Sir:

The Resolution of Congress of the 26th of October to which you refer in the letter which you did me the honour of Addressing to me on the 18th Day of February last, did not come to me till after the adjournment of the Assembly and as I considered that the settling of the boundary between this State & the Indians a Subject of too much importance for me to act in without the direction of the Legislature, I laid aside the consideration of it till since I had the honor of receiving your Excellency’s Letter. I yesterday laid all the papers relating to the business before the Council of State for their Consideration, who concurred with me in opinion that the powers of the Executive Department in this State did not extend so far as to comprehend all the objects contained in the instructions sent forward by Congress for the Government of the Commissioner to be appointed by this State, and tho’ the Resolution of Congress passed so early as the 26th of October no Hostilities have hitherto been committed on the Inhabitants of this State by the Cherokees, nor have we any intimation from the Inhabitants on our Frontiers that any such Hostilities are at present apprehended. I have not, therefore, appointed a Commissioner to treat with the Cherokees. Should the States of South Carolina and Georgia be of opinion that the Cooperation of this State can in any manner facilitate their Negotiations with the Creeks, we will be ready to adopt any measures that may have a tendency to promote the peace & Security of the State of Georgia, at any time, when they may think proper to favour us with an intimation in what manner we can be useful to them.