not
authorized to pronounce the decision of Her Majesty's Government upon
that remonstrance, but I have felt myself bound to record in the
meantime the above opinion, in order to protest in the most solemn
manner against the spirited and loyal conduct of a party of Her
Majesty's officers and people being qualified, through an unfortunate
misapprehension, as I believe, of the facts, with the appellation of
outrage or of murder.

I avail myself of this occasion to renew to you the assurance of my
distinguished consideration.

H.S. FOX.

_Mr. Forsyth to Mr. Fox_.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

_Washington, December 31, 1840_.

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the
29th instant, in reply to mine of the 26th, on the subject of the arrest
and detention of Alexander McLeod as one of the perpetrators of the
outrage committed in New York when the steamboat _Caroline_ was seized
and burnt. Full evidence of that outrage has been presented to Her
Britannic Majesty's Government with a demand for redress, and of course
no discussion of the circumstances here can be either useful or proper,
nor can I suppose it to be your desire to invite it. I take leave of the
subject with this single remark, that the opinion so strongly expressed
by you on the facts and principles involved in the demand for reparation
on Her Majesty's Government by the United States would hardly have been
hazarded had you been possessed of the carefully collected testimony
which has been presented to your Government in support of that demand.

I avail myself of the occasion to renew to you the assurance of my
distinguished consideration.

JOHN FORSYTH.

WASHINGTON, _January 4, 1841_.

_To the Senate of the United States_:

I submit herewith a treaty concluded with the Miami Indians for the
cession of their lands in the State of Indiana. The circumstances
attending this negotiation are fully set forth in the accompanying
communication from the Secretary of War. Although the treaty was
concluded without positive instructions and the usual official
preliminaries, its terms appear to be so advantageous and the
acquisition of these lands are deemed so desirable by reason of their
importance to the State of Indiana and the Government, as well as on
account of the Indians themselves, who will be greatly benefited by
their removal west, that I have thought it advisable to submit it to
the action of the Senate.

M. VAN BUREN