[Administrative docket/endorsement:] [undecipherable] James [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [17]99 Indian affairs 11 1799 War Department 11^th June 1799. Sir, I have received your letter, dated Louisville, March the 9^th last, with its inclosures. It is much to be regretted that occurrences, so alarming to the frontier of Georgia, and which have manifestly tendency, to compromise the peace of the United States should necessarily become the subject of your letters. May it not however be hoped with confidence, that the infliction of exemplary but legal punishments upon the whites, who stole the horses of the Cherokees &, will have a satisfying effect, with the Indians generally, and by convincing them, that they may get just justice from the whites, probably induce to the delivering up the murderers of Mr. John Moreland. I enclose you a printed copy of the intercourse law, now in force, the 4^th section, which will, shew the extent to my powers with respect to the reimbursement by the United States, to the State of Georgia, of the expenses necessarily incurred in pursuing, and apprehending the persons who stole the horses, and discharging the charges of the Cherokees, on his visit to receive payment for the horses not recovered returned to him. The Satisfaction for those monies, is not presumed to have been attempted before — but as you will perceive, that the Section cited, subjects the Indians to a forfeiture not exceeding one hundred dollars, & imprisonment not exceeding twelve months and also, when property is taken or destroyed, to [undecipherable] pay to the Indian or Indians, & when the property [undecipherable], or is not equal to twice the just value thereof, & the that it is only, when the Officer should be unable to pay, a sum not less & [undecipherable] to the [undecipherable] in [undecipherable]. That, whatever should fall short of [undecipherable] justice, shall be paid out of the Treasury of the United States. Money has long since been forwarded, to meet the claim of the Georgia militia, which [was] required for services, [undecipherable] by the President, and for which appropriations were made by Congress. [undecipherable] & [undecipherable], such money has been paid to the persons, actually entitled to receive it. I have taken every necessary measure, to obtain a full investigation of the conduct of [undecipherable] & Colonel Gaither, the result of which has not yet been transmitted to me. I have the honor to be with great respect, Your Excellency's obedient & humble servant — James McHenry [His Excellency James Jackson Governor of the State of Georgia.]