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The moment I saw the Secty's Report, I,at once, advised him, calling his attention to the the fact that I had always reported to him that though the [[underline]] the Chiefs had no knowledge of it[[/underline]] there was too much reason to believe that [[underline]]the "outsider" had taken the boy. [[/underline]]This last letter I addressed to him on Dec 17. 1850., but he never made any public connection!
    I am responsible for [[underline]] my own reports only [[/underline]] and [[underline]] not [[/underline]] for what any one [[underline]] says. [[/underline]] I reported no matter how high the functionary, I presume Mr. Conrad read my report hastily and construed it as he wished it to be, but without any design to say an untruth. [[underline]] Perhaps [[/underline]] he did [[strikethrough]] not that [[/strikethrough]] know "the outsiders under Echo Emathla" were [[underline]] Indians [[/underline]]? ¿Quien sabe? 
    Meade acknowledged my letters by dates, as I have cause to want confidence in some P.Office. My health is still feeble. I shall leave Fla. if able, in early 1853 - not before -
    I see "the Treaty" is among the Doc? and, as I supposed, is tantamount to a blank paper - no truce- so far - no terms - but just as I said in my letter of Dec 8 to you. All this force to screen & aid a job worse than [[?]].
Tryly yrs JCCasey

P.S. since my letter of Dec. 8. I am informed by the Hon Sec. War that he "never supposed for an instant" that Capt. C. had done [[strikethrough]] any [[/strikethrough]] wrong" - that the order (for me) to leave Fla. was not intended as a censure, but only to remove all pretexts & on the part of the Contractor and accordingly he declines fronting a Court of Inqry "as quite unnecessary" Any comment on such conduct is certainly "quite unnecessary"

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Washington D.C. June 20. 1853

Sir
    I received sometime since in Florida your communication of April 13 notifying me that the order of Nov. 1. 1852 banishing me from Florida had been rescinded by the Hon. Secretary of War, and I beg leave to tender my thanks for this unsolicited act of Justice.

    It is now, I hope, proper as well as right that I should be furnished with copies of all accusations against me from the Agent or contractors of the Indian Dept. or any one else alluded to in the instructions from the War Dept: of November 1. 1852.

    I desire at least an opportunity of placing on file in the War Department a reply to the charges ^ on file ^ against me-, not that one respectable man knowing me, in or out of the Army, ever believed them "for an instant" (to quote the Hon C M Conrad's own words), but because they were so far endorsed by the Secty. War as to draw on me the censure of the War Dept. and the extraordinary order of Nov 1. 1852. To enable me to do this understandingly as well as for future defence, if necessary.  I respectfully ask for copies of any accusations from whatever source, charging me with interfering with the arrangements in progress for emigrating of Florida.

    I pledge my honor to prove that any such charges from whatever source is a wanton calumny circulated by contractors because I would ^not^ aid in what I deemed a shameful attempt to defraud the government & the Indians and to explain the consequent failure of a place as inefficient as corrupt.

I am 
Most respectfully 
Your Obedt servt
John C. Casey
Capt. U.S.A.

[[?]]

Col. S. Cooper
Atty. Genl. U.S.A.