[Copy— June 10, 1797] But leaving these objections [undecipherable] made by his [undecipherable], from the first day of the [undecipherable] the true question before the house is — Whether any addition to the military establishment be necessary, and if so, what addition, in addition to those [undecipherable] [undecipherable] — I take it for [a] thing granted that the military force on the western frontier can neither be diminished nor withdrawn[;] on the contrary that the present [undecipherable] would make it [undecipherable] to augment it. [undecipherable] [undecipherable] settlements on the Indian lands [which?] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to the [constantly?] [undecipherable] depredations and [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the inhabitants and Indians, show evidently, that even an imperfect state of peace cannot be maintained, without the presence of a regular and permanent military force on the frontier. It is [undecipherable] from [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] of the government — The frontier[s] is [undecipherable] to have garrisons and that the [undecipherable] [when?] the department of war [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of militia and [undecipherable] and frequent, and often such as cannot be resisted. [But?] There is another consideration which ought not to be overlooked in viewing this subject. It is [undecipherable] known that [undecipherable] the [Indian?] mind [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] mind [undecipherable] hopes and [undecipherable] plans [undecipherable] foreign powers [undecipherable] or [undecipherable] in their [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] neighborhood, to be left to [undecipherable] without being counteracted by a correspondent force upon the part of the U.S. The present force is certainly not more than competent to that purpose. Is [undecipherable] it too [undecipherable] to suppose, when the extent and importance of the western [undecipherable] [undecipherable] when it is considered that there is a [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] frontier extending from the Mississippi to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] thence [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] imports made of the [undecipherable] & [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [See Coms affairs [undecipherable] remarks [undecipherable]] [M-1059] [undecipherable: deputy?] to the [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] by the whole of the present military establishment? I believe it [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable], or [undecipherable] others to [undecipherable], that the protection of the western frontier can be [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] [when?] the [undecipherable] any [undecipherable] in which we can suppose it to be placed. [undecipherable] to meet to be examined whether the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] by the [undecipherable] of war [undecipherable] to be on the [undecipherable] [undecipherable], and [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to the [undecipherable] — 1^st [undecipherable] 2 [undecipherable] relation to this question There are [5?] [undecipherable] which appear from the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of the [undecipherable] of war made [undecipherable] will furnish [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] of this [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] 1^st is distinct from his report of the — [See [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] 1^st January 1797. Since [undecipherable] [undecipherable] at the works [undecipherable] 16 March 1797 [undecipherable] [undecipherable] points referred by Mr [undecipherable]] which he had [the?] power to garrison, had been kept in repair so far only [as?] the strength of the garrison would permit, not that this garrison was [incompetent?] to keep them in repair, as he [expected?] to have said by a [undecipherable] from Virginia. 2. That the forts [there?] garrisoned [by?] [undecipherable] incompetent to keep them in repair one — three of [undecipherable] [undecipherable] N.Y. [undecipherable] [undecipherable] (in [undecipherable]) [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] (Washington, N.C.) [undecipherable] F.C. 3. That [he?] [undecipherable] been obliged to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] within, the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] 4. That the frontier settlements [and?] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] on the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] on [undecipherable] lands can be applied to garrison the works in [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of the U.S. military [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] is about [undecipherable] 438 [undecipherable] commissioned [undecipherable] and [undecipherable] officers for [undecipherable] minus [undecipherable] of intelligence and [undecipherable] is complete according to the [undecipherable] establishment. 5. We [undecipherable] about 17 [undecipherable] commissioned officers for [undecipherable] minus [undecipherable] of intelligence and [undecipherable] is complete according to the [undecipherable] [undecipherable]. 6. [No?] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] without a system of [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to be [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] It appears [there?] to be some [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to garrison [undecipherable] more [undecipherable] strength [undecipherable] from [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] among [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] that the [undecipherable] system [undecipherable] [undecipherable] —