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St Stephens 2d Feby 1818

Dear Sir As I hope to see you about the first o April, and am a present much engaged, I must defer my remarks concerning our Territory untill we meet. In the mean time it becomes a duty I owe to our long friendship to apprize you of the stories which are here so confidently asserted to be true, as to obtain the belief of many. 1st It has been stated that you have been engaged in smuggling African negroes from the Spanish possessions, and that the negroes have been seen by travellers at or on their way to this Agency. 2d That you prevented that M’Intosh [?] proceeding with his indians to the [word] of Genl Gaines. Of the first I have felt no hesitation in declaring my [word] of its falsehood. And of the second I have said, that whatever course you have taken, it has been the result of a sense of duty — that I have no information on the subject, except that when parted you were on your way to the nation for the purpose of expediting the departure of the friendly indians.

Yours truly, Wm W Bibb