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

TO TIMOTHY PICKERING. - George Washington, The Writings of George Washington, vol. XIV (1798-1799) [1893]

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. XIV (1798-1799).

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

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TO TIMOTHY PICKERING.

Mount Vernon, 10 February, 1799.

Dear Sir:

Your two letters of the 24th of the last, and 2d. of the present month, have been duly received, for which and their enclosures, I thank you.

I am not surprised that some members of the House of Representatives should disrelish 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 crisis in my opinion calls loudly for plain dealing; that the citizens at large may be well informed and decide with respect to public measures upon a thorough knowledge of facts. Concealment is a species of misinformation, and misrepresentation and false alarms found the ground work of opposition—the plan of which is to keep the people as much as possible in ignorance and terror, for it is believed by themselves that a perfect understanding of our real situation, in regard to our foreign relations would be a death blow to their consequence and struggles, and for that reason have always something on foot to disquiet the public mind.1

I am sorry to see Mr. Gerry is pursuing a mischievous path. That he was led astray by his own vanity and self-importance, and was the dupe of diplomatic skill, I never had a doubt; but these doubts were accompanied by faint hopes (faint indeed they were) that he possessed candor, fortitude and manliness enough to have come forward with an open declaration that he had been practised upon, and was deceived. But Mr. Gerry’s mind is not enlarged enough for such conduct as this, especially assailed as I presume it was on his arrival by those whose labors are unceasing to inculcate their doctrines of hostility against the proceedings of their own government.

The session of Congress is fast drawing to a close. What traits it will leave behind of strong and energetic measures remain to be seen—such I hope as will show that we are ready at all times to negotiate upon fair and honorable terms, but never to be bullied into them. With very great esteem, &c.

[1 ]Pickering sent the omitted passages to Washington, who wrote in reply:

“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 dessert I could have offered.

“Henceforward I will consider your letters to me in three distinct points of view; and I mention it now that I may commit no error hereafter.

“First, such communications as you may conceive it proper to make to me alone, and mark confidential, shall go no farther. Those marked private I may, occasionally, impart their contents to well-disposed characters, and those without either will leave me unrestrained.”