1From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 24 November 1799 (Washington Papers)
Your favour of the 5th instant came to hand in due course; and the manner in which you proposed to dispose of my letter to Mr Murray, was perfectly agreeable to me. Knowing nothing of the writer of the enclosed letter, and unwilling to be hasty in encouraging proposals of this sort, without some information of the characters who are engaged in the Work; I take the liberty of enquiring, through...
2From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 3 November 1799 (Washington Papers)
Your private & confidential letter of the 24th Ulto came duly, and safely to hand. Its contents, I confess, surprised me. But as men will view the same things in different lights, I would now , fain hope that the P——has caught the true one; and, that good will come from the Mission, which is about to depart. These are my wishes, and no one is more ardent in them; but I see nothing in the...
3From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 20 October 1799 (Washington Papers)
Private Dear Sir, Mount Vernon Octr 20th 1799 Your letters of the 29th Ult. and 9th instant, have been duly received; and for the information given in them, I feel myself obliged. In a note which I have just recd from Mr Stoddert, to whom I had occasion to write on business, is added in the close thereof “The President has decided that the Mission to France shall proceed without delay. The...
4From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 8 September 1799 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 22d Ulto came duly to hand. The subject being of importance to the New City; and at no time more necessary than at the commencement of the water improvements thereat—I sent it to the Commissioners of the Federal City; who were contemplating on regulations to avoid the evils which are but too common, and of late sorely felt; in almost the whole of our Seaport Towns of...
5From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 11 August 1799 (Washington Papers)
A day or two after my last letter to you was sent to the Post Office, I received your obliging favor of the 2d instant. The embarrassments occasioned by the late appointment of Envoys, begin now to shew themselves; and must place the Government—whether it advances towards or retreats from the object, for which they were appointed, in a delicate situation. Of the two evils, the least, no doubt...
6From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 4 August 1799 (Washington Papers)
Your favour of the 18th Ulto came to hand in due course of the Mail, and I thank you for the information contained in it. Is it not time to learn, Officially, and unequivocally, the result of the Presidents message, and consequent (I presume) intimation to the French Government, respecting the appointment of Envoys to Treat with it? Having no Church nearer than Alexandria (nine miles distant)...
7From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 14 July 1799 (Washington Papers)
I thank you for the enclosure in your letter of the 1st instant, and for forwarding my letters to England, under cover to Mr King. Since the receipt of the above, General Pinckney has given me the whole of Major Mountf[l]orence’s letter to him. Surely La Fayette will not come here on such an errand, and under such circumstances as are mentioned in that letter. And yet—I believe he will, if the...
8From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 20 March 1799 (Washington Papers)
I am indepted to you for two letters—28th of the last, and 11th of the present month. For the information given in both—particularly the latter—I feel gratified and obliged. I hope the measure communicated therein will eventuate beneficially for this Country. I lately received the German letter, herewith forwarded to you; as I do the Box also, which accompanied it—unopened. The writer, as far...
9From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 3 March 1799 (Washington Papers)
Confidential Dear Sir, Mount Vernon 3d March 1799 The unexpectedness of the event, communicated in your letter of the 21st Ulto, did, as you may suppose, surprise me not a little. But far, very far indeed was this surprise short of what I experienced the next day, when by a very intelligent Gentmn (immediately from Philadelphia) I was informed that there had been no direct overture from the...
10From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 15 February 1799 (Washington Papers)
Your favour of the 8th instt conveys very pleasing information, and I feel obliged by the communication. Although you did not give your letter the stamp of privacy, I did not think myself at liberty to mention the purport of it to some good Federal characters who were dining with me at the time I received it, and who would have thought it the best Desert I could have offered. Hence forward, I...
11From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 10 February 1799 (Washington Papers)
Your letters of the 24th of the last, and 2d of the present Month, have been duly received; for which, & their enclosures, I thank you. I am not surprised that some Members of the Ho. of Representatives should dis-relish your Report. It contains remarks, and speaks truths which they are desirous should be unknown to the People. I wish the parts which were left out, had been retained. The...
12From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 4 January 1799 (Washington Papers)
If you should have conceived, that the letters I have written to you since my retirement from the Chair of Government, worth the room they would take up in your Beaureau; and can readily lay your hands upon one written on the 6th of February in the past year, I would thank you for a copy of the last page thereof. A Press copy was taken of that letter; and all of it, except the last page,...
13From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 26 October 1798 (Washington Papers)
I have been duly favored with your letters of the 15th & 20th Instant; and received great satisfaction from the communications in both. That General Pinckney not only accepts his appointment in the army of the United States, but accompanies the acceptance with declar[at]ions so open & candid, as those made to General Hamilton, affords me sincere pleasure. It augers well of the aid that may be...
14From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 18 October 1798 (Washington Papers)
The contents of your letter of the 13th instant, which I received last night, gave me much pleasure; and it has been increased since, by the annunciation (in the Gazettes) of General Pinckneys safe arrival at New York. I hope he will not play the second part of the difficulty created by General Knox. The extracts of letters from our Consuls, & other characters in France to you, are...
15From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 15 October 1798 (Washington Papers)
The information contained in your letter of the 3d instant was highly grateful to me. Such communications are not only satisfactory to me, but are really useful; for while I hold myself in readiness to obey the call of my Country, it is expedient that I should have more authentic information than News Paper inconsistencies, of the approaching, or receding storm; that I may regulate my private...
16From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 1 October 1798 (Washington Papers)
This letter will contain very little more than an acknowledgment of the receipts of your letters of the 13th & 18th of last month, which came safe to hand. The letter written by Mr Wolcott to the President of the United States, and the representation made by me to him, so soon as I received official information of the change intended, by him, in the relative Rank of the Major Generals, and of...
17From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 9 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
Private Dear Sir, Mount Vernon 9th Septr 1798. Your private letter of the first instant came duly to hand, and I beg you to be persuaded that, no apology will ever be necessary for any confidential communications you may be disposed to entrust me with. In every public transaction of my life, my aim has been to do that, which appeared to me to be most conducive to its weal. Keeping this object...
18From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 4 August 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 12th Ulto came duly to hand, but the expectation that Congress would rise sooner than it really did, in the first place; and the supposition that Mr Craik would return home, so Soon as [it] did rise in the next, have delayed my acknowledgment of its receipt, and giving direction relative to the money paid you on my A/c by Judge Addison, until now. But learning from Doctr...
19From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 11 July 1798 (Washington Papers)
As I never get letters by the Mail until the morning after they arrive in Alexandria, and frequently not for several days, as I am not regular in sending thither, your favour of the 6th instant did not reach my hands until yesterday. Of the abilities, and fitness of the Gentleman you have named for a high command in the Provisional Army, I think as you do; and that his Services ought to be...
20From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 16 April 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your obliging favour of the 11th instant, enclosing copies of the Instructions to, and Dispatches from the Envoys of the United States at Paris, was received with thankfulness, by the last Post. One would think that the measure of infamy was filled, and the profligacy of, & corruption in the system pursued by the French Directory, required no further disclosure of the principles by which it is...
21From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 6 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your letters of the 20th & 27th Ulto have been duly received; and the Pamphlets, with Colo. Monroe’s View, came safe. If no direct opportunity to Alexandria should present itself soon, by which the W[or]ks of Mr Nancrede could be sent with convenience & without liability to damage, I would thank you for putting them (carefully wrapped up) into the hands of Colo. Biddle, who is the Agent...
22From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 12 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
Permit me to request your care of the enclosed letter to Mr Williams, our Consul at Hamburgh, in answer to a very polite & civil one informing me of the arrival of Genl Lafayette & family at that place. Allow me also to ask the favour of you to send me Colo. Monroe’s, & Mr Fauchet’s Pamphlets; and if you have leisure (not else) to let me know what the public sentiment respecting them, is. In...
23From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 11 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
At the sametime that I acknowledge the receipt of your favour of the 20th Ulto enclosing a translation of the Spanish letter and one from Mr King, let me beg the favour of you to forward those which go under cover with this, to their respective Addresses, along with your own if you should have occasion to write soon to our public characters abroad; or by the first conveyances if you should...
24From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 6 November 1797 (Washington Papers)
Since writing to you a few days ago, I have been favoured with your letters of the 26th and 30th Ulto. If you should have occasion to write to Mr Parish of Hamburg, you would oblige me, by thanking him in my behalf, for his very polite & friendly offer of sending me any thing I might have occasion for from that place. It would be more formal than necessary, to introduce Mr Bucknall’s...
25From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 30 October 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your favors of the 30th of August and 8th of September have remained unacknowledged, because I had nothing to communicate that could compensate for the loss of a moment of your time; which I know is too much occupied in matters of business to be interrupted by unimportant letters. Having received the enclosed letter by the Ganges, in the twilight, and attending to the first part of the...
26From 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...
27From 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...
28From 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...
29From 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...
30From 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...