From Timothy Pickering to Bartholomew Dandridge, Jr., 30 June 1795
Timothy Pickering to Bartholomew Dandridge, Jr.
War-Office June 30. 1795.
Dear Sir,
I mentioned to the President to-day the request of Mr Boudinot that the President would sign 50 diplomas for the New Jersey Cincinnati. The President thought he had signed that number during the late session of Congress.1 The inclosed papers will show that General Knox was to request it: but I suppose the blanks were never sent to the President.2 For I now find in this office one bundle containing 50, unsigned, and a like bundle I sent to-day to the Presidents to be signed. Now the resolve of the Jersey Society shows that the whole number to be procured was but 100.3
If the President should find leisure this afternoon to gratify the wishes of the New-Jersey Society, I could transmit the diplomas to Mr Boudinot conveniently by Mr Simmons, who will set out in to-nights stage. But if not perfectly convenient to the President, to sign the diplomas this afternoon, I should doubtless meet with some other conveyance between this and Friday morning.4 Your obt servt
Timothy Pickering
ALS, DLC:GW; LB, DLC:GW.
1. The Third Congress, second session, sat from 3 Nov. 1794 to 3 March 1795.
2. The enclosed papers have not been identified.
3. The New Jersey Society of the Cincinnati had resolved at their 1792 meeting that Elias Boudinot and Jonathan Dayton “be continued a committee to procure one hundred diplomas for the use of this Society by the next meeting, fifty of which to be signed by the President General.” At the 1794 meeting, however, it was reported that the diplomas had been printed but not signed. At the 1795 meeting, the committee reported “that they made application as directed, but some difficulties arising lest an improper use might be made of them, the committee gave assurances that this Society would take the most prudent measures to prevent that evil, that thereupon the President General did sign fifty diplomas, which with fifty more remaining unsigned, are now ready to be delivered to the order of the Society” (Excerpts of the Proceedings of the Society of the Cincinnati in the State of New Jersey from May 13th, 1783, to July 4th, 1906 [Brooklyn?, 1908], 176–77).
4. GW signed fifty diplomas on 30 June (see 330). Friday was 3 July.