George Washington Papers
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To George Washington from Henry Knox, 14 April 1796

From Henry Knox

Boston 14 April 1796.

My dear Sir

I have received your kind favor of the 4th instant.

I shall always regret every circumstance which may obstruct a compliance with your wishes public or private.1 The appointment of Commissioner would mar most effectually my plans for the Summer, and which are now in an expensive train of execution.2

There is another circumstance which I confess confidentially, has a considerable influence on my mind, in declining the appointment. I am directly and collaterally very much interested in the lands of the district of Maine.3 I am impressed with the opinion that our claims are not well founded. But the people of this State have their expectations buoyed up on the subject. Any decision therefore contrary to their wishes may be liable to wrong constructions, not only against me as interested but against the executive for appointing such a person.

It would seem upon closer reflection most proper, that a person not of this state should be appointed as Commissioner. My mind lately has fixed upon Colonel Wadsworth but I do not know whether he would accept. Judge Sullivan would make a very proper agent, and advocate for the U. States.

I have however in a private letter to Colonel Pickering mentioned4 that under certain circumstances the appointment might stand as it is for the present. Not that I desire it, but merely as it might be expedient to have an ostensible appearance on the part of the executive of a readiness to execute the treaty.5

The great Mass of the people of New England, I verily beleive 9/ 10ths approve of yr reply to the house of representatives, as truly wise and unanswerable.6

The abuse of certain7 newspap⟨ers⟩ produces no other effect than indignation.

No cheif Magistrate ever possessed in a greater degree the affection and respect of the people than you do. I am my dear Sir with perfect attachment and respect Your humble Servant

H. Knox

ALS, DLC:GW; ADf, NNGL.

1GW had offered Knox an appointment as one of the commissioners created under Article V of the Jay Treaty to determine the river boundary between Maine and Canada.

2At this point on the draft, Knox wrote and struck out a line. He then penned material omitted from the ALS: “I shall have sixty workmen employed during the summer, in errecting Mills, and other buildings and opening slate and marble quarries, and makeing lime and bricks. These and other things are exper[i]ments to raise a revenue while my lands are gradually selling at the le[a]st market prices.”

3Knox had inherited a fifth of the Waldo Patent in Maine, a tract of approximately 170,000 acres. He also had engaged in large land purchases and speculations with William Duer and William Bingham (see Allis, William Bingham’s Maine Lands, description begins Frederick S. Allis, Jr., ed. William Bingham’s Maine Lands 1790–1820. 2 vols. Boston, 1954. In Publications of The Colonial Society of Massachusetts, vols. 36-37. description ends 1:38–45, 80–92, 521–676; 2:677–761).

4Knox inadvertently omitted this word, which is taken from his draft.

5In his private letter to Secretary of State Timothy Pickering written on this date, Knox explained: “A multitude of Workmen whom I have employed for the present year, and who will require my actual presence effectually prohibit my acceptance of the appointment.

“If however it should be certain that circumstances would prevent any call for actual services this year, and a new appointment at present should be in any degree embarrassing to the executive, I should have no objection to the appointment remaining as it is until the next winter, and then to accept or decline as circumstances of a private nature should dictate. But if this idea should not comport entirely with the views of the President, then please to consider my public letter as definitive” (MHi: Pickering Papers).

6Knox is referring to GW’s message dated 30 March to the U.S. House of Representatives asserting executive privilege to withhold diplomatic correspondence.

7On his draft, Knox inserted this word to replace “the Jacobinnal,” which he struck out.

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