# United States Statutes at Large/Volume 2/6th Congress/1st Session/Chapter 5

Chap. V.—An Act for the preservation of peace with the Indian tribes.
Section 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,Penalty on correspondence with the Indians, to produce infraction of treaties, or disturb the peace of the United States. That if any citizen or other person residing within the United States, or the territory thereof, shall send any talk, speech, message or letter to any Indian nation, tribe, or chief, with an intent to produce a contravention or infraction of any treaty or other law of the United States, or to disturb the peace and tranquillity of the United States, he shall forfeit a sum not exceeding two thousand dollars, and be imprisoned not exceeding two years.
Penalty on the bearers of such correspondence.Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That if any citizen or other person shall carry or deliver any such talk, speech, message or letter, to or from any Indian nation, tribe, or chief, from or to any person or persons whatsoever, residing within the United States; or from or to any subject, citizen or agent of any foreign power or state, knowing the contents thereof, he shall forfeit a sum not exceeding one thousand dollars, and be imprisoned not exceeding twelve months.
Penalty on certain correspondence with a foreign power, in relation to the Indians - and on attempting to alienate their confidence.Sec. 3. And be it enacted, That if any citizen or other person, residing or being among the Indians, or elsewhere, within the territory of the United States, shall carry on a correspondence, by letter or otherwise, with any foreign nation or power, with an intent to induce such foreign nation or power to excite any Indian nation, tribe, or chief, to war against the United States, or to the violation of any existing treaty; or in case any citizen or other person shall alienate, or attempt to alienate the confidence of the Indians from the government of the United States, or from any such person or persons as are, or may be employed and entrusted by the President of the United States, as a commissioner or commissioners, agent or agents, or in any capacity whatever, for facilitating or preserving a friendly intercourse with the Indians, or for managing the concerns of the United States with them, he shall forfeit a sum not exceeding one thousand dollars, and be imprisoned not exceeding twelve months.
Certain provisions of a former act applied to this. Vol. i. 743.Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That the provisions of the act, intituled “An act to regulate trade and intercourse with the Indian tribes, and to preserve peace on the frontiers,” passed the third day of March, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-nine, be, and the same are hereby extended to carry into effect this act, and for the trial and punishment of offences against it, in the same manner as if they were herein specially recited.
Limitation.Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That this act shall continue and ​be in force until the third day of March, in the year one thousand eight hundred and two, and no longer.
Approved, January 17, 1800.