To John Jay from Timothy Pickering, 9 April 1798
From Timothy Pickering
Philadelphia, April 9. 1798.
Dr Sir,
The dispatches from our envoys in Paris being published this morning, I do myself the pleasure to inclose you a copy.1 Unless the corruption of the French Government and their unjust, tyrannical, rapacious and insulting conduct towards the U. States shall rouse the indignant spirit of the people, our independence is at an end. The leaders of the opposition in Congress, while thunderstruck with the exhibition of these dispatches, acknowledged the justice and moderation & sincerity of the Executive in his endeavours to accommodate our differences with France: but to all appearance, they will still oppose efficient measures even of defence—certainly by sea,—and perhaps by land. Galatin professes to believe that our envoys have entered on a negociation, & that a treaty has ere this time been conducted. Mr. Jefferson says there is no evidence that the Directory had any knowledge of Talley-rands unofficial negotiations! I am with great respect your obt. servant
T. Pickering
Governor Jay
ALS, NNC (EJ: 09505). , 4: 236.
1. See Message of the president of the United States, to both Houses of Congress, April 3d. 1798 (Philadelphia, 1798; , series 1, nos. 34812 and 34813). On 5 Apr. Congress ordered publication of five hundred copies of JA’s message, together with the dispatches from the envoys to the French Republic. For the background, see the editorial note “John Jay and the Response to the XYZ Affair in New York,” below.