You will be pleased to recollect that, in the Month of May 1783, Mr. Hartley communicated to You, and the other Plenipotentiaries then residing at Paris, pursuant to the Instructions he had received, a Memorial from the Merchants trading to South Carolina and Georgia, representing their just Claims to an Indemnification for Debts due to them from the Creek and Cherokee Indians, for the Payment of which a Tract of Land on the Western Frontier of Georgia had been ceded to His Majesty in the Year 1773. I must also desire to recal to Your Recollection, that upon this Representation being made by Mr. Hartley, the American Plenipotentiaries, though they did not think themselves authorized to take Cognizance of the Affair, admitted the Justice of the Claim, and assured Mr. Hartley that they would transmit it to Congress.1

As Mr. Hartley, previous to the Conclusion of his Mission, received no Answer upon this Subject, I am under the Necessity of requesting You will inform me whether You are yet acquainted with the Determination of Congress relative to this Claim; and if not, that You will have the Goodness to take an early Opportunity of again representing the Case of these Sufferers, as highly deserving the Consideration of the United States, from whose Principles of Equity and Justice I cannot but hope the Memorialists will obtain all due Relief.

I am, with great Truth and Regard, / Sir, / Your most obedient / humble Servant.

We are honored by your Excellency’s respected Favor of 1st. Inst: with an Enclosure from the Board of Treasury of the United-States, whereof we transmit a Copy for Your Excellency’s Perusal and Government.1

In directing the Payment of the Premiums f60,000:—:— to be effected in new Bonds, the Commissioners appear to have been apprehensive, they should not be able to provide timely for the February Interest. The State of their Cash with us at that Period, will depend upon the further Disposals your Excellency may make of the 80,000 Dollars, to be holden for forming Treaties with the Barbary Powers; Of which Sum there still remains undrawn about 2 120,000:—:— We request Your Excellency to inform us, whether this Amount will be fully employed for the purpose intended and the Probability when it must be paid. If the whole should not be required for this specific Object, We would with Your Excellency’s Approbation, appropriate Part thereof to the Payment in Specie of the 60,000:—:— Premiums; being fully convinced such a measure would have the most beneficial Consequences upon the public Credit of America, and would operate very favorably upon any further Loans, Congress might be disposed to raise in this Country.

We entreat Your Excellency’s Reply by return of the Mail, and have the Honor to subscribe ourselves very respectfully / Your Excellency’s / Most Obedient and very / humble Servants