To the Agent of the department of War in the State of Georgia. (Major Constant Freeman.) Sir, The President has been pleased to appoint Mr. Benjamin Hawkins temporary resident Agent to the Indians south of the Ohio, in conformity with a law passed the 19^th day of May 1796 intitled "An Act to regulate Trade and intercourse with the Indian Tribes and to preserve peace on the frontiers", and to vest you with the following powers in pursuance of the said law. 1. To grand permits to such persons as may appear to you to have business in the Creek, Choctaw, or Chickasaw Nations, to pass into the same. — And 2^d. To grand licences to purchase horses to trade in any of the said Nations, agreeably to the conditions of the law. In order to make this arrangement known, you will notice in the Newspapers that you are authorized to grand them, and the Place where Application is to be made to you for that purpose. Enclosed are blanks Passes, Licences, and Stubs. You will make quarterly returns to the Secretary of War of the names of all persons which you may licence, and will require of the Traders that they shall not carry into the Indian Country for Sale, any spirituous or distilled Liquors. You will also cause to be inserted in the Newspapers the annexed Advertisement relative to inquiries done the property of Citizens of the United States by Indians, and will report to the Secretary of War all cases referred to you within the purview of the 14^th Section of the aforesaid Act to which it refers, for the examination and order of the President, and to the Agent to the Indians south of the Ohio. That the law may be duly executed it is necessary that a mode should be adopted for the discovery of Infractors. With this view Mr. Hawkins is instructed to report to you the names of all persons coming into the place where he resides or of whom he has knowledge, in the three Nations before mentioned, with or without a Pass; as also the names of all persons found trading with or without a Licence; and the names of all violators or Infractors of the 2^d 3^d and 14^th Sections of the law. He is to report in like manner all cases of offences committed under the fourth Section of the Act and the value of any property that may be taken or destroyed, belonging to an Indian. He is also to report to you all neglects or refusals for compensation required from the Indians agreeably to the fourteenth Section. On your part you will transmit to Mr. Hawkins from time to time the names of all persons to whom you may have granted passes and Licences; and to the Secretary of War the cases of offences committed under the fourth Section with which he will furnish you, that Order may be taken thereon. It being important to the maintenance of peace with the Indians that all Offenders against the provisions of this Act should be punished, you will as often as any case may require it, and documents be in your possession to prove the Offence, advertise a reward of Ten Dollars for the apprehending of the Offender, so that he may be brought to Trial. Given at the War Office of the United States in Philad^a this 9^th day of September A^d 1796 — Signed James McHenry [seal] To whom it may concern. The Subscriber being authorized by the President of the United States, to receive claims against the United States arising under the Law of Congress passed the 19^th of May 1796 entitles An act to regulate Trade and intercourse with the Indian Tribes, and to preserve peace on the frontiers; hereby makes known that documents, proofs substantiating the loss of any property taken, stolen or destroyed by any Indian or Indians, within the purview of the fourteenth Section of the said law, are to be lodged at