War Office - Philadelphia 15^th December 1799 Major H. de Butts - Sir, Brigadier General Wilkinson has written to me, that some time last summer, at a conference had by him with the [undecipherable] of the N.W. Indians, [the] an instrument was produced by the [undecipherable] to the Indians which he [undecipherable] to the [undecipherable] party of the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] from the [undecipherable] he was upon the [undecipherable] of the [undecipherable] — General Wilkinson [undecipherable] to obtain and [undecipherable] it — I am [undecipherable] mentioned, that I was satisfied this paper was [undecipherable] [undecipherable] my [undecipherable] as well as a knowledge of the hand writing of General Wayne and myself as on a comparison of their neatness, [undecipherable] to this paper, with the [undecipherable] manual signatures to different papers, letters & on the files of this Office. This thing requires [undecipherable] before your departure from Philadelphia — [undecipherable] my writing to [undecipherable] me the Instrument here as I had intended — I now inclose it with this letter, to Mr Robert Oliver, who will submit it to you with, both on [undecipherable] you will inform me, whether the name purporting to be the signatures of [undecipherable] Wayne and [undecipherable] H. de Butts [undecipherable] are not the paper and actual hand writing of the late Major General Wayne and [undecipherable]. Mr Oliver is [undecipherable] I should see you in Baltimore as soon as possible — and return the instrument immediately — to [undecipherable] your answer will come by the same conveyance — Your &c &c --- War Office 15^th December 1797- Dear Sirs I take the Liberty of requesting you will See Major H. de Butts, should he be yet in Baltimore as soon as possible, and deliver to him the inclosed letter — after he has [undecipherable: perused] read the letter — I beg you will submit to his inspection the Instrument also inclosed — You will then be pleased to return the instrument which is a document of consequence by the first post — Should Maj. de Butts have sailed you will return his letter with the instrument — Yours sincerely — [docket: Dec 15^th 1797] Robert Oliver Esq^r