[undecipherable] War Department [undecipherable] [undecipherable] 13^th September [1796] [undecipherable] Sir I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 20^th [undecipherable] ultimo, and [undecipherable] that from the unusual multiplicity of [undecipherable] and the confusion occasioned by the [undecipherable: remo]val of all the public offices to [undecipherable: Trenton?], it has not been in my power to give it a more early attention. Without referring to the conduct of [undecipherable] as it respects your situation in the Indian Department, or to any conclusions you may have drawn from [undecipherable] the appointment of agents, under that establishment, I can assure you that I have, at all times, considered you not only as the nominal, but the [undecipherable] head of the Indian Department in the north-western territory and, as such, have always expected information from you of whatever you might have conceived of sufficient importance to attract the attention of Government. If the commanding general has, occasionally, been charged with matters relating to the Indians, and necessarily connected with the safety of the troops, or general tranquility, it ought not to be deemed as interfering with your functions as the Superintendent. On the frontier of uncivilized and savage nations emergencies will frequently occur, in which the prompt interference of the commanding officers at the several posts, becomes indispensable to the protection of the inhabitants, otherwise outrages might be committed which the dilatory process of civil authority could never prevent, nor any subsequent operations compensate. Agents have been appointed in conformity to the act of Congress of [undecipherable: May?] 1796 for the regulation of Indian affairs. These agents shall be immediately instructed to make regular reports to you of all occurrences, and information which shall come to their knowledge, duplicates of which will also be transmitted to this office. I have [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] Western Indians [undecipherable] I [undecipherable] require from you a [undecipherable: stand?], particularly [undecipherable] the punishment of the [undecipherable] or [undecipherable] of the murder committed [undecipherable] post [undecipherable] on [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] countrymen — by a chief of some [undecipherable] of the Nation to which he belonged. The importance of a [undecipherable] execution of justice in cases of [undecipherable], both in a humane and [undecipherable] point of view, no doubt, made a proper impression on your mind. I, therefore, rest assured that no measures have, or will be, neglected to bring the offender to the [undecipherable]