War department June 29, 1792 Sir — I have received your letter of the 2^d instant by your Son who with Doctor Allen and Cap^t Joseph Brant arrived in this City on the 20 instant. Cap^t Brant's visit will I flatter myself be productive of great satisfaction to himself, by being made acquainted with the humane views of the President of the United States. It was well judged to deliver Cap^t Brants Son the horse you mention — Doctor Allens account will be settled and paid here — for the sums you advanced him you will be credited — No Horses have been purchased on the way to this City as the Journey was mostly performed by Water. For the sums your Son expended down here you will be credited two hundred dollars the has been paid here for his services from the time of his setting out untill his return at the rate of two dollars p day — And he has advanced to him on your account the further Sum of Six hundred dollars for which you will be held accountable — about two hundred dollars of this sum at the excess, may be expended in order to defray the expences back, which will leave the Sum of four hundred dollars in your hands to be appropriated as the public interests may require. I am sorry you did not find it convenient to repair to this City, as certain sentiments of oeconomy and modes of management of the Indians might have been more successfully impressed than may be done by letter. But I beg leave to observe strongly that the system of Indian expences and allowances are by no means to be measured by the helter skelter conduct which was observed under the late management which on several instances was unjustifiably expensive. None but discreet men having a proper regard to their own characters and who will be content with reasonable compensations, are to be employed in the Indian department under your direction. As you at present are regarded favorably, as well for your zeal as your oeconomy, it will be important to you that these principles be manifest in all your future conduct; and while you consider the public good the rule of your actions, you may proceed with a confidence may depend upon support. As to you being allowed a Clerk, there is no such [undecipherable] — you may however be allowed occasional assistance at a reasonable compensation, but at present, no fixed assistance can be allowed. Mess^rs Pierce and Danforth have no exclusive right to trade with the Indians — If they assert any such thing they do no honor to their recommendations and exhibit themselves in the first instance as unworthy of confidence. This will be manifest when the enclosed copies of the permission be examined and when you are informed that Governor Clinton has also recommended for the same trade Abraham Fowler and John [undecipherable] to whom permissions are also given. I am Sir with great regard, Your humble Servant [Knox] [undecipherable] Gen^l Israel Chapin.