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Pottawatamie Indians.

LETTER

FROM

THE SECRETARY OF WAR,

TRANSMITTING

The information required by the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 16th instant, respecting the Treaties of the 20th, 26th, and 27th of October, 1832, with the Pottawatamie Indians.

MARCH 1, 1839.
Read, and laid upon the table.

WAR DEPARTMENT, February 28, 1839.

SIR: I respectfully transmit, herewith, a report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, and one of the Second Auditor of the Treasury, in answer to the resolution, of the 16th instant, calling for certain information in reference to the treaties with the Pottawatamie Indians of the 20th, 26th, and 27th of October, 1832.

Very respectfully, your most obedient servant,
J. R. POINSETT.
Hon. JAMES K. POLK,
Speaker of the Ho. of Reps.

WAR DEPARTMENT,
Office Indian Affairs, February 27, 1839.

SIR: In obedience to your direction, I have the honor to submit copies of the correspondence relative to the treaties with the Pottawatamies of October 20th, 26th, and 27th, 1832, called for by the resolution of the House of Represeatatives of the 16th instant.

Very respectfully, your most obedient servant,
T. HARTLEY CRAWFORD.
Hon. J. R. POINSETT,
Secretary of War.

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DEPARTMENT OF WAR, July 14, 1832.

GENTLEMEN: An act of Congress passed the present session authorized the appointment of three commissioners, to hold treaties and to extinguish Indian title within the States of Indiana and Illinois and the Territory of Michigan.

You have been selected to perform this duty, and you will receive herewith your respective commissions, and to one of you will be sent a copy of the act referred to and a volume of Indian treaties and laws.

You will please to notify the Department, without delay, of your acceptance or non-acceptance of this appointment. If you accept, you will communicate with each other, and determine upon a time and place for meeting and entering upon the duties thereby devolved upon you.

It is the object of the Government, in this measure, to extinguish entirely, so far as it can be effected, the native title to all Indian lands in the State of Indiana, and to so much of the land of the Pottawatamies as lies in the State of Illinois and the Territory of Michigan; and to procure the removal of the tribes now occupying them west of the Mississippi.

It is desirable that any arrangement you may make to accomplish this object should be based upon the condition that the Indians, if they consent to emigrate, should also agree that their location west of the Mississippi should be selected by the Government, and its extent be as great as the President may think required by their numbers and habits. Should the Indians refuse positively to negotiate, under an impression that the country beyond the river is unsuitable, unhealthy, or insufficient, you may then enter into a conditional arrangement, allowing them to send a deputation to examine that region.

If, after such visit and examination, they signify their acceptance of the tract designated for them, the treaty will be binding upon them, and depend only upon the ratification of the Senate. As these exploring expeditions, however, have been expensive, and sometimes fruitless, you will not assent to such a measure unless you should be convinced that an arrangement cannot otherwise be effected.

You may consent, on the part of the Government, to the insertion, in the treaties you may form, of provisions for transportation and subsistence, for furnishing implements of agriculture, rifles, blankets, &c., and for education, similar to those in the recent compacts with the Southern and Southwestern Indians proportioning them to the actual numbers of the respective tribes. No annuity will be granted for a longer term than twelve years; and, in determining the amount, you will perceive that the sums heretofore granted furnish no just criterion, inasmuch as, in addition to the pecuniary stipulations, a country is now provided for the Indians, suited to their habits, and sufficient for their numbers and wants.

Should it not be practicable to complete an arrangement with all the tribes the present year, you will so limit your expenditures that there will be a fund reserved, with which another effort may be made the next season, when, possibly, the Indians may be more inclined to negotiation and removal.

Commissioners will be appointed to adjust all unsettled Indian concerns west of the Mississippi; and, among other things, they will have

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it in charge to ascertain proper locations for the tribes with whom you are authorized to frame treaties. When their report is received, the Government will be prepared to designate the positions for those tribes who shall have entered into treaty engagements.

The surveyor of public lands in Missouri and Illinois will be requested to send to one of you a map of the Indian country in Illinois; and the Surveyor General to furnish a map of the lands in Indiana and in Michigan, south of Grand river, to which the native title has not been extinguished.

The Indian agents at Chicago and on the Wabash will be directed to carry into effect the instructions they may receive from you, relating to the object of your mission, and, generally, to co-operate with you in accomplishing the purposes of the Government.

Your compensation will be eight dollars a day, for every day employed upon this business, excepting the time spent in travelling, during which you will be allowed eight dollars for every twenty miles of travel.

Mr. Henry Hoover has been directed to report to you, as your secretary. He will be allowed five dollars a day, to include his services and expenses, and five dollars for every twenty miles of travel. These accounts will be adjusted upon vouchers, stating the time and distance, and certified by you to be correct.

Should you find it necessary to purchase provisions or presents for the Indians, you will take bills of parcels therefor, regularly receipted, and you will accompany them with certified abstracts, showing the distribution of the property purchased.

You are authorized to employ interpreters, if others than those attached to the several agencies are needed, and such other persons to aid you as you may find necessary.

To defray the expenses of your mission, you are hereby empowered to draw upon this Department, to the amount appropriated by law. You will in no event exceed that amount, and I rely upon your care for the public interest to bring your expenditures as far within it as may be practicable, consistently with the attainment of the objects of the Government.

You will keep a regular journal of your proceedings, and account of your expenses, which, with regular vouchers for the latter, you will transmit to this Department, as soon after the close of your negotiations as possible.

I have the honor to be, &c.
LEW. CASS.
Hon. JONA. JENNINGS,
DR. JOHN M. DAVIS, and
MARKS CRUME, Esq.

WAR DEPARTMENT, July 14, 1832.

SIR: I have to request that you will forward to Jonathan Jennings, Esq., one of the commissioners recently appointed to hold treaties with some of the tribes in the States of Indiana and Illinois and in the Territory of Michigan, a map of the lands in the State of Indiana and the Territory

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of Michigan, south of Grand river, to which the native title has not been extinguished.

Very respectfully,
LEW. CASS.
MICAJAH T. WILLIAMS, Esq.,
Surveyor General.

WAR DEPARTMENT, July 14, 1832.

SIR: You are hereby appointed secretary to the commissioners authorized to procure the extinction of Indian title in the States of Indiana and Illinois and the Territory of Michigan, and you will report to them for instructions.

Your compensation will be five dollars a day, for every day actually employed, except while travelling, at which time you will receive five dollars for every twenty miles. Your account will be adjusted and paid by the commissioners.

Very respectfully,
LEW. CASS.
HENRY HOOVER, Esq.

WAR DEPARTMENT, July 14, 1832.

GENTLEMEN: Colonel John B. Nees, of Liberty, Union county, Indiana, has been highly recommended to the Department, for his capacity, integrity, and fitness for business. Should you find that his services could be useful in the execution of the duty intrusted to you, I recommend him to your attention, and hope you will be able to employ him.

I have the honor to be, &c.
LEW. CASS.
Messrs. JENNINGS, DAVIS, and CRUME.

WAR DEPARTMENT, July 14, 1832.

SIR: General McCarty has been very anxious that you should be appointed in the mounted rangers, recently raised. Circumstances, it appears, have prevented this arrangement, which would have been acceptable to this Department. General McCarty has again stated his wish that some appointment should be conferred upon you.

There is none now vacant in Indiana, within the control of the Department. But I have written to the commissioners for extinguishing Indian title in that State, requesting them to give you employment in aiding them in the duty in which they will be engaged, so far as the public service will permit.

Being satisfied, from General McCarty's statement, of your capacity and fitness, I trust they will be able to engage your services.

Very respectfully, &c.
LEW. CASS.
Col. JOHN B. NESS.

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DEPARTMENT OF WAR, August 13, 1832.

GENTLEMEN: A requisition has issued this day, in your favor, for five thousand dollars, on account of the appropriation to carry into effect the art of July 14, 1832, under which you have been appointed.

This sum will be remitted from the Treasury to your chairman at Charleston; and you will please, in a joint letter, to acknowledge the receipt.

I have, &c.
JOHN ROBB,
Acting Secretary of War.

Commissioners, &c.
To the Hon. JONATHAN JENNINGS,
JOHN W. DAVIS, Esq.,
MARKS CRUME, Esq.,

DEPARTMENT OF WAR, October 3, 1832.

GENTLEMEN: In reply to your letter of the 25th ultimo, I beg leave to inform you that the draft for fifteen thousand dollars, of which you advise the Department, and which has been presented here, cannot be paid.

It is not the practice to make greater advances to public agents than the probable exigencies of their duties require. And, as it does not appear from your communication that the whole sum of twenty thousand dollars will be wanted immediately, I have directed a requisition to issue in your favor for five thousand dollars, which, with the former remittance, will, I presume, be amply sufficient to meet every present demand.

Mr. Canby has been advised of this decision.

I am, gentlemen, &c.
JOHN ROBB,
Acting Secretary of War.

To the Hon. JOHNATHAN JENNINGS,
JOHN W. DAVIS, and
MARKS CRUME, Esqs.,
Logansport, via Fort Wayne, Indiana.

DEPARTMENT OF WAR, October 3, 1832.

SIR: Your letter of the 22d ultimo has been received. The commissioners have been informed that their drafts in your favor, for fifteen thousand dollars, cannot be accepted.

No authority was given to these gentlemen to draw for the whole amount of the appropriations at once, but only for such sums as they should from time to time require. As it is not stated by them that the whole amount is now wanted, the Department perceives no sufficient reason for departing, in this instance, from the usual practice.

I am, sir, &c.
JOHN ROBB,
Acting Secretary of War,

To Dr. J. T. CANBY,
Crawfordsville, Indiana.

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DEPARTMENT OF WAR, Office Indian Affairs, November 7, 1832.

GENTLEMEN: The Secretary of War has directed me, in the absence of Judge Herring, to reply to your letter of the 22d ultimo.

He is still of opinion that the sum often thousand dollars, already remitted to you, will be sufficient for all your probable expenses at present; and he therefore declines to comply with your request, that the whole amount of the appropriation may be placed subject to your drafts.

To prevent any inconvenience resulting to you from this decision, he has instructed me to say that you will please to forward accounts of all your expenditures up to the date of the receipt of this letter, when your drafts for the excess of your expenditure over the amount remitted will be paid. The accounts must be accompanied with sufficient vouchers, and regularly certified.

I have, &c.
D. KURTZ.

Commissioners, &c.
To Messrs. JOHNATHAN JENNINGS,
JOHN W. DAVIS, and
MARKS CRUME,

DEPARTMENT OF WAR, Office Indian Affairs, November 12, 1832.

SIR: In the absence of Judge Herring, I have been instructed to reply to your letter of the 1st instant.

On the 22d ultimo, the commissioners requested that the balance of the appropriation for negotiating the treaties with the tribes in Indiana, &c., might be placed subject to their drafts.

They were answered, on the 7th instant, that the Department was still of opinion that the amount already remitted (ten thousand dollars) would be ample for all immediate exigencies, and could not, therefore, comply with their request.

The draft enclosed by you is returned, therefore, as it cannot be paid, under this decision of the Secretary of War.

I am, &c.,
D. KURTZ.

To J. T. CANBY, Esq.,
Crawfordsville.

DEPARTMENT OF WAR, December 19, 1832.

SIR: You are hereby appointed special commissary to the board of commissioners heretofore appointed to treat with the Miami and Pottawatamie tribes of Indians, under the act of Congress approved July 9, 1832, to disburse and account for the funds appropriated by said act, or so much thereof as may be placed in your hands, under the direction of said commissioners.

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So soon as the usual bond is executed and approved, funds will be placed in your hands accordingly.

I am, &c.
LEWIS CASS.

To ANTHONY L. DAVIS, ESQ.

NEAR CHARLESTON, INDIANA,
July 30, 1832.

SIR: On the 29th ultimo, I received the commission and instructions as one of the commissioners under act of Congress of the 9th July 1832, entitled "An act to enable the President to extinguish Indian titles within the States of Indiana and Illinois and Territory of Michigan."

I accept the appointment, and hope we may discharge the duties incident to the trust reposed to the satisfaction of the President and yourself. Through the means of an express sent by Dr. Davis, we have appointed Anthony L. Davis our special commissary, and executed a draft upon the Department for the amount of the appropriations in his favor.

In a few days I proceed to the seat of the State Government, to make arrangements with my colleagues, preparatory to convocation and meeting the Indians.

With great respect, your obedient, servant,
JONATHAN JENNINGS.
Hon. LEWIS CASS.

INDIANAPOLIS, August 10, 1832.

I have had the honor to receive the appointment of commissioner to treat with the Indians in this State, and the Pottawatamies in Illinois and Michigan Territory, of which please consider this my acceptance.

I hare the honor to be your obedient servant,
JOHN W. DAVIS.
Hon. LEWIS CASS,
Secretary of War.

TREATY GROUND,
Forks of the Wabash, September 15, 1832.

SIR: We have received a requisition in our favor for five thousand dollars, on account of the appropriations to carry into effect the act of July 9, 1832, pursuant to requisition No. 2,976 of the Secretary of War, dated 13th August, 1832, countersigned by the Second Comptroller of the Treasury, and registered by the Second Auditor, and dated 15th August, 1832.

Very respectfully, your obedient servants,
Com'rs, &c.
JONATHAN JENNINGS,
JOHN W. DAVIS,
MARKS CRUME,
The Hon. SECRETARY OF WAR.

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TREATY GROUND,
Forks of the Wabash, September 15, 1832.

SIR: Your letter of the 10th ultimo was this day received. My appointment and instructions reached me not until the 30th of July last, at Charleston, and a blank appointment for Anthony L. Davis, as special commissary, signed by John W. Davis, to which I affixed my signature, understanding the appointment of Mr. A. L. Davis would meet Mr. Crume's approbation. We met on the 10th ultimo, at Indianapolis, and then, Mr. Crume being present, united in the appointment of Mr. A. L. Davis, as likewise in the draft drawn in his favor, as commissary, for $20,000, and were each of them, at that time, dated accordingly.

It was not the intention of either of the commissioners to transcend the instructions of the Department, but to meet its wishes, as far as possible, in limiting our, expenditures. The Miamies are already assembled, and the time for meeting the Pottawatamies is fixed. By drawing for $20,000, we intended to anticipate the difficulties of realizing the appropriation, which might occur in our proceedings, where money might absolutely be necessary.

Having thus explained the previous occurrences relative to our mission, permit the suggestion that some measure may be taken by the Department to arrange the discrepancy that has occurred between our course and the Department.

The intention of the commissioners, and their instructions to the commissary, were to deposite ten thousand dollars to the credit of the United States, to be drawn on as our duty, from time to time, might require; and, whatever residue of the appropriation might remain, to advise the Department of the amount unexpended, and subject to its order. We expect to consummate both treaties before the close of the next month, and may require the whole of the appropriation; but, if not, any balance that shall be left will be deposited in such bank as the Department shall advise.

There is no bank in this State, nor are we advised of any in Illinois or Michigan, whose paper is current in Indiana. To avail ourselves of the necessary funds, therefore, and prevent an avoidable and not less disagreeable suspension of our duties, we have already procured money from Dr. J. T. Canby, of Crawfordsville, Indiana, and assigned him a draft for $5,000, drawn by the Secretary of the Treasury upon the cashier of the United States Bank at Louisville, dated August 16th; and under this date have drawn duplicate drafts on the Department for $15,000 in his favor.

Any advice will be best received via Fort Wayne to Logansport, Cass county, as the dates and receipt of past communications will show.

With much respect, your obedient servants,
Com'rs, &c.
JONATHAN JENNINGS,
JOHN W. DAVIS,
MARKS CRUME,
The Hon. SECRETARY OF WAR.

CRAWFORSVILLE, September 22, 1832.

SIR: Some tine last month I purchased a draft, drawn on you by Messrs. Jennings, Davis, and Crume, commissioners, &c., for $20,000, which was

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forwarded to Washington for payment, but which, to my surprise, has been returned. I am informed that, previous to the arrival of, the draft, $5,000 had been remitted to the commissioners, which is probably the reason the draft was dishonored. Previous to my purchase, the commissioners exhibited to me their instructions, authorizing them to draw for the $20,000 appropriated, and assured me the money was absolutely necessary to enable them to execute the trust confided to them by the Government; that they could derive no assistance from the bank at Cincinnati; and that they could not wait the time necessary to communicate to the Department. As their instructions contained no intimation that funds would be forwarded to them, and they were authorized to draw for the amount, and as authority to draw is equivalent to an acceptance, I did not hesitate to make the purchase. The interest of the Government, I believe, was promoted by the advance made the commissioners. It was in pursuance of the usual course of business. I had previously purchased many drafts drawn under similar authority, which were always promptly paid, and I could not anticipate a deviation, on the part of the Department, from its usual practice, which would occasion embarrassment to myself.

The commissioners have assigned me a warrant issued in pursuance of your requisition, for $5,000, in part payment of the advance made them, and have also drawn in my favor for the remaining $15,000. This draft has been forwarded to Washington for payment, and will probably be presented before this reaches you; and, I hope, will be paid. If, however, it should be otherwise, I shall be happy if you will pay over whatever may remain of the appropriations, and advise the commissioners and myself of the fact, or procure a draft from the Treasury on me for the amount, which I may have as a voucher in my account with that Department.

The delay occasioned by this misunderstanding is a serious inconvenience to me, and is calculated to increase the embarrassments of public functionaries, who are usually authorized to raise funds by drawing on the Government.

That agents of the Government, situated in the wilderness, as the commissioners are, cannot await the tardy communication by mail, is sufficiently evinced by the time the communication above alluded to was in the mail, being thirty-five days.

With great respect, your obedient servant,
J. T. CANBY.
Hon. LEWIS CASS,
Secretary of War, Washington.

TREATY GROUND,
Tippecanoe River, October 22, 1882.

SIR: Your letter of the 30th instant is before us. Circumstances not within our control have required and will demand the whole, or nearly so, of the appropriation. If possible, we will reserve a part of the appropriation; and we can say, with some confidence, have regarded our instructions, and have been economical. The whole sum will, we hope,

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be placed subject to our drafts, under the assurance of our letter of the 15th ultimo.

We are, respectfully, sir, your obedient servants,
Com'rs. &c.
JONATHAN JENNINGS,
J. W. DAVIS,
MARKS CRUME,
Hon. LEWIS CASS,
Secretary of War.

OCTOBER, 1832.

The undersigned commissioners, authorized to negotiate with the Miami and Pottawatamie Indians, report:

That incidents, peculiar in their character, connected with pecuniary interests and commercial ambition, together with the known character of the chief of the Miamies for subtlety and avarice, rendered unsuccessful any negotiation with these people.

It is, however, highly probable that in a limited period another attempt may be successful; and if so, highly advantageous to the State of Indiana.

Commencing our negotiations with the Pottawatamies, there seemed to be a local interest claimed by different bands, in relation to their relative rights to the soil, not well to be adjusted without separate treaties with those of the Prairie. We have, therefore, negotiated a treaty, by which they have ceded their right of soil in the State of Illinois, east of the rivers Plein and Illinois; likewise, in the State of Indiana and Territory of Michigan, south of Grand river, dated 25th last month; likewise, a treaty with the Wabash and Elkhart Pottawatamies, for their right of soil west of the Michigan road, in the State of Indiana, dated 26th of the same month; and, also, with the St. Joseph, Cold Water, Wabash, and Elkhart Pottawatamies, for their right of soil in the States of Indiana and Illinois, and Territory of Michigan, south of Grand river, dated 27th ultimo; excepting reservations made in each treaty for different bands, and for individuals, at the request of those bands, respectively.

We found those people destitute of clothing necessary to shield them from the inclemency of the approaching winter, and the necessary ammunition to enable them, by the chase, to procure subsistence for their families. At their request, we purchased and delivered, in part payment of the cessions aforesaid, merchandise and horses to the value of one hundred and fifty-eight thousand one hundred and seventy-five dollars and thirteen cents.

Vouchers and bills of parcels are forwarded, accompanying the treaties. Having no funds at our command to pay the amount, we have drawn drafts upon you in favor of those of whom the purchases were made, payable after the ratification of the treaties and the necessary appropriations by Congress.

There not being a sufficient quantity of merchandise at the treaty ground, to be had at fair prices, to meet our engagements with those Indians, therefore we requested General Marshall, Indian agent at Eel river, to purchase and deliver, this autumn, according to stipulation in said treaties, merchandise to the value of eighteen thousand eight hundred and one dollars and twelve cents, which we request may be paid according to his drafts.

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Abstracts of the horses purchased for the use of those Indians are herewith transmitted, and we have signed vouchers for the amount due each person from whom such horses were purchased; which sums, in like manner, we request to be paid.

It was ascertained that the influence of those concerned with the Indians in commerce, and to whom they were indebted, was commanding, and not less avaricious, rendering it on our part indispensably necessary, to adjust their claims to an aggregate amount of one hundred and eleven thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine dollars, and to provide for their payment in the treaties; for those cessions we believe they have been liberally paid, including the assurances made in said treaties, when their ratifications shall have taken place, and appropriations made incident thereto.

Believing the United States were under a moral obligation to these people, we have been disposed, with reference to a due regard to our instructions, to do ample justice; and although the sums stipulated to be paid may appear large, it will be seen that they have ceded, on the face of the treaties, more than four millions of acres, to which they had a right of soil.

We have also, in conformity to our instructions, made provisions for the removal of these people west of the Mississippi, with a view to the humane policy of the United States in relation to them.

The peculiar circumstances under which we were placed, by the number of persons who attended these treaties, rendered it impracticable to avoid, exceeding the amount appropriated to defray the expenses incident to the negotiations, by three thousand seven hundred and sixty-five dollars and eighty-one cents, which we expect will not be inconvenient to the Government to remunerate; and vouchers for the same, for services rendered and supplies furnished, will be forwarded to the proper Department, by our special commissary, with the other expenditures of our missions, for settlement.

For further particulars, we beg leave to refer you to our journal of proceedings; and have the honor to be, with great regard, your obedient and humble servants,
JONATHAN JENNINGS.
JOHN W. DAVIS.
MARKS CRUME.

TREATY GROUND,
Tippecanoe River, October 22, 1832.

SIR: We have this day drawn drafts (duplicate) upon the Department for $10,000, the residue of the appropriation, under the act "9th July 1832," for holding treaties with the Indian tribes, in favor of J. T. Canby.

With great respect, your obedient servants,
Com'rs.
JONATHAN JENNINGS,
JOHN W. DAVIS,
MARKS CRUME.
The Hon. SECRETARY OF WAR.

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CRAWFORDSVILLE, November 1, 1832.

SIR: I have the honor, herewith, to enclose a draft for $10,000, drawn by the commissioners for holding treaties with the Indians, which I hope you will have the goodness to place to the credit of the Treasurer of the United States, on account of sales of public lands at this office. The money was all advanced, some time since, to meet current expenses, which I was informed by the commissioners was absolutely necessary to enable them to execute the trust with which they were intrusted by the Government.

A letter from the commissioners, informing you of their having drawn in my favor, accompanies this; and they inform me, by letter of same date, that they had written to you directly on the subject, advising that all the funds were necessary.

With great respect, your obedient servant,
J. T. CANBY.
The Hon. LEWIS CASS,
Secretary of War.

LOGANSPORT, November 2, 1832.

SIR: I returned last evening from the Pottawatamie treaty. Those Indians have ceded all their land, except some reservations in this State and in Illinois, east of the Illinois river, about three millions of acres in the former, and one million and a half in the latter. An annuity of $50,000 is to be paid to them, for twenty years; $177,000 has been paid; $70,000, in goods, is to be paid next year; and their debts, amounting to about $105,000, are also to be paid.

I was not out at the commencement. The commissioners sent for me, and I went out, and remained the last ten days with them; they had much to contend with; things will be communicated that will surprise and mortify you, as it does me. We have reason to be satisfied with the result; the purchase was made on terms that may be considered creditable to the Government, just to the Indians, and honorable to the negotiation.

Your most obedient servant,
JOHN TIPTON.
Hon. LEWIS CASS,
Secretary of War.

CARLISLE, INDIANA, November 23, 1832.

SIR: Please accept this as my resignation of the appointment of commissioner to treat with the Indians in Indiana, Illinois, and Territory of Michigan, under act of Congress approved July 9, 1832. Before the arrival of this, you will have received the several negotiations made with the Pottawatamie nation, with their accompanying papers.

There are some facts connected with our late effort to effect the object of the Government of Indiana, that I am anxious the Department should possess, which could not come strictly within the purview of a

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report, and for which I beg leave to refer you to General Tipton, of the United States Senate.

I have the honor to be, respectfully, your obedient servant,
JOHN W. DAVIS.
Hon. LEWIS CASS,
Secretary of War, Washington.

WASHINGTON, December 6, 1832.

SIR: With this I have the honor to submit abstracts and vouchers for disbursements made by me, as special commissary to the commissioners appointed to negotiate treaties with the Indians owning lands in Indiana, Illinois, and the Michigan Territory. The funds placed in my hands were not sufficient to defray the whole expenses of the negotiation, and I hope that my accounts will be speedily settled, to enable me to receive from the Government, and pay to the individuals, the balance yet due to them for services and supplies.

With great respect, &c.
ANTHONY L. DAVIS,
Special Commissary.
Hon. LEWIS CASS.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
Second Auditor's Office, February 25, 1839.

SIR: I have the honor to state that the information, so far as it can be furnished by this office, required by the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 16th instant, relating to the negotiation, &c., of the treaties with the Pottawatamie Indians of the 20th, 26th, and 27th October, 1832, has been printed already, and may be found in the Indian Congressional Documents, vol. 13, Doc. 512, from page 299 to 306, and 341 to 480. As it would be impracticable, from the pressure of business and the short time which will elapse before the adjournment of Congress, to furnish the information, which is voluminous, again, from the files of this office, I respectfully refer you to the document above indicated. I take this occasion to observe that, although the regular business of this office has been almost entirely suspended, for the purpose of answering calls of Congress, often involving the most extensive and minute inquiries, it is extremely doubtful whether the utmost diligence will enable it to supply the information already required.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
W. B. LEWIS.
Hon. J. R. POINSETT,
Secretary of War.