To John Jay from Timothy Pickering, 17 February 1810
From Timothy Pickering
City of Washington Feby. 17. 1810.
Dear Sir,
I have just received and read your letter of the 9th.1 On the 13th I acknowledged the receipt of your letter of the 7th.2 I pray you to accept of my thanks for these favours. Should further questions occur, I will use the liberty you give to request your answers.
The bill which has passed the House of Representatives, under the name of Macon’s Bill (and which the Government paper here insidiously calls the American Navigation Act) is the order of the day for Monday next, in the Senate.3 From present appearances, it will there be rejected; or so altered as to repeal the non-intercourse law, and do away all commercial restrictions. The policy of the party obviously dictates this course: for if the people once more see themselves freed from their shackles, they will not be anxious to inquire about the means: they may even feel grateful to the men who have so long oppressed them, as though the relief granted were a boon which the people had no right to claim. The approaching elections in New-York & New-England may be influenced by this apparent (tho’ really reluctant) attention to the interests of the nation; and gain many votes ^gained^ for the administration. But whatever relaxation, or apparent change, of system may take place, will be the effect, not of good-will, of honest regard to the public welfare,—but of temporary policy & compulsion. In a late speech in the Senate, Saml. Smith4 (of Baltimore) had the folly to persist in the ridiculous notion, that if, last year, the embargo had been kept on three months longer, G[reat]. Britain would ^have^ yielded to our terms! “But, Mr. President, (said he) we were compelled to repeal it.” I have the honour to be, with the highest respect, & affectionate esteem, dear sir, your obedt. servant,
Timothy Pickering
Hon’ble John Jay Esqr.
ALS, NNC (EJ: 09477).
1. See JJ to TP, 9 Feb. 1810, above.
2. JJ to TP, 7 Feb., ALS, MHi: Pickering (EJ: 04812); Dft, without extracts, NNC (EJ: 09476); TP to JJ, 13 Feb., ALS, NNC (EJ: 09475); C, MHi: Pickering (EJ: 04844).
3. Nathaniel Macon (1757–1837), of North Carolina, a long-serving politician in the House of Representatives (1791–1815) and Senate (1815–28), introduced a bill on 19 Dec. 1809, that forbade the importation of British or French goods and prohibited ships from either of these countries from entering American ports until their governments ended oppressive trade policies toward the United States. Known as the American Navigation Act or Macon’s Bill Number 1, the measure was drawn up by Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin and passed the House on 29 Jan. 1810, but failed after it was derailed in the Senate by opponents led by Samuel Smith. See PJM: PS, 2: xxxviii–xxxix.
4. Samuel Smith (1752–1839), Republican politician from Baltimore, Md., who served in the House of Representatives (1793–1803, 1816–22), the Senate (1803–15, 1822–33), and as mayor of Baltimore (1835–38). Smith had been a strong supporter of TJ, but differed with JM over foreign policy, particularly in dealings with English and French incursions. By 1810, their antagonism caused an open split within the Republican Party. Smith worked openly against legislation favored by JM, such as Macon’s Bill No. 1, Gallatin’s financial policies, and a declaration of war against Great Britain. ANBO.