To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 22 August 1796
From Timothy Pickering
Department of State Augt 22. 1796.
Sir
The inclosed letter came under cover to me from Wm Lithgow Attorney for the district of Maine, which he says contains his resignation.1 Daniel Davis Esquire of Portland is a lawyer well recommended by the Members of Congress to suceed Mr Lithgow, & I think has been doing the business of the office since Mr Lithgow’s indisposition prevented his attending the courts. The enquiries concerning a successor were made by me before the rising of Congress, in expectation of Mr Lithgow’s resignation.2 I am with the highest respect sir your most obt servt
T. Pickering
ALS, DNA: RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters; LB, DNA: RG 59, GW’s Correspondence with His Secretaries of State.
1. Pickering enclosed a letter from William Lithgow, Jr., to GW dated 20 July: “I have the honour to sustain by your appointment, the Office of District Attorney for Maine, and a very melancholy chronic Disease, which is thought permanent, having rendered me incompetent to the discharge of the more active duties of that station; I find myself compelled, in justice to the public, to solicit your permission to resign the same.
“It seems peculiarly unfortunate, & hard Sir, that this, should be the second resignation, with which I have had occasion to trouble you; and both arising from mere adventicious inability, to execute the duties of the Offices relinquished—The first, was, of a military Command; and the inevitable consequence of a desperate wound received in Action; and this last, is, the unhappy result, of a still more dreadful Malady.
“That the United States, may long be aided by your tried Patriotism, & distinguished Abilities at the head of her affairs: and that you, Sir; for many, very many happy years to come, may enjoy in tranquil Dignity, the just reward of all your toils & labours, so nobly exerted in the Cause of Liberty and your Country” (ALS, DNA: RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters; see also William Heath to GW, 25 July 1778, in 16:165–66).
2. For the nomination of Daniel Davis as U.S. attorney for the District of Maine, see GW to the U.S. Senate, 21 Dec. 1796 (DNA: RG 46, entry 52).