1From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, Jr., 20 March 1797 (Adams Papers)
The President of the United States requests The Secretary of State and the Attorney General to take into their Consideration the 3.ss of the 2d Article of the Constitution of the United States. “He (the President) shall from time to time give for Congress, information of the State of the Union and recommend to their consideration, such measures as he shall judge necessary and Expedient. He may...
2To John Adams from Charles Lee, 30 April 1797 (Adams Papers)
The Attorney General of the United States having maturely considered the questions submitted to him by the President of the United States, most respectfully reports his opinions as follows, Upon Question 1st. If a nation to whom a Minister Plenipotentiary is sent by another nation, refuse him residence, it is a just cause of displeasure, but if he be refused an audience and the refusal...
3To John Adams from Charles Lee, 5 May 1797 (Adams Papers)
In communicating to you a state of the Union at this time when you have been convened by my special direction it is with great satisfaction I inform you that the present meeting has not been occasioned by any occurrences within the United States. An attachment to our system of government has encreased with the experience of its utility, & resting on the most proper and only solid foundation...
4From John Adams to Charles Lee, 20 June 1797 (Adams Papers)
I request you take into your immediate consideration, the inclosed original Letter signed and to consult with the Attorney of the District, and such other Learned Counsel, as you shall judge proper in confidence and report to me your opinion with theirs upon these questions 1st Whether the Letter is in any and in what parts criminal— 2d. If criminal at all, under what Species of Crime it is to...
5To John Adams from Charles Lee, 22 June 1797 (Adams Papers)
In obedience to the letter of the President of the United States to the Attorney General of the United States bearing date the 20th of this month we have maturely considered the original letter signed Wm. Blount dated at Col Kings Ironworks 21st april 1797 addressed to a person of the name of Carey and the several questions propounded by the President and most respectfully report our opinions....
6To George Washington from Charles Lee, 24 July 1797 (Washington Papers)
Mr Monroe has lately demanded in a letter to the secretary of state an explanation of the letter of recall which was sent to him in France. That an inconvenient unwise and pernicious precedent might not be set his request has been denied and consequently that affair stands on the original grounds. I did not retain a copy of the opinion which I had the honor to give on this measure and...
7From George Washington to Charles Lee, 31 July 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 24th Inst. came to hand by last Post. The demand of Mr Monroe is no more than another card played in the same game. The moment I can get at my Papers (for having no convenient place yet to arrange them, they remain in an indigested mass) I will send you a copy of that which you require. A Lady of my acquaintance (who lives at a distance from hence) being under some...
8From George Washington to Charles Lee, 4 August 1797 (Washington Papers)
Agreeably to my promise I have looked among those parcels which I conceived most likely to produce the Paper of which you required a copy, without the desired effect. How to account for it I am at a loss unless Mr Lear & Mr Dandridge (whom I employed to seperate & Pack up my files) may have left it, with papers of a similar nature, which I also miss, with those designed for my Successor in...
9To George Washington from Charles Lee, 11 August 1797 (Washington Papers)
On the 9th I had the honor to receive your letter of the 4th instant, since which Col. Pickering has found the opinion which was the subject of my former letter; which will enable me to attain a copy without giving you any further trouble. If Col. Pickering has written to you as he intended he probably has informed you that the prospect of peace between France and Great Britain continues to...
10To John Adams from Charles Lee, 19 August 1797 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Charles Hall having declined accepting the office of Agent for the United States respecting british debts under the treaty of 1794, I have in obedience to your direction signified to Mr. John Read your determination to appoint him and have requested him to enter upon the duties of the office, which he has readily agreed to do. A claim has been for some time past before the commissioners...