Now I have all pages. Let me compose the full transcription from the readable content across pages 3–9 (pages 1–2 are a placeholder and a severely degraded wrapper). --- [undecipherable] the Secretary of War has the honor to submit to the President of the United States his opinion, with [those] of the other heads of Departments, on the propriety of [appointing] a qualified person to [visit and examine] into the actual State of the garrisons, [Indian] Trading Houses or Factories, and [public] property in the North Western Territory, on the Mississippi and on the frontiers of Tennessee and Georgia. Should the President approve of [this plan], the Secretary requests that he will be pleased to appoint a person in order that instructions [may] be made out accordingly. Signed War Department James Mc Henry 23. May 1800 The President of the United States --- The Secretary of War has the honor to submit for the consideration of the heads of Departments the propriety of [selecting and commissioning] a qualified person to [visit] on [certain] occasions into the actual State of the Garrisons, Indian Trading houses or Factories, and Public property of every description, with the [object] of preserving or disposing of the same, for use or consumption, in the North Western Territory, on the Mississippi, and on the frontiers of Tennessee and Georgia. It is stated that it has been the practice throughout the Western [Country] of the United States, for military commanders to hold talks with the Indians, to give rations to them, occasionally to supply them with ammunition and clothing, and sometimes to make them other presents, and [this] without [any] proper restriction — that the Secretary has given orders to restrain the Officers of Garrisons at Military Posts, to abstract [as far as practicable] military commandance from interference in Indian concerns, and [to confine] exclusively if possible [the] [relations] [with] Territorial Governors and [Superintendents] of Indian [Affairs]. That the intent of these orders was not only to lessen the public expenditures, by curtailing the [issues] of Rations, and the presents of public property to Indians, but to obviate the ill consequences and confusion to the peace from two distinct Authorities Military Commandants and Indian Superintendants acting at the same time, and without concert on the same subjects — and [also] to secure a more perfect control over the Indians by an uniform system to be acted upon by one and the same authority, to which much concerns [undecipherable: of their more safely] committed. That in so far as these orders have been observed, beneficial effects have apparently resulted. But certain military officers, have notwithstanding suggested the impossibility of resisting the approaches of Indians for Rations and [presents], and that powerful reasons exist why military Commandants should not be precluded from their heretofore [usual] connection with the Indians, or from the power of retaining them in their interests by acts of Bounty. That a question accordingly [arises] and appears to be definitively [settled] — whether military commandants except in cases of extraordinary urgency, absolute necessity and upon their strict and exclusive [responsibility], should be permitted to issue [rations] or distribute public property to Indians, or actually [hold talks] with them. The subject requires the [attention] of Territorial Governors or [other] superintendants of Indian affairs. [Secondly] whether a satisfactory [system for] the garrisons cannot be [better formed] by an examination into the [state of things and existing] circumstances along the western Frontier, by [a disinterested] person [appointed] and authorized to make [inquiries] and to report the results of his inquiries. And it is [also] stated that it is conceived [advantageous and expedient] to engage [the services of such a] person [for that purpose]. [The] Government should from time to time [employ such a person] to [examine the actual situation of garrisons and] [obtain information] and [undecipherable] of the latter through [wider] channels than the responsible [officers] or Agents [entrusted], so as to add that to an intimate knowledge in particulars of the manner in which the Indian [undecipherable] to [issue] rations [or distribute] [public property] and to examine the establishments and upon the occasion to inquire and report on the conduct of the Stock on hand and of the prospect of [continuing] them as [in comparison] with the introduction of [foreign goods] expressed in the [documents for] their establishment, that the [capital] [stock] [permitted] may not be diminished, information obtained [not] otherwise than through the agents themselves is absolutely necessary. It is submitted whether an actual examination by the more intelligent and disinterested person respecting the [aforementioned] objects, authorized to make the same and to report the results of his inquiries [thereby] would not be extremely beneficial to the public and useful to the succeeding Secretary of the Department of War, by furnishing in one view a mass of information more complete than is otherwise attainable. And certainly in an imperfect degree with considerable research and experience in the Department and whether it would not give him the clearest conviction of errors where they have occurred, or [faults] where they have been committed in order to their remedy. All which is respectfully submitted War Department Signed James Mc Henry May 23 1800 May 26^th 1800 I concur in the opinion and recommendation of the Sec^t of War as above expressed. Signed Oliver Wolcott Sec^t of the Treasury M^r Lee and M^r Stoddert also concurred