George Washington Papers
Documents filtered by: Author="Pickering, Timothy" AND Recipient="Washington, George" AND Period="Washington Presidency"
sorted by: editorial placement
Permanent link for this document:
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/05-18-02-0414

To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 3 September 1795

From Timothy Pickering

Sept. 3. 1795.

The Secretary of War begs leave to lay before the President a letter of the first instant from Mr Seagrove; by which it would seem impracticable to hold the Georgia treaty till next Spring.1

The Secretary will wait on the President at Noon with some papers for his consideration.

AL, DLC:GW.

1This letter has not been identified. Pickering corresponded with Georgia governor George Mathews on 26 Sept., most likely in response to the letter from Indian agent Seagrove. An extract of Pickering’s comments was published in the Augusta Chronicle, 17 October. Pickering wrote that Seagrove had left Georgia for Philadelphia before he received the secretary’s letter of 2 July, which contained approval for a treaty with the Creeks. “That circumstance, and the lateness of the season apparently rendered it impossible to hold the treaty this fall. Mr. Seagrove informed, that in October the warriors would commence their hunting and remain dispersed till late in next March.” Any warriors gathered would result in a “partial Assembly.” Mathews knew that such a development “would be repugnant to the President’s views; which were by universal notice, and a complete representation of the Nation, to prevent any cavils about the obligatory force of the treaty that might be made.”

Therefore, GW “determined (tho’ with regret, knowing the solicitude of Georgia on this subject) to postpone the treaty till the spring.” Seagrove thought “the first of May the earliest period for a general meeting to be obtained; and that Colerain on the St Mary’s will be the most eligible place.”

The Treaty of Colerain was signed on 29 June 1796.

Index Entries