1. Randolph received two letters dated 28 Jan. from Thomas Pinckney, the U.S. minister to Great Britain. The first letter was written originally in cipher. A decoded version is entitled “Explication of a Letter from Mr Pinckney dated London 28th Jany 1794.” Pinckney wrote that he had no role in obtaining the revocation of the order-in-council of 6 Nov. 1793 because he had been unable to obtain a meeting with Lord Grenville until the British “cabinet had determined on the measure.” Pressure from British merchants, concern over a possible war with the United States, and recent French military victories had prompted this decision. “I have confined myself to requiring ⟨a⟩ verbal explanation of what is past because if the President thinks proper to demand an explanation I presume he will ⟨d⟩irect it to be made in different terms from what I might use without special instruction . . . I intreat that my instructions may be full and precise.”

A postscript written without code on the ciphered letter reads: “I repeat for the greater certainty that I am to expect no answer here ⟨to⟩ my memorial on the additional Instructions of June last Ld Grenville having ⟨tol⟩d me that he would send his answer to Mr Hammond to be by him forwarded to you” (both, DNA: RG 59, Despatches from U.S. Ministers to Great Britain). The letter from George Hammond to Randolph of 11 April, defending British policy, was enclosed in GW to the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, 15 April, and is printed in ASP, Foreign Relations description begins Walter Lowrie et al., eds. American State Papers. Documents, Legislative and Executive, of the Congress of the United States. 38 vols. Washington, D.C., Gales and Seaton, 1832–61. description ends , 1:432–33. On the British order-in-council of 6 Nov., see n.5 of Joseph Brown to GW, 2 April, and n.1 of Randolph to GW, 3 April.

The second letter of 28 Jan. was a brief cover letter enclosing a copy of Pinckney’s June 1793 memorial to Lord Grenville in which Pinckney stated U.S. objections to the British order-in-council of 8 June 1793 authorizing the seizure of American ships carrying provisions to France (both, DNA: RG 59, Despatches from U.S. Ministers to Great Britain). For the British order-in-council, see ASP, Foreign Relations description begins Walter Lowrie et al., eds. American State Papers. Documents, Legislative and Executive, of the Congress of the United States. 38 vols. Washington, D.C., Gales and Seaton, 1832–61. description ends , 1:240. GW submitted the second letter of 28 Jan. and its enclosed memorial with his letter to the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives of 12 May (see also ASP, Foreign Relations description begins Walter Lowrie et al., eds. American State Papers. Documents, Legislative and Executive, of the Congress of the United States. 38 vols. Washington, D.C., Gales and Seaton, 1832–61. description ends , 1:448–49).

It is probable that the “other” letter under consideration was Pinckney’s letter of 29 Jan., in which he reported on the political state of Europe and recent French military victories (DNA: RG 59, Despatches from U.S. Ministers to Great Britain).

2. This paragraph was written and signed by Alexander Hamilton.

3. This sentence was written and signed by Henry Knox.