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Knoxville 12 May 1798

Colonel James Ore,

You will proceed from this place into the Cherokee
nation, you will there endeavour to gain information from the chiefs
and others, their intentions with respect to the present intended treaty,
if they intend to dispose of any of their claims to land or not, if
they be divided or unanimous either in disposing or refusing;- if
they mean selling, what part of country -

You will effect to be disinterested on the occasion, give
no advice, except they request it, or the subject is introduced by
some of their own party; - On that occasion signify to them, that
the hunting is much diminished, and is daily becoming more so,
that in case the United States, would engage to give them an
annuity in addition to the present one, that probably it might
be much to their advantage, as they would get more goods in that
way than they could possibly make by hunting;- their old and young
helpless people would be provided for, it would also prevent the
young and foolish from going to war, for that would forfeit
all their annuities. - They claim much land, could sell a great
deal, and have enough left. - They ought to learn to raise stocks,
and make crops of grain, which is by far the most profitable way of
living, and the only sure way of living easy, well, and becoming rich,-
such is the manner in which all the machinal arts are supplied
and carried on. - Observe to them all those that follow hunting, is
always poor, and few in number, and many by that practice fell
into nothing, and is now no more; the Creek Nation is composed
of about seventeen different tribes, yet they do not the whole of
them