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As you perceive, the moment a distinct proposal is made by you, it is met & answered in a spirit of kindness. Decidedly, indeed,- for it would be worse than useless to suffer you to entertain expectations, which the future would be sure to disappoint. The President still further instructs me to say to you, that he wishes you again to take into consideration the propositions heretofore made to you for the removal of your people. He is fully prepared, so far as depends upon him, to carry into effect all the inducements he has ever held out to you. He is willing to conclude an arrangement upon the basis of the propositions offered to you by this department, through Mr Chester, or to allow you a gross sum for your claims, and leave to your own people all the arrangements for their removal and ultimate residence. Allow me to invite your attention again to these offers. If they are calmly reviewed, and due weight given to the circumstances in which you are placed, it appears to me impossible, but that you would accept one or the other. The details, of course, would be left open for mutual discussion.- But it is at first necessary that you should distinctly state, whether you are disposed to treat on the basis of either of those offers. Very respectfully Yr mo: unclear Lew Cass

Mess John Ross & others Washington City