Sir, The cultivation of a good understanding between the Officers of the Federal and State Governments, has been among the favorite objects of the administration, which my Fellow Citizens have intrusted to my care; and, I am persuaded, that the President of the United States will not perceive anything in the recent explanation which I have given of my conduct, relatively to the Presqu'isle establishment, that would warrant a deviation from that cordial and harmonizing spirit by which he has been, reciprocally, actuated. That the Northern Indians, previously to the passing of the Act, by which I was enabled to carry into effect the law for laying out the Town at Presqu'isle, had manifested a hostile disposition, for reasons unconnected with our plan of settlement, is a fact of such notoriety, that I did not think the evidence of official documents would be necessary to establish it. But it may be proper, in answering your letter of the 25. instant, to refer you to the reply which the Six Nations made to a Speech delivered by General Chapin on the 10 of February last; a copy of which you transmitted to me on the twenty fourth day of May. By this document, furnished from the records of your office, independently of all other evidence, it will, I think, appear, that some old grievances alleged to have been suffered from the Union, the inflammatory speech of Lord Dorchester, the constant machinations of British Agents, and the corruption of British bribes, had, in truth, previously excited that hostile disposition, which you seem to consider as the effect of the measures pursued by Pennsylvania for establishing a Town at Presqu'isle. I am not inclined, Sir, to enter into a discussion of the extent or execution of those principles of Society, or of that practice of political communities, which, you observe, will frequently concur in postponing the enjoyment of a particular right or interest of a part of a Nation, to con=siderations respecting the safety or welfare of the whole Nation: but it is obvious, that a doctrine of this nature must depend especially upon the terms of the social or political compact to which it is applied; and that of all the modifications of which it is susceptible, the least to our systems of Government (a Federal Republic) would, perhaps, be the acknowledgement of a discretionary power in the Executive Magistrate of a particular State, to suspend, under any circumstances, the execution of a law, enacted by the only competent authority, and directed, by legitimate means to a legitimate end. The question on the propriety of consulting the welfare and Interest of the whole Nation at the expense of a part of it, might, indeed, be justly proposed to the Legislature of Pennsylvania; and would, I am persuaded, receive from that department of our Government, a liberal consideration: but you will recollect, Sir, that my difficulty occurred, because the question was proposed to the Executive Magistrate, who, if he had not originally the authority to interpose could not, I was apprehensive, acquire it, merely from a consideration of the weight of the reasons which might be suggested on the subject. It may be proper here to remark, that my determination to continue the suspension of the Presqu'isle establishment till the President shall vary this opinion which he has delivered, is founded principally on the assurances I have received that the obstacles are of a temporary nature; and, consequently, that the success of the attempts which you inform me, are put in train to remove them; may be so seasonably attained as to admit, not only of am acco= mmodation of the views of the General Government; but also of the Execution of the law of Pennsylvania, within the period contemplated by the Legislature: for, although no arguments can be necessary to convince me of the patriotic attention of the President to the interests of the Union, it would be contrary to the ideas which I entertain of his justice, candor and wisdom, to suppose, that, in order to facilitate the duties of his station, he would advise me to pursue a measure inconsistent with the duties of mine; or that he would deliver an opinion to the Executive of any State, which it might be thought indecent to disregard, and illegal to adopt. I am, with great respect, To Henry Knox Eq.^r Sir Secretary at War [undecipherable] your most Obed. Serv. [Signed:] Thomas Mifflin [Examined: James Trimble [undecipherable] / [Attested]] Philadelphia 24 June 1794 To Henry Knox, Esq. Secretary at War