War Department, 13^th September 1796 Sir I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 28^th June ultimo, and regret that from the unusual multiplicity of [undecipherable] and the confusion occasioned by the [undecipherable: removal] of all the public offices to [undecipherable], 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 the appointment of agents, under that establishment I can assure you that I have, at all times, consider:ied you not only as the [underline: nominal], but the [underline: effectual] head of the Indian Department in the north western territory. and, as such, have always wished infor:mation from you of whatever you might have conceived of sufficient importance to attract the attention of Govern:ment. 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 Super in:andant. 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 pro:tection of the inhabitants, otherwise outrages might be committed which the dilatory process of civil autho:rity could never prevent, nor any subsequent expedi:tions compensate. Agents have been appointed in conformity to the act of Congress of 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 trans:mitted to this office. I have promised the North Western Indians, that I would require you to attend particularly to the punishment of the perpetrators or [undecipherable] of the murders committed at post Vincennes on two of their countrymen — One a chief of some distinction [undecipherable] the Nation to which he belonged. The importance of a vigorous execution of justice in cases of this [undecipherable: kind] both in a humane and political point of view, has no doubt made a proper impression on your mind. I, therefore, rest assured that no measures have, or will be, neglected to bring the offenders to the punishment they merit. It has been represented to me by [undecipherable] with the Little Turtle, that the White People frequently [undecipherable: cross] over the Indian boundary near Post Vincennes, and there make lands. As this must necessarily give uneasiness to the nations, and is an infraction of our treaty with them, you will please to make use of every mean in your power to put a stop to such proceedings in future. I have the honor to be with perfect respect [undecipherable] James McHenry His Excellency A. St Clair