N° 2. Cuseta 6 Jan.^y 1797 The Secretary of War Sir, I left ^{my atta} N° 1 of the 22 nov. in the care of General Puleans to be forwarded to you by post from Colom[undecipherable]. I have pursued the rout pointed out to you in the [undecipherable] and visited three of the Chostaw towns thence to the Tallapoosa, and down that river to the Alabama, up the Coosa to two towns and from thence returning up the Tallapoosa to Tuckabatchee, thence thro the Tallasca to, this town, down the [undecipherable]ita and back again. I have in the course of this to[ur] made on all occasions suitable efforts to impress on the minds of the Indians the benevolent views of the governm[ent] and to avail myself of the necessary information in aid of the plan contemplated in my mission. The season was not a very favorable one, as most of the Chiefs were out hunting and there remained at home in the towns the traders, the women and old men only, with some few exceptions. I have through the whole of the upper Creeks obtained this interesting fact from all the traders and Indians, that the Indi[a]ns are inclined to peace and more friendly to the white people than they have ever been known to be. This was to be expected, and it can readily be [undecipherable] for, arising out of the accomm[o]dations they hope for in the [undecipherable] of the U[nited] S[tates] and the accommodation of our political differences with Spain and Great Britain. The Indians who were at Colerain have spoken highly of the candid, just and friendly conduct of the Commissioners of the United States durring the whole of the Ngo-ciations, and in every town I find some of them, who point me out as one of the[m]. Before my arrival I had to be informed that there were some white [men] in the Nation who's past conduct would [undecipherable] the strictest scrutiny. I have determin[e]d not to interput and I have announced this determination in every town, with requisitions to all the white people to aid and assist me, and I am promised the co-operation of all the leaders and their deputies. I find myself surrounded with innumerable difficulties, the [undecipherable] are all of them beggars, and being accustomed for several years past to receive presents from the United States, Great Britain or Spain [undecipherable] to clothe all the [undecipherable] in the nation [and] view with surprize this great belo[undecipherable] friend and father the agent of the nations offering them cotton [undecipherable] the said, ploughs, spinning wheels, cards and looms with instructors in the useful branches of mechanics and agriculture. They are extremely jealous of those women who are slaves and destined to every office of labour and fatigue. They will not suffer the least intercourse with them fearing that by being able to clothe themselves, they will attempt to break the chains which degrade them. The young women and the widows are ex-empt from these restrictions with some few of the married women. The traders several of whom have amassed considerable fortunes have almost all of them been as inattentive to their children as the Indians. It has not entered the head of one of them to attempt to better the condition of the Indi[a]ns. [They?] believe they look on such attempts as frivolity. They have no social intercourse with [them?] they pursue their bussiness steadily. They are all of them hospitable. — Mr. William Panton has engrossed the greatest part of the trade of this nation, his establishment is at Pensacola, he supplies not only the [undecipherable] traders, but he has set up a number of Indian factors. They are both bless[e]d with him, and the Indians are [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] a considerable amount. [Their?] Skin and fur trade is on the decline, the wants of the Indians are assimi-lating. — I believe I shall find a difficulty in establishing a national council to meet once a year at the town of my residence, but the expense must be borne by the government, and I think it scarcely be so con-ducive as, not [to?] exceed two hundred dollars. An establishment of this sort appears to me indispensable. [T]o [undecipherable] the nation to fulfil its engagements with us, for except as to the government of the women there is no law. It belongs to individuals to take personal satisfaction, or to the family of the person injured to avenge the wrong the Chiefs may interpose, but their interpo-sition is seldom of any effect. There is here and there, a solitary instance where the chiefs of a town have interposed all the authority, which could only prevail on the [undecipherable] of the relations to put the offending [undecipherable] to death. We must aid them to fulfil their engagements, and it will require much and patient instruction to enlighten their understandings. I intended to do [undecipherable] I visited this town expressly to examine into the most minute [undecipherable] at the Apalachee The Chiefs are from home but expected soon to return I shall do what is proper on the occasion. I have visited the Cusotchi [undecipherable] of the Chiefs [a] few of whom I was personally acquainted with, two of them Miccos, one of them [the?] Bird [undecipherable] who was at New york. They are as friendly as I could wish. From the unusual time the traders have been down at Colerain I am apprehensive M[r]. Price the [undecipherable] of goods, and my baggage are also lost. I am much in want of the baggage, as [if?] the whole is lost, I must request of you to repeat the order for the articles mentioned in the list I left with you. I shall soon write to you [undecipherable] I beg you to assure the President of my sincere wishes for a long con-tinuance of his health and happiness and to [undecipherable] your self [undecipherable] with the sincerest regard and estim[ation?] S[i]r your ob[edient] ser[van]t [James McHenry Secretary of War. Cuseta 7 Jan.^y 1797 Col. H. Gaither]