[1796 To [undecipherable] Olcon on a projected memorial for recovering ments tho has suffered by British captures] [To [undecipherable] Olcott Esq] Sir. The draught of the memorial in its ori- ginal form [strikethrough: undecipherable] strikes me in the following light. To reduce it to a small compass. It states the [undecipherable] injuries done to the petitioners by illegal captures of their vessels & property by Great Britain without [affording] either directly or indirectly the treaty as a means of indemnification. It describes [strikethrough: the] the mode of seeking redress in the usual course by appeals to the courts in Great Britain "(a practice independent of treaty) as involving a delay of indemnification which must prove ruinous to many sufferers, and concludes by praying Congress to grant the petitioners "such indemnification and relief as the nature and justice of their several cases may require." Such being the memorial I should consider the laying it before Congress as a direct attack upon the treaty. 1^st Because it does not acknowledge the treaty [strikethrough: either directly nor indirectly] as a means by which even partial redress or any redress may be obtained. And 2^d. Because it [strikethrough: undecipherable] obliges Congress to employ means tending to defeat the treaty, if not contradicting to its provisions. The fund contemplated by the treaty to pay the sufferers by illegal captures is to be provided by Great Britain. The fund contemplated by the memorial is to be immediately provided by Congress. The Courts established by the treaty to try the illegality of captures are those of Great Britain. The Court prayed for by the Memorial is Congress, who as to grant the petitioners "such indemnity and relief as the nature and justice of their several cases may require" A [undecipherable] to Congress of this nature where it is known a party exists who have been courting the people to pour in objections to the treaty, would in all probability be employed to answer purposes very different from the object of the memorial as judicious [Congress] Something no doubt ought to be done, by [undecipherable] towards the [undecipherable] relief of the sufferers [strikethrough: undecipherable] till it appears that the indemnification by Great Britain is inadequate can [Congress] [strikethrough: undecipherable] can [undecipherable] undertake to say what- it ought to be as the memorial requires, [strikethrough: and] determine [strikethrough: undecipherable] [undecipherable] the nature and justice of every particular case, to cast the business into this train at this stage of the treaty, to get Congress to decide the quantum of [strikethrough: undecipherable] indemnity, as the memorial holds out, that each sufferer is intitled to, and to deny it to him when ascertained would be in effect to set aside the treaty. What is to be done, [strikethrough: then] you ask? Congress ought to make a loan to the sufferers and take their claims [for] security [for] reimbursement. This is the only relief, which under present circum- stances, I think, Congress can grant, and the only relief which there is [strikethrough: undecipherable] probability of obtaining. If such should be your idea the memorial may be easily altered to conform to it. I am your ob^t James McHenry