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35 The practise [sic] of the British Indian Department furnishes us with an example proper to imitate in the method of accounting for presents- At this place any alteration of the present plan would be injurious. This was submitted to the War Department in September 1814 and there approved In the settlement of the accounts, I trust it will appear, that as many checks are provided as the nature of the Serviced requires. But at the remote post, where there is only one officer in the Department, it becomes necessary to make some other provision. The British plan is simple and efficacious. The officer of the day at the post is required by a standing military order to attend at the Indian Store house at stated hours and to witness the delivery of all presents. He then signs the entry in the book of the person who issues, which is his voucher on Settlement. This plan if adopted by the War Department would be found adequate to all the purposes of checking the issues and supersede the necessity of directing that presents shall be issued in bulk, which I am certain would be a very injurious requisition. The other general duty of the Indians, I need not now consider. The subject has already led me too much into detail. The duty which they owe us with respect to the selling of their lands, and refraining from foreign connections have received a sufficient incidental discussion