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Subject Area: Political Theory
Topic: The American Revolution and Constitution

TO TIMOTHY PICKERING, SECRETARY OF WAR. - George Washington, The Writings of George Washington, vol. XIII (1794-1798) [1892]

Edition used:

The Writings of George Washington, collected and edited by Worthington Chauncey Ford (New York and London: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1890). Vol. XIII (1794-1798).

Part of: The Writings of George Washington, 14 vols.

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TO TIMOTHY PICKERING, SECRETARY OF WAR.

Mount Vernon, 12 October, 1795.

Sir,

Your letters of the 2d and 5th instant came to my hands on Thursday last; but it was not in my power conveniently to acknowledge the receipt of them by the succeeding post.1 It is a very singular occurrence, that Mr. Pinckney should make use of a cipher to which there is no counterpart in the office of State. A kind of fatality seems to have pursued this negotiation, and, in short, all our concerns with Spain, from the appointment of Mr. Carmichael under the new government, as minister to that country, up to the present day. If the ciphers, which have been furnished Mr. Gouverneur Morris, Mr. Jay, Mr. Adams, and Colonel Humphreys, or any of them, are different from those, by which the letter of Mr. Pinckney has been tried, let them also be resorted to. Otherwise, as the business has commenced in error, the continuance therein is highly probable, until that gentleman is informed of this extraordinary inattention, and is thereby led to correct it, and of course the most material and interesting parts of his communications will be lost. Enough, however, appears already, to show the temper and policy of the Spanish court, and its undignified conduct, as it respects themselves, and insulting as it relates to us; and I fear will prove, that the late treaty of peace with France portends nothing favorable to these United States.

I am glad to find, however, that matters are going on well in Morocco, but much concerned to hear of the unfavorable decision in the High Court of Appeals, on one of the spoliation cases in London.1

I shall (as mentioned in one of my last letters) set out for Philadelphia this day; but business with the commissioners of the Federal City will detain me in Georgetown to-morrow, and of course keep me a day longer from the seat of government than I expected. I am, &c.

[1 ]At this time, Mr. Pickering, though Secretary of War, discharged the duties also of Secretary of State. The letters above referred to related to Mr. Pinckney’s negotiations in Spain. “Mr. Pinckney had obtained,” said he, “two interviews with the Duke de Alcudia, but to no purpose. That court appears to be playing the old game of delay. The Duke said he could not negotiate until he received from Mr. Jaudenes the answers of this government to the propositions he was directed to make. Mr. Pinckney assured the Duke, that no such propositions had been made. A number of passages are in a cipher, which Mr. Taylor could find no key to explain.”—October 2d.

[1 ]“A letter from Mr. Simpson,” said Mr. Pickering, “promises well for the treaty he is negotiating with the Emperor of Morocco. The military presents were delivered in the presence of an army of ten thousand men, and were well received.”