War Office, March 23. 1798. Sir, I have your letter of February the 27^th received yesterday evening. It is expected, should Coxe or his Men have attempted to pass your forts that they have been stopped and their purpose defeated. No passport of a Governor of a State ought to divert you from resisting the progress of Men associated and proceeding with military apparatus to invade Indian land under the Guarantee of the United States. If passports actually exist in the hands of these people, it must be presumed they have been obtained under false pretences.— You will accordingly disregard them. If however, which is hardly supposable, such passports have been given, with a full knowledge of their illegal object, they must still be disregarded and in neither case suffer to affect your exertions for the maintenance of the laws of your Country thus attempted to be violated. I inclose you a copy of a letter of this date to M^r Dinsmore. You will advise him of the state of things as it respects this business for his Government. I am Sir with respect Your obed^t Servant, signed James McHenry. Lieut^t Col. Thomas Butler.