To George Washington from Henry Knox, 29 December 1794
From Henry Knox
Department of War, December 29th 1794
Sir.
I have the honor to submit to your consideration a report upon Indian affairs—If it should be your pleasure to lay the same before the two houses of Congress it would probably produce the bill which is desired.1
Colonel Pickering has made his report upon that part of his business respecting the change of the line2—The Secretaries of State and Treasury have perused the same,3 and been consulted as to the measures proper to be pursued—The Attorney General has it now under consideration—Colonel Pickering will probably in the course of this day have completed his whole report so that the business may be submitted to your consideration tomorrow.4 I have the honor to be, Sir, with the higest respect, Your obedt Servt
H. Knox
LS, DLC:GW.
1. GW submitted the report to Congress with his message of 30 Dec.: “I lay before you a report made to me by the Secretary of War respecting the frontiers of the United States. The disorders & the great expenses which incessantly arise upon the frontiers are of a nature & magnitude to excite the most serious considerations.
“I feel a confidence that Congress will devise such constitutional & efficient measures as shall be equal to the great objects of preserving our treaties with the Indian tribes, and of affording an adequate protection to our frontiers” (copy, DLC:GW; copy, DNA: RG 233, entry 19, Journals).
2. Timothy Pickering wrote Knox on 26 Dec. giving his “reasons for relinquishing what title the U. States might have acquired to certain lands in the Country of the Six Nations which were ceded by the treaty of fort Stanwix” (MHi: Pickering Papers).
3. The words “the same” were inserted in a different hand.
4. The word “tomorrow” was inserted in a different hand.