Secy of War Nov 25^th 1798 Inclosed is an extract of a letter a list & proposals sent me by Col Hawkins for establishing a silver smith at this post which I forward for your discussion we are totally destituted of an apartment of goods for the Indian trade this fall the traders who come to the post find their skins into Georgia to procure goods & numbers are detained from coming by the talks circulated in the Nation that goods are not to be had here we are forwarding our skins & furs as fast as possible have sent on about 30,000$ & have nearly as many on hand I was under the necessity of building a house for accommodation within cannon shot of the fort I have a thought of conducting the retail buisness there with your approbation the insubordination & reges. regulations framed over us by the military I cant submit to with any kind of innocense or satisfaction I would rather expose the goods to my own risk than undergo the degradation I am forced to submit to. I likewise wish to establish a ferry [undecipherable] from the military under my own direction the one now established is conducted in such a manner that several wagons have been [undecipherable] & horses drowned and the commandants with citizens may easy & not we mights make a number of farther advantages to the US [undecipherable] then a free intercourse for the Citizens of Georgia to the [undecipherable] and much more satisfaction to them we have frequently goods unsuitable to the [474] Indian trade we are likewise deprived of purchasing the necessary provisions for our support by the regulations prescribed there have been several affrays between the Indians & Soldiers both [undecipherable] it would likewise be a means of preventing the trading that [undecipherable] between them was then a little de[undecipherable] List of persons licensed to trade in the Creek nation [undecipherable] last returns 9 June 1798 [undecipherable] Above Christ Ruspole Thos [undecipherable] Bruce Tho^s Lane Isaac Keener [undecipherable] 2 years from the respective dates