WAR DEPARTMENT, _December 14, 1838_.
The PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
SIR: I have the honor to lay before you, for submission to the Senate
for its action if approved by you, a treaty with the Miami tribe of
Indians concluded on the 6th ultimo. In doing so I beg to call your
attention to that section which reserves from the cession made by the
Miamies a tract of land supposed to contain 10 square miles, and to
other reservations according to a schedule appended to the treaty. The
commissioner who negotiated this treaty is of opinion that it could not
have been concluded if he had not so far departed from his instructions
as to admit these reservations. And it is to be feared that if the
rules adopted by the Department in this particular be insisted upon
on this occasion it will very much increase the difficulty, if it does
not render it impracticable to acquire this land and remove these
Indians--objects of so much importance to the United States and
especially to the State of Indiana.
Very respectfully, your most obedient servant,