Colonel Pickering is now here, and will set out in two or three days to meet the Indians, as mentioned in my last. The intimation to Colonel Beckwith has been given by Mr. Madison. He met it on very different grounds from that on which he had placed it with Colonel Hamilton. He pretended ignorance and even disbelief of the fact; when told that it was out of doubt, he said he was positively sure the distribution of arms had been without the knowledge and against the orders of Lord Dorchester, and of the government. He endeavored to induce a formal communication from me. When he found that could not be effected, he let Mr. Madison perceive that he thought, however informal his character, he had not been sufficiently noticed; said he was in New York before I came into office, and that though he had not been regularly turned over to me, yet I knew his character. In fine, he promised to write to Lord Dorchester the general information we had received, and our sense of it; and he saw that his former apologies to Colonel Hamilton had not been satisfactory to the government. Nothing further from Moose Island, nor the posts on the northern border of New York, nor anything of the last week from the western country. Arthur Campbell has been here. He is the enemy of P. Henry. He says the Yazoo bargain is like to drop with the consent of the purchasers. He explains it thus: They expected to pay for the lands in public paper at par, which they had bought at half a crown a pound. Since the rise in the value of the public paper, they have gained as much on that as they would have done by investing it in the Yazoo lands; perhaps more, as it puts a large sum of specie at their command, which they can turn to better account. They are, therefore, likely to acquiesce under the determination of the government of Georgia to consider the contract as forfeited by non-payment. I direct this letter to be forwarded from Charleston to Cambden. The next will be from Petersburg to Taylor's Ferry; and after that, I shall direct to you at Mount Vernon. I have the honor to be, with sentiments of the most affectionate respect and attachment, Sir, your most obedient, and most humble servant. TO WILLIAM SHORT. Philadelphia, April 25, 1791. Dear Sir,--My late letters to you have been of the 8th, 12th, 15th, and 19th of March, yours received and acknowledged are as follows. * * * * *