From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 18 September 1795
To Timothy Pickering
Mount Vernon 18th of September 1795
Sir,
Your letter of the 11th with two others from you dated the 14th instant, were received yesterday.1
The summary of the dispatches from Governor Blount, was more agreeable to me than complete transcripts of his letter with the enclosures; and the same practice where information only is intended, may govern in other cases.
I am very glad to find that the Creeks are so well disposed for peace with the Chiccasaws. I hope their professions are sincere, & that the attempt to recover their prisoners is no finesse. I hope also that Govr Blount will go to work in earnest to accomplish this measure, effectually. If so, the request in my last that Seagrove should be immediately dispatched on this business may be superceded;2 but of this I leave you to judge; after expressing an earnest wish that so desirable an object as Peace betwn these Tribes may not be impeded either by delay, or want of exertion in the agent, or agents who are to negotiate it.
I do not, I confess, see how the application of Colo. Lowther is to be reconciled with the pacific dispositions of the Indians; as related from all quarters. The footing you have placed the matter upon with the Govr of Virginia, is the best the case will admit; but I would press him not to suffer the detachments which have been drawn out by the former to remain in service longer than the exigency of the case shall absolutely require. There is too great a propensity in the Officers commanding on the frontiers to call out the Militia, and to establish such corps.3
Go: Washington
ADfS, DLC:GW; LB, DLC:GW.
1. GW evidently was acknowledging Pickering’s first letter to him of 11 September.
2. For the proposal of peace between the Creeks and Chickasaws, see Pickering’s first letter to GW of 11 September. For GW’s request about Creek agent James Seagrove, see his private (second) letter to Pickering of 16 September.
3. For William Lowther’s application and Pickering’s response to Gov. Robert Brooke, see Pickering to GW, 14 Sept. (second letter), and n.1 to that letter. Pickering enclosed a copy of this paragraph with his letter to Brooke of 25 Sept., adding: “The President will rest assured that the Executive of Virginia will effectually guard against the evil which he fears is too apt to prevail on the frontiers. At the same time, no one can doubt of his readiness, from a sense of duty & humanity, to afford all reasonable protection to his fellow citizens in such exposed situations” (NN: Myers Collection).