War Department, 27^th June 1792. Sir/ You have been invited to the seat of the General government as a Chief of the Six Nations, and one who has a general interest in the welfare of the Indians— The main purpose of the invitation, is to explain to you the humane dispositions of the President of the United States, as well in regard to the hostile Indians as to the Indian tribes generally; arising from your general character for intelligence and attachment to the Indian interest: that you will fully and truly unfold to them those things which may conduce to their happiness— There are many circumstances which induce the opinion, that some of the [undecipherable] hostile [undecipherable] as to the object of [undecipherable] and that they have joined therein from an [undecipherable] apprehension and belief, that the United States have formed the design of [undecipherable] [undecipherable] from them— As you have been fully informed on this subject— and as you have agreed to repair to the assembled Nations at the Miami river of Lake Erie, you may be able to convince them of the contrary— The present Indian War, commenced with the [undecipherable] and [undecipherable] Indians, and the Shawanese— With the two former Nations the United States have never been able to form any [undecipherable] satisfactory [undecipherable] from the year 1776 to the present time. You may truly inform the hostile Indians— 1.^st That the United States are willing to bury the hatchet forever, and to forget all past evils— 2.^d That the United States require no Indian Lands, but those which have been ceded by treaties, made with the full understanding and free consent of the Chiefs, [undecipherable] to restrain the whites from settling upon them— 3.^d That we have [undecipherable] presented the treaty of [undecipherable] herewith delivered to you, made and concluded on the [undecipherable] of January 1789, agreeably to the [undecipherable] herewith delivered to you— 4.^th That if however it should be made hereafter to appear, either that the compensation then given was inadequate, or that other than the parties who made it, have any just claims on the lands ceded thereby, that we shall be willing to give them a just compensation— 5.^th That any compensations which shall be agreed upon, shall be furnished annually, in such goods as shall be most for the comfort of the Indian families— 6.^th That the United States will make arrangements to teach the Indians, if agreeable to them, to raise their own bread and cattle, as the whites practice— But it will be necessary to have a treaty at some place to be agreed upon, where these points, and all others shall be examined and amicably adjusted. [undecipherable] Trueman, and Brigadier General Putnam, will probably repair to the assembled council of Indians at the Miami river; it is probable some place suitable will be agreed upon by the Indians— But it is conceived that it would be more satisfactory to the Indians, were the Chiefs to repair to this City, and there conclude a treaty; provided they could be convinced of their safety while upon the journey— On this point we shall be ready to afford them the most [undecipherable] satisfaction, either by giving them hostages, in any [undecipherable] necessary for their safety— If the treaty should be held at the seat of the General Government, all claims or points of dispute could be adjusted as they arise— But if commissioners should be appointed to go to a considerable distance, their authority must be limited— and of course claims, which may arise from the Indians, either, could not be granted, or much time must be expended in obtaining [undecipherable] instructions from the Government— Besides if a treaty should be [undecipherable], the President himself would have the full satisfaction of forming an acquaintance with the Chiefs, and of [undecipherable] [undecipherable] that the [undecipherable] should be [undecipherable] exactly according to his wishes— But in case of agreeing upon a place of treaty, either at any spot [undecipherable] of the Ohio, or within fifty, it will be indispensably necessary, that there be a complete representation of all the parties, so that whatever [undecipherable] shall [undecipherable] concluded, shall be binding upon all afterwards— If the hostile Indians [undecipherable] and agree to a treaty, then they must all send their own parties— the alarm of [undecipherable] war must cease until the effect of the pacific overtures is known; and they must do so likewise— As you can possess this information, it would be some reproach to say that this overtures are the offspring of pure humanity, and not from any apprehension for the [undecipherable] consequences of the war— Your own [undecipherable] of our numbers, will have convinced you that as a long and continued contest with the United States, the Indians must be entirely ruined— But the President of the United States is anxiously desirous for the sake of humanity of avoiding so great an evil. He cannot but hope, that when the Indians fully understand that all their lands not fairly ceded on their own, and that they cannot be disposed thereof, excepting by a free and voluntary Sale, made under the authority of the United States, that they will accede to a treaty, which will [undecipherable] them the blessings of the [undecipherable]— I am fully aware of the labor and trouble the request herein contained will create— But it is partly inspired from the interest you [undecipherable] in the year 1791, and at [undecipherable] periods for the welfare of the Indian [undecipherable]— and from your being [undecipherable] impressed that their happiness, [undecipherable] involved in making peace with the United States, that you will zealously [undecipherable] in accomplishing so just and so [undecipherable] an object— I am Sir With great respect Your humble [undecipherable] H Knox [Governor Brant] [[undecipherable] August [undecipherable] 92]