George Washington Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/05-20-02-0444

To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 20 September 1796

From Timothy Pickering

Department of State Sept. 20. 1796.

Sir,

Yesterday I received from Mr Monroe a letter dated the 12th of June, from which we may conclude that the complaints of the French Republic, which had been the subject of his former letters, will not be renewed. But it may be more satisfactory to read Mr Monroes own words at length; and therefore I inclose an extract from his letter, being the only thing interesting in it.1

Mr Craik will present you my request for your order on the Secretary of the Treasury for 2000 dollars for occasional demands on the contingent fund.2 I have the honor to be with the greatest respect sir, your most obt servt

T. Pickering

ALS, DNA: RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters; LB, DNA: RG 59, Domestic Letters; LB, DNA: RG 59, GW’s Correspondence with His Secretaries of State. GW replied to this letter on 28 Sept. (DNA: RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters).

1The enclosed extract reads: “I have the pleasure to inform you that in a late informal conference with one of the Members of the Directoire, I was advised by him that the Directoire had done nothing in regard to us upon the subject communicated to you in several of my preceding letters, and that he presumed they would do nothing, upon that subject. I trust therefore that their councils are thus settled upon this interesting topic, and that I shall hear nothing further from them on it: but should they take a different turn of which at present there is no particular sympto[m] (for the probability of such a course was greatest in the commencement, and whilst the first impressions were at their height) I shall not fail to apprize you of it, and without delay. As yet no successor is appointed to Mr Adet, nor can I say what the intention of his Government is, in that respect. I presume however upon the authority of the above communication, that in case one is appointed, it will be merely in consequence of Mr Adet’s request, and be of course only an ordinary official measure of no particular importance to us” (DNA: RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters). For the full letter from James Monroe, U.S. minister to France, to Pickering, dated 12 June, see Papers of James Monroe, description begins Daniel Preston et al., eds. The Papers of James Monroe. 5 vols. to date. Westport, Conn., and Santa Barbara, Calif., 2003–. description ends 4:34–35.

2Pickering had written GW on 17 Sept.: “Demands on the fund for the contingent expences of government will doubtless arise in your absence. I request your order to the Secretary of the Treasury to cause two thousand dollars to be paid to me to answer such demands” (ALS, DNA: RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters; LB, DNA: RG 59, Domestic Letters; LB, DNA: RG 59, GW’s Correspondence with His Secretaries of State). The account enclosed with GW’s report to Congress dated 15 Feb. 1797 shows the requested warrant issued to Pickering on 1 Oct. 1796 (DNA: RG 46, entry 47).

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