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Ft. Wayne March 13^th 47
Honbl. W^m Medill Com^r of Indian Affairs

Sir, the Miami Emigration contractors are [illeg] by [illeg] worthless and unprincipled Joseph Sinclair late removing Agent, with a view to preserving his sinecure office and defraud us, we trust and hope that the Hon: Department will not decide against any of our [illeg] rights until the proof is first submitted and considered.

1st. We have just learned of it [illeg] charged, that some 30 of the Weas [illeg[ after [illeg] Indians were permitted to their contractors to stay behind. We are prepared to prove this to be [illeg] by [Sinclear?] and Francois [illeg, several words] this, we employed a Mr. [illeg, "French" I think] their trader, who speaks their language and is very respectable [illeg], to go out amongst them and collect them; he did so--and they were all ready to embark, but some runaway Indians came amongst them and persuaded them not to go, and they went off with them and secreted themselves in the woods. The [plan?] to pay Mr. French [for his services?] and [illeg] stated by him. Some time after the Indians had removed, some of them came back and [illeg] Mr. French was going West to attend their payment [illeg] to us with him, but [illeg several words] was to attend the