From John Jay to Timothy Pickering, 19 April 1797
To Timothy Pickering (private)
New York 19 April 1797—
Dear Sir
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—1
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 might with Propriety be certified by the Comptroller and Auditor of the Treasury, and published either under your or Mr. Wolcot’s Signature, in one or more of your Papers.2 Be pleased to consult with him about it, and do therein what you may judge to be most proper— For my own part, I doubt the Expediency of further or more particular Details. our general Election is at Hand, and therefore it is obvious that the sooner this is done the better on that Account with sincere Esteem and Regard I am Dear Sir your most obt Servt
John Jay
The Honble Timothy Pickering Esqr
ALS, MHi: Pickering (EJ: 04777). Marked: “Private”.
1. From a Correspondent, Greenleaf’s New York Journal, 15 Mar. 1797. Using figures derived from U.S. Treasury accounts and published by TP in the New York-based Diary or Loudon’s Register on 11 Mar. 1797, the correspondent had criticized the expenditures involved in negotiating the Jay treaty, especially the costs of JJ’s sailing “in state”, and estimated the costs of prosecuting claims against the British at $200,000 dollars, and of losses by French captures predicated on and sanctioned by the British treaty at $6,000,000. The piece was also printed in the Aurora General Advertiser of Philadelphia on 16 Mar. 1797. This was followed eight days later with a letter written by “A Citizen” to the printer of the Gazette of the United States, another Philadelphia newspaper, estimating the costs of JJ’s mission at over $36,000 and inquiring what became of the money. “A Citizen” also appeared in Stewart’s Kentucky Herald of Lexington on 18 Apr. 1797.
Similar charges resurfaced in 1799–1800. See the Constitutional Telegraph (Boston), 5 Oct. 1799, Kentucky Gazette (Lexington), 16 Jan.; and American (Baltimore), 22 Nov. 1800.
2. For JJ’s response to such charges, first published in the Gazette of the United States (Philadelphia) on 25 Apr., and the accompanying certificate by Register of the Treasury Joseph Nourse of 24 Apr. 1797, see below.
For JJ’s expenses, see also JJ to ER, 5 Mar. 1795, DS, DNA (EJ: 04293); JJ to Oliver Wolcott Jr., 19 Nov. 1795, Dft, NNC (EJ: 08948); JJ to Thomas Pinckney, 18 June 1796, Dft, NNC (EJ: 09473); Certificate of Auditor Account, signed by Richard Harrison, Joseph Nourse, and John Steele, 22–27 Oct. 1796, AD, NNC (EJ: 09839).