1800 No. 4 Letter from Secry McHenry dated 22nd March 1800 War Department 22d May 1800 Sir The “Act for establishing Trading Houses with the Indian Tribes” passed the 18th April, 1796, being limited to the term of two Years, and to the end of the next Session of Congress thereafter, and no longer, expired on the 14th inst,, the day on which the late Session of Congress ended, no Law having passed to receive the same. It will of course rest with the President to continue the Factories, on Trading-houses for trading with the Indians, or other-wise, as to him shall seem proper, and, as I have resigned the Office of Secretary of War, it will devolve on my Succession to take Order on the Subject. To a correct understandind of the actual Situation of the Factory under your direction, the accounts & Statements I have heretofore received of you will be indispensable. You will prepare & transmit them as soon as possible, and will also transmit Duplicates of your Accounts to the Secretary of the Treasury. The Act itself requires that the Accounts of the Factories shall be made up half yearly, and transmitted to the Secretay of the Treasury of the United States, which Injunction it is requisite should in future be strictly complied with, as well as the other requierments of the Law. If you have not heretofore been furnished with dorms for keeping and rendering your Accounts, wou will request the same from either the Comptroller of the Treasury or the Accountant of the War Department; and if you have already been furnished with forms, which to you appear to require Explanation in any particulars, you will apply to the same Gentlemen for such Explanation. I regret to inform you that I have not yet been able to select a suitable character for an Assistant Storekeeper at the Oconee factory. I shall however inform my Successor of the absolute Necessity for one, & call his Attention specially to supply the vacancy. I enclose a Copy of the Report of the Committee of Congress on the Factories, with my Report thereon annexed. I am Sir, Your obt. Servt. James McHenry

Mr. Edward Wright