1From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 14 March 1797 (Adams Papers)
The President of the United States requests the Secretary of State to take into his Consideration, the following Questions, and make report of his Opinion in writing. 1. Whether the refusal to receive Mr. Pinckney, and the rude orders to quit Paris, and the Territory of the Republic, with Such circumstances of Indignity, Insult and Hostility, as we have been informed of are Bars to all further...
2From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 14 March 1797 (Washington Papers)
The pressure of business in the last days of my administration, occasioned my dispatching the enclosed Instrument to the Commissioners of this City without the Seal of the United States (as certified); and I should not have known it wanted this evidence, had not those Gentlemen (upon my arrival here) informed me of the omission. I now forward it for the purpose of having this defect remedied;...
3From Alexander Hamilton to Timothy Pickering, [22 March 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
It is now ascertained that Mr Pinckney has been refused and with circumstances of indignity. What is to be done? The share I have had in the public administration added to my interest as a Citizen make me extremely anxious that at this delicate Crisis a course of conduct exactly proper may be adopted. I offer to your consideration without ceremony what appears to me such a course. First. I...
4From Alexander Hamilton to Timothy Pickering, 29 March 1797 (Hamilton Papers)
The post of yesterday brought me your letter of the day before. I regret that the idea of a Commission extraordinary appears of doubtful propriety. For after very mature reflection I am intirely convinced of its expediency. I do not understand the passage you cite as excluding the reception of a special extraordinary Minister but of an ordinary resident Minister. It seems impossible that the...
5From Alexander Hamilton to Timothy Pickering, [1 April 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your letter of the 30th. with the statement inclosed. I do not believe that its publication would have any influence upon the question of a rupture with France; but yet, as it seems that those who surround the President are not agreed in the matter—as an opinion is industriously circulated that too much fuel has been added by the publications of the Government—as it is...
6From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 10 April 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 5th instt with its enclosures, and also one of prior date, forwarding (at the request of Doctr Edwards) a Pamphlet from Sir John Sinclair have come duly to hand. For your kindness in sending these, & particularly for the information given in your letter of the 5th I feel myself very much obliged. The conduct of the French Directory towards General Pinckney is, I believe,...
7From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 15 April 1797 (Adams Papers)
The President of the United States requests the Secretary of State, to commit to writing in detail, and report to the President as early as may be convenient, such particulars as the Secretary may think necessary or expedient to be inserted in the Presidents speech at the opening of the ensuing Congress, under the heads 1. of such Things as ought to be communicated to Congress, concerning the...
8From John Jay to Timothy Pickering, 19 April 1797 (Jay Papers)
I enclose one of Greenleafs Papers, printed the 15 of last month. You will find in it some Statements and Remarks on the Expences of the british Treaty— Some Gentlemen on whose Judgments I rely, and among them Col. Hamilton, think it adviseable that some notice be taken of this publication — a certain Description of People make a Handle of it— I enclose a Paper on the Subject, which I think...
9From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 28 April 1797 (Washington Papers)
Owing to my not sending to the Post Office in Alexandria with the regularity I used to do whilst I was in the exercise of public duties, I did not receive your favor of the 21st instt until yesterday:nor have I before, acknowledged the receipt of your letter of the 11th, which also came safe. Not expecting to have much business to transact in Philadelphia I appointed no Agent there; and if...
10From Alexander Hamilton to Timothy Pickering, [11 May 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
On my return here I found your letter of the 29th . The sitting of a Court of Chancery and important business there have unavoidably delayed a reply. Now, it must be much more cursory than I could wish. As to the mission, in some shape or other, the more I have reflected upon it, the more has it appeared to me indispensable. To accomplish, with certainty, a principal object of it—the silencing...
11From Alexander Hamilton to Timothy Pickering, 13 May 1797 (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Goodhue takes on with him a Boston paper, the printer of which states that he has obtained by a Ship just arrived, a London Paper of March 24th; mentionning in positive terms an account just received from the Emperor that in consequence of a combination between Prussia & France he is driven to the necessity of making an immediate peace for the safety of the Empire —that in consequence of...
12From John Jay to Timothy Pickering, 8 June 1797 (Jay Papers)
Read the enclosed Letter first To understand this Letter it will be necessary to r first to read the enclosed, this being a sequel to that— which I for ward now because ^which was intended for this mornings post but^ the mail was closed when my Sec y brought the enclosed ^it^ to the Post office— The Cap t . Clarke in Question is well known in this City— During the late War he served in the...
13From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 12 June 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your favour of the 6th instt came by the last Post; and I find by my unacknowledged letters, that I am indebted to you also for your letters of the 27th of April, & 16th Ulto. For the Mellon, and other seeds which you were so obliging as to send me, I thank you; and when the Barbary Wheat is received, much attention shall be given to the cultivation of it. The Buckles sent by Colo. Humphreys,...
14From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 28 June 1797 (Washington Papers)
I now, as intimated in my last, take the liberty of committing the letters herewith sent to your care. The one for Genl Marshall contains others for France. Will you permit me to remind you of the copying machine—the Journals & Laws—which you were so good as to promise you would have the first repaired, an[d] all sent to me. My compliments, in which Mrs Washington joins are offered to Mrs...
15From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 3 July 1797 (Washington Papers)
The enclosure, contained in Colo. Henleys letter to me (which with the letter itself is forwarded) needs no comment. Had it come to me as a confidential communication, the transmission of it to you, might have been attended with some embarrassment; but as it is free from this, I have no hesitation in making the government acquainted with this transaction. The presumption indeed, and I hope the...
16From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 7 July 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 1st instant was brought to me by the last Post. The Journals of the 1st 2d & 3d Sessions of the first Congress, I have, & no later. These are in folio—one volume of the Senate, and another of the House of Representatives. If no complete set can be had, either in folio or octavo, it would be useless to obtain a copy of what I now possess: but if they are to be continued in...
17From John Jay to Timothy Pickering, 15 July 1797 (Jay Papers)
I herewith return the Book which you was so obliging as to send me. Whether the Convention of armed Neutrality was limited in its Duration to that of the war then subsisting, or remained in force after the Return of Peace? is a question to which the inaccurate manner in which the 11 th . article is expressed, appears to have given occasion.— The original (which is not translated with perfect...
18From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 21 July 1797 (Washington Papers)
I again take the liberty of requesting that the letters herewith sent may accompany your dispatches to Mr King —who I also hope will have the goodness to excuse the trouble I give him in this business, to insure the safety of the dispatches. I hope I shall not have occasion to give either of you much more trouble in this way, as correspondencies of this sort were not of my seeking, and I have...
19From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 31 July 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 25th was received by the last Post. Mr Monroe’s application is nothing more than a continuation of the old game, in a new form; and as I presume he means to play it with all the advantages that are to be derived from his auxiliaries here I will thank you for the whole of what will come before the public—now, or then, according to circumstances. I would thank you also for...
20From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 4 August 1797 (Washington Papers)
In a late letter from the Attorney General (Lee) he has requested a copy of the opinion he gave relative to the recall of Mr Monroe. Among the Packages most likely (as I conceived) to produce it, I have searched for the Original in vain; nor among these do I find the opinions of the Heads of Departments on various other subjects. How to account for this I am unable, unless the bundle...
21From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 25 August 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have received in course, your letters of July 28th. Aug 1st. 3d and 17th. That of July 28th only inclosed a letter from Mr. Gerry. The Mediteranean passports mentioned in your letter of Aug 1st I signed as soon as possible, & I returned them to you in three packets by the post. I saw Mr. Howel at Boston, Providence & Quincy; but as he said nothing to me on the subject of his salary, I...
22From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 26 August 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have received your letter of Aug 21st & the packet from Col Moultrie of South Carolina. The subject is so voluminous that I have not yet had time to read all the pamphlets. The letter I have read. I must refer him to you & the Attorney Gen.l to consider whether my first opinion is right or not & that the executive power is not by the constitution or any act of Congress adequate to the...
23From Alexander Hamilton to Timothy Pickering, [27 August 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
Sometime since I received the inclosed being directions concerning measures requisite to be pursued to obtain indemnification in cases of Captures by British Cruisers. I laid it by in haste & have since overlooked it. I do not recollect to have seen it in the news papers & yet it appeared to me necessary that it should be so. As it came to me from some one of our public characters in London, I...
24From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 29 August 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your favours of the 9th, 10th, & 19th instant have been duly received; for your care of my European letters, and attention to the copying Press, Laws of the U.S. and journals of Congress, I feel myself obliged. If the Vessel has not already left Philadelphia, the Tryal, Captn Hand, is up for Alexandria; and will afford a good conveyance for the above articles, as it has other small matters on...
25From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 31 August 1797 (Washington Papers)
The last Mail brought me your favour of the 24th instant, covering a letter from General Kosciuszko. And presuming that the Attorney General is on his way to Virginia, I hope to receive, soon, the Packets you committed to his charge. Not knowing where Genl Kosciuszko may be, I pray your care of the enclosed to him, as it is probable his movements will be known to you. It is with extreme regret...
26From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 4 September 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have recd. your Letter of Aug. 24 and pray you to keep the Packets from Sir John Sinclair till my return. This Agricultural Patriot and Hero has sent me Letters and Packets for Seven Years not one of which have I answered, but still he persevered.—I am not much charmed with the honour of being elected a Member of any Society in Europe especially in England, at this Crisis: but as it is owing...
27From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 4 September 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have read all the Dispatches inclosed in your favour of Aug 26 and have now time only to thank you and Col. McHenry for your Vigilant Attention and judicious Execution of all the Business relative to them. Your Letter to the Chevalier de Yrujo dated the 8 of August I have read with some Attention. The quotations and References I presume to be exact, and the Fact of his Intimacy with Blount,...
28From John Jay to Timothy Pickering, 11 September 1797 (Jay Papers)
I was this morning fav d . with yours of the 9 Inst. and have just finished reading your answer to the Chevaliers indiscreet & improper Letter— If no Faction hostile to the true Interests of this Country existed in it, I presume that the proper way to treat that Gentleman would be to insist on his Recall and to refuse to do Business with him— under present Circumstances, Prudence requires that...
29From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 15 September 1797 (Adams Papers)
It was not till last night that I received your favours of the 5. of the month. I am happy to learn that your Family and office are removed to Trenton, which I hope will proove a Place of Safety from the Contagion of the Plague of Philadelphia, as it is a well chosen Situation for the Business of your office. Dr. Way, I knew not: but his Character is such as excites a deep regret for his...
30From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 18 September 1797 (Adams Papers)
It was not till last night that I received your favors of the 5th of the month. I am happy to learn that your family and office are removed to Trenton, which I hope will prove a place of safety from the contagion of the plague of Philadelphia, as it is a well-chosen situation for the business of your office. Dr. Way I knew not; but his character is such as excites a deep regret for his death....