351To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 29 July 1796 (Washington Papers)
(private) About noon to-day Mr John Churchman, who has been these two or three years in Europe, on account of his supposed discoveries relative to the variation of the Magnetic Needle, called at the office. He came last from Bourdeaux, and was the bearer of Mr Monroe’s letter of the 2d of May. I told him it had been broken open; & after a few questions, asked him to give me a certificate of...
352To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 29 July 1796 (Washington Papers)
I was yesterday honoured with your letter of the 25th and agreeably to your directions have had a commission made out for Samuel Williams to be Consul of the U. States at Hamburg, & now inclose it for your signature. I will take care to advise Mr Monroe of the appointment. The untoward situation of the Cannon foundaries last year, excited apprehensions that the Contractors might fail of...
353To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 27 July 1796 (Washington Papers)
On the 25th I received letters from Colo. Humphreys dated April 30. May 30. & June 1. accompanied by a large packet from Mr Barlow at Algiers. The substance of the information respecting the pending treaty with Algiers is, That Mr Donaldson had gone to Leghorn, with orders from Mr Barlow to transmit two hundred thousand dollars to Algiers, which would procure the redemption of our captive...
354To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 26 July 1796 (Washington Papers)
In the letter with which you honored me, bearing date the 27th of June, your expressed your approbation of John Davis, the late Comptroller, to be appointed to the office of District Attorney of Massachusetts, provided his professional knowledge (of which you had no correct information) should be deemed adequate to the discharge of its duties, and he would place himself in a situation to...
355To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 21 July 1796 (Washington Papers)
(Private) I received this morning your favour of the 18th. The subjects of it shall have all the attention of which I am capable. De la Croix exhibition of the causes of complaint from the French Republic against the “ government ” of the U. States (which you will receive with Colo. Monroe’s answer in my public letter of this date) will place you at ease with respect to that country. The...
356To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 21 July 1796 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to inclose a letter from Colo. Monroe, dated the 2d of May (and which was received late in the evening of last Tuesday) with the papers accompanying it, containing the complaints of the French Republic against the Government of the United States, and Mr Monroe’s answer to those complaints. I have only substituted a translation of the statement of M. De la Croix, the French...
357To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 21 July 1796 (Washington Papers)
On the receipt of your letter directing the mode suggested by the attorney general, of obtaining passports by American seamen, to be carried into effect, I communicated the same to the Secretary of the Treasury. We were both of opinion that the circular letter of instructions to the Collectors of the Customs would more properly be signed & transmitted by him than by me; the collectors being...
358To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 20 July 1796 (Washington Papers)
(private) Last evening, about nine o’clock, when sitting in my office, the Messenger brought me a letter from Mr Monroe. When going to open it, I found it had already been broken open, but the broken edges of the paper had been slightly fastened again by introducing some pieces of wafer. The original sealing, as usual with Colo. Monroe’s letters, was with wax. The wife of the Messenger went to...
359To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 19 July 1796 (Washington Papers)
(private) I was honored with your confidential letter of the 13th and showed it to the other two secretaries. Last Friday Mr Dawson called on the Secretary of War, and mentioned his being on a journey to the eastward, to contract for the manufacturing of five thousand stand of arms for the State of Virginia; and requested his information where he might apply without interfering with any...
360To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 19 July 1796 (Washington Papers)
(private) This morning I received the inclosed letter from Mr Dayton, expressing fully his opinion of Mr Israel Ludlow, whose application for the office of Surveyor General I had the honor lately to transmit to you. While it must be acknowledged that Mr Dayton is perfectly competent to pronounce accurately on the character of a man so well known to him as Mr Ludlow must be, it is proper for me...