Autograph letter signed : Philadelphia, to Benjamin Talifero, 1796 Feb. 9.

Reporting, at length and in detail, on a meeting he had just concluded with the Secretary of State [Timothy Pickering] and the Secretary of War [John McHenry] concerning the issues at hand for the Treaty with the Creeks; addressing their concerns over current hostilities and the possibilities of removing any difficulties in the path of a treaty; discussing the location of the signing; presenting, at length, his opinions on the pros and cons of Fort Fidius vs. Coleraine; recommending Fort Fidius for its logistical advantages; discussing the possible adjustment of claims at the time of signing and the numbers of people who should be allowed to attend; saying the Secretaries left without making a decision as to the place and it was now too late in the evening for him to check with others on this subject; saying that he wanted to get his summary of the meeting to him as quickly as possible; concluding that "There is little or nothing yet done in Congress. The Bill for Trading with the Indians will pass, with an appropriation for the purpose of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, under the direction of the President. It is an experiment of Government about which there are various opinions."