by the old government, and these were now renewed by Washington with no
better result. McGillivray met the commissioners, but left on finding that
they had no intention of restoring the Indian lands that had been taken. A
formidable Indian war seemed imminent, but Washington, whose own frontier
experience made him well versed in Indian affairs, judged correctly that
the way to handle the situation was to induce McGillivray to come to New
York, though, as he noted in his diary, the matter must be so managed that
the "government might not appear to be an agent in it, or suffer in its
dignity if the attempt to get him here should not succeed." With his
habitual caution, Washington considered the point whether he could send
out an agent without consulting the Senate on the appointment, and he
instructed General Knox "to take the opinion of the Chief Justice of the
United States and the Secretary of the Treasury." The assurances obtained
were such that Washington selected an experienced frontier commander,
Colonel Marinus Willett of New York, and impressed upon him the importance
of bringing the Indian chiefs to New York, pointing out "the arguments
justifiable for him to use to effect this, with such lures as respected
McGillivray personally, and might be held out to them."

Colonel Willett was altogether successful, though the inducements he
offered were probably aided by McGillivray's desire to visit New York and
meet General Washington. Other chiefs accompanied him, and on their way
they received many official attentions. An incident which occurred at
Guilford Court House, North Carolina, displays McGillivray's character in
a kindly light. A woman whose husband had been killed by Creek Indians and
who with her children had been made captive, visited McGillivray to thank
him for effecting their release, and it was disclosed that he had since
that time been contributing to the support of the family. At New York, the
recently organized Tammany Society turned out in costumes supposed to
represent Indian attire and escorted the visiting chiefs to Federal Hall.