George Washington Papers
Documents filtered by: Author="Washington, George" AND Recipient="Pickering, Timothy" AND Period="Washington Presidency" AND Correspondent="Washington, George"
sorted by: date (descending)
Permanent link for this document:
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/05-21-02-0310

From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 14 February 1797

To Timothy Pickering

Philadelphia 14th Feb. 1797.

Sir,

I have given the draughts of the letters to Messrs Pinckney—Humphreys—and Adams an attentive perusal, and approve of their contents.1

It might however be better, to soften some of the strong expressions in the letter which is addressed to the first of those characters; or to convey them in Cypher, lest they should (which is not improbable) fall into hands they are not intended for. and might it not be advisable to let Mr Pinckney know how unpleasant to this country it would be, that the French should be possessed of Louisiana & the Floridas, that he might act as opportunities and circumstances would justify?2

It would seem that the same principle, which induced a call upon the Merchts to come forward with their statements and proof of British Spoliations, apply equally to those who are suffering by French depredations;3 but as we may, every moment, expect to hear from Mr Pinckney at Paris, I am inclined to think the call had better be suspended until it is known what his reception has been.4

Go: Washington

ALS, MHi: Pickering Papers; ALS (letterpress copy), DNA: RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters.

1For Pickering’s draft letters to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, David Humphreys, and John Quincy Adams, see Pickering to GW, 13 Feb., and n.1.

2Pickering followed GW’s advice and wrote his letter to Pinckney of 25 Feb. in cipher. In that same letter, Pickering warned of potential dangers of a Spanish cession of Louisiana and the Floridas to France. For the text of the letter and the erroneous rumors about the cession, see Pickering to GW, 13 Feb., n.1.

3GW raised this issue after perusing the letter of 6 Feb. from Alexander Hamilton to Pickering, which recommended that merchants provide statements of proof about French spoliations. For Pickering’s transmission of Hamilton’s letter, see Pickering to GW, 13 Feb., and n.2 to that document. GW had proposed equivalent types of statements involving British spoliations when he wrote Congress in late 1793 (see GW to the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, 5 Dec. 1793, and n.5). Edmund Randolph, the secretary of state at that time, received numerous such statements of proof (see Randolph to GW, 2 March 1794).

4Pinckney had written GW on 25–28 Jan., but GW left office before that letter reached the State Department. The missive announced the French Directory’s refusal to recognize Pinckney’s credentials as U.S. minister to France.

Index Entries