Like wants among the Chickasaws had induced
us to send them also, at first, five hundred bushels of corn, and
afterwards, fifteen hundred more. Our language to all the tribes of
Indians has constantly been, to live in peace with one another, and in
a most especial manner, we have used our endeavors with those in the
neighborhood of the Spanish colonies, to be peaceable towards those
colonies. I sent you on a former occasion the copy of a letter from the
Secretary at War to Mr. Seagrove, one of our agents with the Indians, in
that quarter, merely to convey to you the general tenor of the conduct
marked out for those agents: and I desired you, in placing before the
eyes of the Spanish ministry the very contrary conduct observed by their
agents here, to invite them to a reciprocity of good offices with our
Indian neighbors, each for the other, and to make our common peace the
common object of both nations. I can protest that such have hitherto
been the candid and zealous endeavors of this government, and that
if its agents have in any instance acted in another way, it has been
equally unknown and unauthorized by us, and that, were even probable
proofs of it produced, there would be no hesitation to mark them with
the disapprobation of the government. We expected the same friendly
condescension from the court of Spain, in furnishing you with proofs
of the practices of the Governor De Carondelet in particular practices
avowed by him, and attempted to be justified in his letter.
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