. — — I must acknowledge, that my chief design in this, was to obtain his sentiments and feelings towards the hostile Indians, in the vicinity of the Miamis! A few days ago, I received his answer by two Runners. — Your official character and known humanity, induce me, to transmit you a copy of his letter, for your own perusal, and not for publication — as my situation among them is delicate and am continually watched — I shall at present make no comment upon his letter — am obliged to write in haste — the strong tread of British influence & interests in many passages will not easily escape your discerning eye. — It deprecates an Indian War, from every principle, both of humanity and policy; — if it can possibly be avoided without a direct violation of the laws of the General government; Permit me, Sir, to suggest the idea of sending Cap^t Hendrick & one other Chief of the Stockbridge tribe to the Westward. — This tribe had formerly more influence with the Miamies, Shawanoes, Delawares and Chippewas, than all the Five Nations. Captain Hendrick is well acquainted with their customs & manners, and has since the war received several invitations from those Western tribes to make them a visit. He once went as far as Buffaloe Creek where he met with some of his own Nation, who reside in that quarter. — In a private Council of the Oneida Chiefs, they have acceded to the measure. Cap^t Hendrick flatters himself, he could convince them of the justice & goodness of Congress in the treatment they are disposed to give to all Indians — & persuade them to lay down the hatchet, till they could give Congress a fair hearing — As you are in a great measure a stranger to Cap^t Hendrick's character, allow me from long personal acquaintance, to say in a word, that he is very little inferior to Cornplanter — who also himself has a high opinion of Captain Hendrick, and mentioned him to me, when at Philadelphia, as a proper person for any Embassy to the Westward — Cap^t Hendricks and one other will either join the main or [undecipherable] of their own Nation; or, at your direction — as may be thought best, if he can only be furnished for the journey, with the necessary articles of Clothing — belts & strings of wampum, with a little money — the whole amount of which would be no more than fifty or Sixty Dollars. The support of his family might require as much as twenty bushels of grain between this and next fall. Should the proposal meet with your approbation as bearing the signatures of humanity & policy — you will please to honor me with the earliest notice, as no time should be lost for the enterprise — to forward which