Isaac Smith, esq., who was appointed, with the advice and consent of
the Senate, to hold a treaty with the Seneca Nation of Indians, to
superintend the purchase of a parcel of their land under a right of
preemption derived from the State of Massachusetts, and situated within
the State of New York, having declined that service, Jeremiah Wadsworth,
esq., was appointed during your recess to hold a treaty, which has
terminated in a deed of bargain and sale, herewith submitted to your
consideration.

It being represented to me that the immediate investment in bank stock
of the moneys which are to be the consideration of this deed might be
attended with considerable loss to the Indians by raising the market
price of that article, it is suggested whether it would not be expedient
that the ratification should be made conclusive and binding on the
parties only after the President shall be satisfied that the investment
of the moneys has been made conformably to the intention of the treaty.

JOHN ADAMS.

UNITED STATES, _December 13, 1797_.

_Gentlemen of the Senate and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives_:

I lay before you the copy of a letter from the judges of the Supreme
Court of the United States, representing the inconvenience arising from
altering the time of holding the circuit court for the State of Delaware
from April to June, and desiring that the existing law may be altered by
restoring the spring session of the circuit court in Delaware to the
27th of April.

JOHN ADAMS.

UNITED STATES, _December 30, 1797_.

_Gentlemen of the Senate and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives_:

In compliance with the desire of the two Houses of Congress, expressed
in their resolution of the 2d of March, 1797, that some speedy and
effectual means might be adopted of obtaining information from the
States of Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia,
Kentucky, Tennessee, and South Carolina whether they have ratified the
amendment proposed by Congress to the Constitution concerning the
suability of States, and if they have, to obtain proper evidences,
measures have been taken and information and evidences obtained the
particulars of which will appear in the report from the Secretary of
State made by my direction on the 28th day of this month, and now
presented to the two Houses for their consideration.

JOHN ADAMS.

UNITED STATES, _January 5, 1798_.

_Gentlemen of the Senate and Gentle