251To Alexander Hamilton from Timothy Pickering, 21[–22] August 1798 (Hamilton Papers)
Not to miss the mail, I wrote you one line today, and inclosed a letter from I suppose General Miranda. If its contents give rise to any questions which it will be prudent for you to ask and for me to answer by the mail, it may be done, otherwise the information may be suspended till we meet. Just before I left Philadelphia, I received a letter from General Knox, in answer to one I had written...
252To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 18 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
I wrote you a hasty letter on the 13th—Upon further consideration, we have judged it most advisable that a letter should be written by Mr Wolcott alone; in order that the strong point of view in which the facts and arguments in the case may be placed, may be presented by Reason only, to which the mind yields more willingly than to formal advice, in the semblance of official authority. This is...
253To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 24 October 1799 (Washington Papers)
(Private) (& Confidential) Sir, Trenton [N.J.] Oct. 24. 1799 I am this evening honoured with your letter of the 20th. When I last wrote you, I had grounds to expect, on the President’s arrival; that the mission to France would be suspended, until the fate of its government should be known. This great question I supposed (& my colleagues had formed the same expectation) would be a subject of...
254To John Adams from Timothy Pickering, 23 October 1797 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday morning I received letters from Mr. Bulkeley, our new consul, dated at Lisbon the 26th & 29th & 30th of August. Mr. Smith embarked in the same ship with him at Philadelphia, the 20th of July, and they arrived at Lisbon the 20th of August. Mr. Smith would have written, if he had known of the conveyance; but he was in the country at Mr. Bulkeley’s father’s. Mr. Bulkeley’s information...
255To Alexander Hamilton from Timothy Pickering, 5 April 1797 (Hamilton Papers)
I received your letter of the and accord with your opinion that the proposed publication of the intelligence from Genl. Pinckney should be omitted. The “emigrant” we conclude to be Perigord, formerly bishop of Autun. Sometime since, I was informed that he left this country with signs of enmity towards it; and the Directory would naturally place great confidence in his opinion: and yet it is so...
256To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 20 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor to receive your letter of the 12th covering one for Mr Williams, late American Consul at Hamburg. He is appointed to succeed Mr Johnson in the Consulate in London, and in connection therewith, on the pressing application of Mr King, and indirectly of Mr Gore, to whom Mr Williams is personally and intimately known, to the agency of Mr Bayard, who has resigned. I shall therefore...
257To John Adams from Timothy Pickering, 1 May 1797 (Adams Papers)
To the Questions proposed by the President of the United States, on the 14th of the last month, the Secretary of State respectfully returns the following answers. 1. Question. Whether the refusal to receive Mr. Pinckney, and the rude orders to quit Paris & the Territory of the Republic, with such circumstances of indignity, insult & hostility, as we have been informed of, are bars to all...
258To John Adams from Timothy Pickering, 11 September 1799 (Adams Papers)
The general alarm of the yellow fever in Philadelphia, occasioned the removal of the public offices to this place. This has caused some delay in finishing the draught of instructions for the envoys to the French Republic, which I had the honor of transmitting you yesterday: the draught having been previously examined, altered & amended, conformably to the opinions of the Heads of Departments....
259To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 13 October 1798 (Washington Papers)
I seize the first conveyance to inform you that General Pinckney is out of France. He embarked with his family, about the middle of August, in the ship Hope, Capt. Hendrick Hendrickson, for New-York, where we may daily expect to hear of his arrival. The letter giving me this information is from a Monsieur Hory, dated at Bourdeaux the 27th of August; it came to hand last evening from Chester...
260To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 22 August 1799 (Washington Papers)
The inclosed I have cut from a New-York paper. It reminds me of what I have repeatedly proposed to different citizens of Philadelphia— That in order to avoid the impurities of docks partly uncovered at low water, and to preserve a sufficient depth of water for vessels to enter, & even lie afloat, the wharfing of the city should be newly arranged. For this end, fixing a curve line which should...
261To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 11 March 1799 (Washington Papers)
(Confidential) Sir, Philadelphia March 11.1799 I have been honored with your letter of the 3d. The business to which it relates will I believe be put on a footing to produce less mischief than was apprehended—a footing far beyond my hopes. I have this morning received the two letters inclosed for Mr Lear and J. Dandridge Esqr. I mention in confidence, what I this morning received from Mr King,...
262To John Adams from Timothy Pickering, 27 November 1798 (Adams Papers)
In obedience to the Presidents direction, The Secretary of State respectfully submits the following ideas on the matters to be communicated to Congress, in the President’s speech, at the opening of the approaching session. I. The subject most pressing on the attention of the United States is their situation in relation to the French Republic. The measures taken to effect an amicable adjustment...
263To Alexander Hamilton from Timothy Pickering, 9 June 1798 (Hamilton Papers)
I dropped you a hasty line to-day, acknowledging the receipt of your letters of the 7th. & 8th. I now inclose a copy of the new British Instructions, with Mr. King’s remark upon them. These, I have not the least doubt, are the instructions which the American captains from the West Indies, by misconceptions, have represented to be so injurious to our commerce. Mr. Liston knows of no other; nor...
264To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 27 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
In my last I forgot to mention, that Mr Nancrede from Boston, had just left with the three volumes of the Studies of Nature which he dedicated to you, without your permission, but for which you desired me to subscribe, in your behalf. I did so. But the set he has left with me for you are elegantly bound in red Morocco and gilt; and from the manner of the delivery (sending them to my house...
265To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 20 November 1797 (Washington Papers)
The Spanish letter which you transmitted to me in your favour of the ult. and which I recd the 2d inst. at Trenton, I have had translated; and the sentiments therein expressed being personal to you, as well as official in being addressed to the President of the U. States, I do myself the honor to inclose a copy of the translation. An acknowledgement to those Spanish Officers for their...
266To John Adams from Timothy Pickering, 18 August 1798 (Adams Papers)
This week the public offices have been removed to this place, on account of the malignant fever which has again visited Philadelphia. Last Evening I was honoured with your letters of the 10th & 11th. and to-day I shall forward by the mail, Worrall’s pardon, and the Commission for Mr. Sitgreaves. Your answers to the addresses from Hamilton county and Cincinnati, in the Northwestern Territory I...
267To John Adams from Timothy Pickering, 2 November 1797 (Adams Papers)
In observance of your directions, I do myself the honor to present to your view such matters as seemed to me proper to be communicated to Congress, at the opening of the approaching session. Some few others may perhaps be added: but in this case they will be prepared in such manner as to require little time to introduce them. If your address should be lengthy, even some of these may be...
268To John Adams from Timothy Pickering, 11 September 1798 (Adams Papers)
Your letters of August 14th and 29th we have seen in the hands of the Secretary of War. We are ever sorry when our views of men and things oblige us to entertain opinions different from yours; and we cannot without much pain express to you those opinions: but a sense of duty to you and to our country, supercedes all other considerations. In your letter of the 29th of August you seem to have...
269To Alexander Hamilton from Timothy Pickering, 25 March 1798 (Hamilton Papers)
I duly received your letter of the 17th. No apology will be necessary for a communication of your opinion at any time; and at the present crisis your opinion is peculiarly acceptable. Prior to the receipt of your letter, the President had determined to recommend the observance of a general fast; and had desired one or both the chaplains of Congress to prepare the draught of a proclamation....
270To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 3 October 1798 (Washington Papers)
I have to-day received some letters from Mr King dated in London July 28 August 1st & 5th. By them it appears there is more than ever a prospect of a new coalition against France: but a fact, and a very important one, stated by Mr King, has chiefly induced me to write. It is this. That Austria & Naples have entered into a defensive alliance for their mutual protection against France; and...