Glass _ Jr I'^fo 
 .5 
 
 Book Mi. 
 
INTERESTING 
 
 COHRESPONDENCE 
 
 BETWEEN "^^ 
 
 HIS EXCELLENCY GOVERNOUR SULLIVAN 
 
 COL. PICKERING; 
 
 IN WHICH THE LATTER 
 
 VINDICATES HIMSELF AGAINST THE GROUNDLESS 
 CHARGES MADE AGAINST HIM 
 
 GOVERNOUR AND OTHERS. 
 
 BOSTON : 
 
 PRINTED BY GREENOUGH AKD STEBBIMS, 
 
 Over the Palladium Office, 
 1808. 
 
.S 
 
GOV. SULLIVAN TO COL. PICKERING. 
 
 BOSTON, 18th MARCH, ISOS. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 I YESTERDAY had yours of the 9th inftant. 
 It was fent to me from the poll-office. I had intended to have 
 negledled your letters in the poll-office, merely becaufe I would 
 avoid being drav/n into an epillolary controverfy by a man, who 
 from his fituation can better purfue it, and from his inclination and 
 habits can better attend to it than I can : but the letter was brought 
 by the poll-boy, and I opened -it. 
 
 I cannot but pity the chagrin with which the propriety of my 
 tonduft in returning unreadt your former letter, has involved you. 
 I will firtl notice your ungentlemanlike, infidious, and even profane 
 remarks on the proclamation I have ifiued for a day of publick fall- 
 ing and prayer. Your profeffions to have read that production 
 with pleafure can never be confidered as founded in lincerity, while 
 you are evidently attempting to dillurb and fubvert the devotion 
 ©f all the men, who are engaged in commerce, of all who are en- 
 gaged in the filheries, and confequently of all who depend upon 
 commerce for a market for the produce of their lands : and in fa6l 
 to dellroy the temper of mind, which the day has a claim to j arid 
 which the circumilances of the country afford to it. v 
 
 When I invited the people to pray for a bleffing on their en- 
 terprizes by fea and land, I did not expeft that this would be im- 
 proved to urge them to fedition and rebellion againll the govern- 
 ment of the nation, if an embargo or any other rellridlion upon or 
 regulation of trade Ihould be deemed neceffary as a meafure of na- 
 tional fafety, you cannot but obferve that the introduAory part of 
 that draft is on general publick principles, and that our peculiar fit- 
 uatidfli at this time is very llightly touched upon. Your temper, 
 
urged to an extreme by your difappointment in not having your 
 own opinion the rule of national meafures over the majority of Con- 
 grefs, has carried you too far. 
 
 As to my treatment of your former letter in returning it un- 
 read, the more it is confidered the more it muft be approved. You, 
 indeed, found your claim upon me as being the organ of your com- 
 munication in your being a fenator ; but you will recolle6l that 
 there is another fenator from this ftate befides you, and that there 
 are feventeen reprefentatives. The world knows that your view of 
 national affairs, and that of your colleague are widely different : 
 and that your fentiments would be diredlly contradi£lory to each 
 other. We are unfortunate enough to know that there is among 
 our reprefentatives as great a variance in opinion, more efpecially 
 on the fubjeft of your letter, which I returned unread, the embargo. 
 You acknowledge in your letter of the 9th, that all of them have 
 an equal claim with you to make the governour an organ of commu- 
 nication ; and you mufl confefs, and if you [do] not, it is a faQ: 
 well known that their ftatements of our national affairs, more efpe- 
 cially as to the prefent embargo, would be widely different from 
 yours and from each other. If the governour of this commonwealth 
 was obliged to communicate what every member fhould dire ft him 
 to do, what would be the confequence ? Would he not transfer all 
 the debates of the national legiflature from Wafhington to Boflon, 
 where they would remain under fruitlefs inoperative difcuffion ; 
 where decifions could have no efiicacy, and the means of corredl 
 information, and the voice of all concerned, as parties intercflcd, 
 mufl be excluded. Each ftate having the fame claim, the national 
 compaft muft ceafe to exift. 
 
 I have read your letter in print fmce I returned the manu- 
 script. It was printed, I find, before I received it by the mail. 
 Had I read it on receiving it, I fhould, independent of your extra- 
 ordinary claim, have refufed to lay it before the legiflature of this 
 ftate, as a public document. The communication from the gover- 
 nour of this commonwealth to its legiflature, muft be always of some- 
 thing which he believes to deferve their attention, and to be within 
 
their authority to act upon as a legiflature. I do not conceive that 
 your letter was within this defcription. It appears to me on read- 
 ing it from the prefs, to have been a feditious, diforganizing produc- 
 tion. The people of MafTachufetts called me to the head of this 
 ftate under the expeftation that I (hould confolidate the common- 
 wealth, and ftrengthen the national union and energy ; I fhall not, 
 therefore, be made a tool of by you, for effecting dire6lly oppofite 
 purpofes. 
 
 If we are any thing, we are a nation under the organization of 
 the general government. I will not wafte time here to inquire 
 whether that government is right in regard to the embargo or not. 
 No government is always right. You may take it for granted, if 
 you pleafe, that the embargo aft was an error, yet it was a conlti- 
 tutional aft. It was the exercife of a power which rauft, from the 
 nature of things exill in the national government . What then was 
 your appeal from the fovereign power of the nation to the authorit^r 
 of one of the ftates for, but to difunite, divide, and difiblve the na- 
 tion ? Are you not one of the men who were lately fo very vocif- 
 erous againft diforganization ? If the fenators of MafTachufetts, 
 when they happen to be in a minority in Congrefs, can appeal to 
 their ftate, why cannot Rhode-Illand, Connefticut, New-Hamp- 
 fhire, and thofe of the other ftates do the fame ? And where will 
 this end but in an overthrow of the national government ? This 
 diffolution you will deny to be an objeft with you ; but yet you 
 will not deny that there is in exiftence fuch a charafter as Aaron 
 Burr. You will not deny Miranda's expedition, or Burr's plot. 
 You will not hefitate to own that feveral millions of dollars have 
 been by them expended, or that more than half of it was expended 
 by Burr, who had no money of his own. I do not call on you 
 to fay where this money was obtained ; you do not know. But 
 this you know, that fuccefs in that plot would have been the 
 deftruftion of the United States, and that his plan would 
 have divided the nation, and placed the northern part of it under 
 the dominion of a foreign power. You certainly know, Sir, that 
 the firft principle in the focial compaft of a republick is, that the 
 voice of a conflitutional majority {hall govern j the moment you 
 
6 
 
 depart from this in praftice, that moment you diflblve your gov- 
 ernment, at leaft as far as you depart from it. What then is the 
 fum of all your labours, but an attempt to excite uneafmefs, difcon- 
 tent, and divifions in the nation, becaufe the minority of whom you 
 happen to be one, cannot govern the majority in a great national 
 qtieftion ? If there ever vv^as an at*-empt in its nature and confe- 
 quences tending to rebellion and fedition, this is one. I write free- 
 ly, Sir, the fituation of the country demands it. 
 
 If the legiflature of MafTachufetts could, on the communica- 
 tion of even both its fenators, jointly made, by the governour, as 
 their involuntary organ, control the national councils in regard to 
 •ur concerns with foreign powers, why fhould not the l^giflatures 
 of each of the other ftates do the fame ? And does not this- com- 
 pletely diffolve the national compadl ? Is this what you and your 
 party are after ? If it is, come forward and avow it openly, and we 
 fhall know where to meet you. 
 
 I requeft that this m.ay clofe our correfpondence. I have not 
 time to wafte in this way. I can gain the end of my political 
 year as governour without your aid ; and as a private citizen I 
 want no information from you. 1 have already affured' you that 
 I will not be the organ of your communication ; and I^ow affure 
 you that I will not be the objeft of your addrefs in matters evident- 
 ly tending to the overthrow and diffolution of the United States. 
 
 Your letters are evidently intended for the prefs. That of 
 the 9th I apprehend was under the type before it reached me ; and 
 will be publifhed before you have this. Why do you not fend 
 them immediately to the printer, and let me reft in quiet ? 
 
 We are wrong if we quarrel with our own political exiftence. 
 We are a nation ; and though there were not a feiv who were fed 
 dally on the puhlich rations that from timidity or fome other caufe^ doubt- 
 ed the propriety of the declaration of independence, yet we (hall now be 
 wretched beyond defcription or example, if we divide ourfelves 
 among the European nations. We fhall in that cafe fight their 
 
battles, and pay the expenfes of their wars. We fhall in each ftate 
 have one or more tyrants for leaders, in cruel wars amongfl: 
 ourfelves. Look at Poland and other nations who have truHed in 
 foreign protection. Indeed, Sir, let our national government be 
 bad or good, we have nothing but that under God to fave us from 
 aggravated ruin : and yet your exertions appear to me to tend di- 
 reftly to its fubverfion. Inftead of the infidious jealoufies your 
 letters are calculated to fpread, you ought as a fenator to exprefs 
 your mind freely on meafures ; and when there is a majority againll 
 you, you ought to fubmit until the ftrength of your calm reafoning 
 fhall bring them over ; or circumftances and events fhall point to 
 your fuperior wifdom. This dinatorial temper cannot be indulged 
 to any man ; it is oppofed to the firlt principles of the focial com- 
 pa(9:. 
 
 I do not go into the queftion, whether the embargo act, which 
 you make, or would make the apple of difcord to fet this com- 
 monwealth in an uproar againft the federal government, is right or 
 wrong ; it is enough for me that it is a conftitutional aft of the 
 fupreme power of the nation. If it proves to be wrong on expe- 
 rience, the fame power can repeal it. 
 
 Mr. Adams, your colleague, is quite oppofed to you in his 
 opinion of the embargo. He voted for it, and ftill confiders it as 
 a wife meafure, and as a neceffary one. I have his letters before 
 me upon it. I know nothing peculiar in you, that ought to make 
 your opinion tne ftandard of my judgment, or the rule of this 
 Hate ; more efpecially when it appears to be intemperately fet 
 againft the whole government of the United States. 
 
 Your very humble fervant, 
 
 JAMES SULLIVAN. 
 
 The Hon. TIMOTHY PICKERING, Efq. 
 a Senator in Congrefs, Uniied States. 
 
COL, PICKERING TO GOV. SULLIVAN. 
 
 CITY OF WASHINGTON, APRIL 22, 1808, 
 
 SIR, 
 
 SO much time has elapfed fmce your Excellency 
 fent mc your letter of the 18th of March, you may imagine that I 
 have forgotten you. But for many reafons that letter demands 
 my notice. It was evidently intended for the prefs, to promote 
 your re-appointment, at the approaching election. But a review 
 of the copy, replete with unwarrantable criminations and rudenefs, 
 probably fatisfied you, or your friends advifed you, that a publica- 
 tion of the whole might rather prejudice than promote your inter- 
 ell ; and therefore you fuppreffed the greater part. But fear^ 
 ing no charges which your Excellency has brought or can bring 
 againft me ; and thinking it proper that the whole letter (hould be 
 known ; I fhall pubhfh it entire. Thofe who will be at the trouble 
 to compare the paragraphs you have chofen to publifh as extra&Sy 
 with the letter itfelf, will fee that they are fo compounded, and 
 with fuch alterations and additions, as to be, in fa6l, ajiucikd itri' 
 pojttion on the public. 
 
 In exaniiAing your letter, I obferve many extraordinary paf- 
 fages, caUing for animadverfion ; but to notice all of them, would 
 too feverely taflc my own, as well as the reader's patience. In my 
 remarks, it may fometimes be difficult to adapt my language to the 
 fubjed, without wounding the public fenfe of the decorum proper 
 to be obferved in a writing intended for the publick eye. But it 
 fliall be my endeavour not to tranfgrefs that bound. 
 
 Your Eiccellency perceiving that doubt or difbelief had arifen, 
 relative to your affertion, that you returned my firft letter " un- 
 read," feems refolved, in your lall, to remove all doubt, and to en- 
 2 
 
10 
 
 force belief, by repealing, diredly or indireftly, five or fix times, 
 that you did fend it back unread. Now, a plain man, confcious of 
 having told the truth, would have refted on a fmgle affertion. 
 
 You fuggefl that the governour^s communication to the legifla- 
 ture " muft be always of fomething which he beheves to deferve 
 their attention, and to be within their authority as a legiflature :" 
 but that <' you do not conceive that my letter was within this de- 
 fcription." This opinion of my letter you appear to have formed 
 fmce you achionvledge that you have read it. And how could you 
 undertake to decide that point, as by your own ftatement you did, 
 ' ivithout reading it ? Was it not poffible, was it not probable^ that in 
 the aclual ftate of things, the information it contained might afford 
 matter proper for the confideration of the legiflature of Maffachu- 
 fetts, relative to the embargo, which was pecuharly injurious to 
 that ftate ? Will your Excellency maintain the fervile dodlrine that 
 as freemen they might not even take into confideration their griev- 
 ances, refulting from the meafures of their national rulers ? May 
 not the legiflative body of a Hate make known to the national legif- 
 lature the fulTerings of the whole people of a ftate, as individuals 
 exhibit their private wrongs ? Is it lawful for legiflative bodies only 
 fo far to interfere as to exprefs approbation, and never, however 
 forcible the call, their dif approbation of national meafures, by mak- 
 ing application for a change ? Has your Excellency forgotten that, 
 during this very'feflion of Congrefs, as governour of Maflachufetts 
 (and as you ftate, " with the unanimous requeft of its legiflature,") 
 you prefented to Congrefs tl Jlrotig memorial in behalf of fome of 
 the citizens of that ftate who had been purchafers of lands under 
 grants from Georgia ? And did the eflential interefts of fl// her citi- 
 zens, deeply aff'efted by the embargo, lefs merit the attention of 
 your Excellency and the legiflature than the claims of 2i fmall num- 
 ber of thofe citizens ? — Perhaps you will fay that the legiflature 
 had already adopted refolutions approving of the embargo. True ; 
 and I accounted for it on the fuppofition, very naturally to be en- 
 tertained by the legiflature, That the aflembled nvifdom of the 
 .nation, at Wafliington, would not have adopted fo terrible a reme- 
 dy but for evils of the greateft magnitude, which an embargo alone 
 
11 
 
 coiild avert. Now the great defign of my letter was, to fatisfy them 
 that the embargo was not, in the national legiflature, the offspring 
 of nv'tfdom : for nvifdom cannot exift without knowledge : and I ftill 
 affirm that Congrefs were not informed of any adequate caufe for 
 the embargo : and therefore, inftead of implicit approbation, the 
 embargo demanded examination, and perhaps a remonftrance, with 
 the view to effed its repeal. 
 
 But you fay " Mr. Adams, my colleague, is quite oppofed to 
 *'me in his opinion of the embargo. He voted for it, and flill con- 
 ** fiders it a wife meafure, and a necefTary one. You have his let- 
 ** ters before you upon it." True — he did vote for the embargo : 
 and I must now tell your Excellency how he advocated that meaf- 
 ure. It is not willingly, Sir, that I fpeak of him in an addrefs to 
 the publick. Though often oppofed in opinion, on national meafures, 
 there has never exifted for a moment any perfonal difference be- 
 tween us. But as you have now contrafted his opinion with mine, 
 to invalidate my publick ftatements ; you compel me to relate 
 the faa. 
 
 In my firfl: letter I informed your Excellency of the haffe with 
 which the embargo bill was paffed in the fenate. I alfo informed 
 you that " a little more time was repeatedly aflied, to obtain further 
 ** information, and to conjider a meafure of fuch moment, of fuch uni- 
 «* verfal concern ; but that theferequefts were denied ;" and I muff; 
 now add, by no one more zealoufly than by Mr. Adams, my col- 
 league. Hear his words. But even your Excellency's ftrong faith 
 in the prefident's fupreme wifdom may paufe, while independent 
 men will be fhocked at the anfwer of my colleague to thofe requefts. 
 <« The prefident (faid he) has recomm^ended the meafure on his 
 " high refponfibility : I would not confider — I would not deliberate : 
 " I would aa. Doubtlefs the prefident poffefles fuch further in- 
 " formation as will juftify the meafure !" Need I give to your 
 Excellency any other proof (though other proof abounds) of 
 " blind confidence in our rulers ?" Need I give further evidence of 
 *' the dangerous extent of executive influence V — When the peo- 
 ple of Maffachufetts fee a man of Mr. Adams's acknowledged abili- 
 
12 
 
 ties and learning advancing fuch fentiments ; when they fee a man 
 of his knowledge of the nature of all governments, and of his inti- 
 mate acquaintance with our own free republican government, and 
 of the rights and duties of the legiflature ; efpecially of their right 
 and duty to con/Jder, to deliberate, and according to their own judg- 
 ment, independently of executive pleafure, to decide on every pub- 
 lick meafure : When, I fay, the people of MalTachufetts fee this ; 
 will they wonder if a majcrity in Congrefs (hould be ovei ivhelmed by 
 the authority of executive recommendation ? And had I not reafon to 
 be alarmed at " the dangerous extent of executive influence,*"' 
 which to me appeared to be leading the publick mind, by its blind 
 cbnfidence, to publick ruin ? 
 
 Without commenting on the very exceptionable language ia 
 which your Excellency has judged it not improper to indulge, in 
 refpe6l to my remarks on your proclamation for a day of publick 
 fafting and prayer, I feel myfelf called upon to repel the charge, 
 that my '•'' profe£ions to have read that proclamation nuith pleafure, can 
 never he conjidered as founded in Jincerity,^' — You, Sir, may affeft to 
 doubt my fincerity : but no perfons acquainted with my life and 
 converfation will fufpedl it. Thefe perfons know I am not a hypo- 
 crite in religion : and by this time I believe your Excellency is 
 convinced that I am not a hypocrite in politicks. — But, Sir, I muft 
 avow to you, that I am incapable of profaning any religious infti- 
 tution. AVith perfeft truth, 1 repeat to your Excellency, that I 
 did read your proclamation for a faft " with great fatisfadion." 
 And, I further affure you, that my friends here, delegates from 
 MafTachufetts manifeded the like fatisfac^ion : we all approved of 
 the religious fentiments you exprefled. But your Excellency 
 knows, and the world knows, that fuch a proclamation may be if- 
 fued, and other external marks of chriftianity be exhibited, and 
 " the weighter matters of the law be omitted." 
 
 This leads me to another paflage in your letter. Having re- 
 fufed to lay my letter before the legiflature, you and your parti- 
 fans have laboured for reafons as well to jufl:ify the refufal, as to de- 
 cry the letter itfelf. Among other things, it has been reported to 
 
IS 
 
 be " an eleAioneering letter.*' And your Excellency, as if to 
 give your fandion to that report, has faid, that my letter was printed 
 before you received it by the mail. 
 
 If at a momentous crifis, to exhibit a plain, unvarnifhed tale 
 of truth before the eyes of a people mifled by the partial ftate- 
 jnents or mifreprefentations of pretenders to republicaLilm aid pa- 
 triotifm, be in itfelf proper, ought my letter to be cenfured as an 
 cleftioneering projetl ? Why do we boaft of the freedom of the 
 prtfs, but for its ufefulnefs, in a free country, to convey corre6l in- 
 formation to the people ? Certain news-papers had long been the 
 vehicles of misftatements and falfehoods, calculated to deceive the 
 people. It was at fuch a time that I thought it my duty to come 
 forward with a ftatement of the fituation of our publick affairs — fo 
 far as we were permitted to know them — and to vouch for the truth 
 of \.he Jlatement with my name. I knew that this world ciHurb the 
 hornet's refl, and put the infcdls on the wing ; and that with in- 
 creafed venom they would dart at me their poifoned flings : but 
 armed with truth, as with a coat of mail, I had nothing to fear 
 from their attacks. 
 
 In your Excellency's letter to me of the 18th of March, you 
 <« fay, I have read your letter in print, fince I returned the manufcript. 
 ** It was printed, I jind, before I received it by the m. z7." Really, 
 Sir, with all my previous information of your charadler, T was ailon- 
 ifhed at this declaration to me ; and in writing under your hand, 
 which will preclude all evafion ; and when the falf^hood of the af- 
 fertion was of fo eafy deteftion. I will {late the fafts. — My let- 
 ter bears date the 1 6th of February. On the 2Gth I put it into 
 the poft-office at Wafliington. In your letter of March Sd, you 
 acknowledged its receipt on the 2d. — On the 21ft of February I 
 put into the poft-cfEce here, the copy of my letter of Tebruary 
 16th, addreffed to a friend in Bofton. This friend, in his letter of 
 March 3d, acknow ledged the receipt of that copy. He faid alfo, 
 that after waiting as long as decorum required, for a communica- 
 tion of it through the medium of the legiflature, the prefs would 
 give the lette r to the people in a pamphlet. A fhort addrefs to 
 
H. 
 
 the reader, prefixed to the printed letter, is dated at Bollon the 
 9th of March — the very day on which I received at Wafliington 
 your letter of the 3d. 
 
 But your Excellency wa$ not contented with the pofitive af- 
 fertion, that the letter <ivas printed before you received it by the mail i 
 you meant to induce beHef in the aflertion, by fuggeiling fome 
 ground for it. Your words are, " It was printed, IJlnd, before I 
 *' received it by the mail :'* as if your Excellency had made a pre- 
 vious inquiry for the purpofe of afcertaining the facl. And of 
 whom would your Excellency, as a lawyer — of whom would any 
 man of common fenfe, make the enquiry ? Certainly of the printers 
 who fet their names on the title page of the letter : and if you had 
 inquired of thefn., you would have found that it was not printed he- 
 fore you received it, nor until after you had acknowledged the re- 
 ceipt of it.* The fads which I have ftated, demonftrate the im^ 
 poJfibUity of nvhat you ajfert. This will enable eveiy reader duly to 
 eftimate all your other aflertions. 
 
 Your Excellency unqueflionably intended to print the whole of 
 your letter, and if, by a bold aflertion, you could have fatistied the 
 people that mine was printed before you received it, it would have 
 countenanced the report of your friends, that it was merely an elec- 
 tioneering letter, and unworthy of credit. But reflefting after- 
 wards on the certainty of detection, you concluded, to keep out of 
 fight the greater part of your letter, and particularly the part on 
 which I am now commenting ; hoping that, deterred by your ex- 
 traordinary charges againft me, comprehending thofe of exciting 
 fedition and rebellion, I fhould not dare to publifh it.f 
 
 You fuggeft that I have perverted your invitation to the peo- 
 ple to pray for a bleffing on their enterprizes by fea and land, and 
 
 * The manuscript was received by us on the 5lh, and the work expect- 
 ed to be published on the 9th — a few of the first copies however were extorted 
 from us on the evening of the 8 th. Greenougb t!f Siebbins. 
 
 f A paragraph in the Chronicle, of the 28th April, figned Cato, fully con- 
 :p:-£ns the truth of this opinion of Col. Pickering. BdUor, 
 
15 
 
 ilfed (or to take your own word) " improved** it to urge them to 
 fedition and rebellion againit the government of the nation :" That 
 my letter appears to you to have been *' a feditious, diforganizing 
 " production :" That it was defigned " to difunite, divide, and 
 " diffolve the union :" That " the fum of all my labours was to 
 " excite uneafmefs, difcontent, and divilions in the nation :*' That 
 ** if there ever was an attempt in its nature and confequences tend- 
 " ing to rebellion and fedition, this is one :'* That my " addrefs 
 ** evidently tends to the overthrow and diflblution of the United 
 ** States as a nation :'* And that, " Let our national government 
 ** be BAD or good, we have nothing but that, under God, to fave 
 ** us from aggravated ruin ; and yet your exertions appear to me to 
 " lead diredly to its fubverfion." 
 
 Thefe are heavy charges ; and your Excellency, though your- 
 fell" a lawyer, would perhaps have afted prudently to have taken 
 counfel before you advanced them. To anfwer and repel the 
 whole — seeing you do not point to a fingle paffage in my letter to 
 fupport them — it might be fuiiicient to fay, that they are all un- 
 founded, — If m-y letter were "feditious, and diforganizing, and 
 tending to excite rebellion" — it is very wonderful that your Ex- 
 cellency fhould have been the firfl: and only perfon to make the 
 difcovery. If I needed any authority of opinion againft yours, I 
 could quote that of ftatefmen and lawyers of the iirll diftindion in 
 the United States, who have honoured me with their approbation 
 and thanks. But however gratifying this unf ought praife oi highly 
 refpeftable individuals, I need not ftop here. My letter is before 
 my fellow citizens in Maffachufetts : it is indeed before the na^ 
 tion : and the decided approbation of the thoufands who have 
 read it, demonftrate not only the extreme anxiety of the publick 
 mind to obtain the information I gave ; but that the fa6ls ftated 
 carried conviclion of their truth and importance, and juilified my 
 inferences. I fay not thefe things boaftingly ; for I feel no other 
 emotion than what every man muft feel who aims to ferve his coun- 
 try, and finds his labours have not been in vain. — Your reproaches, 
 Sir, and the reproaches of other men like you, detrad nothing 
 from my peace of mind. Improbis vitiiperari, laudari ejl. And 
 
16 
 
 Let me affure your Excellency, that although this kind of praife 
 will not make me vain, it will never make me angry. 
 
 I (hall pafs over your Excellency's dodlrines o^ pa/five ohedi' 
 encCi and blind coiifidence in our rulers ; that the free citizens of 
 the only remaining republick on earth, ought Jilently to fubmit 
 alike to a bad government and a good one ; and that it would be a 
 wajle of time to inquire whether the embargo is right or nvrong : on- 
 ly remarking, that avowing fuch fervile tenets now alike fafhiona- 
 ble in France and Turkey, in refpedt to their defpotick mafters) 
 you charadleriftically pronounce my plain hiftory of the embargo, 
 an attempt " to difunite, divide, and difTolve the nation." 
 
 I could fill a volume with juft remarks on your Excellency's 
 letter ; but I fear tiring thofe who may take an interefl in our 
 con-efpondence ; and therefore pafs unnoticed many fubjefts of 
 animadverfion. But there are two prominent ones which I mufl 
 not omit. 
 
 The firft is a plain infinuation, of a nature to excite aftonifh- 
 ment that I nvas connedted ivith Aaron Burr^ in the con/piracy with 
 which he has been charged ! I now underftand your Excellency's 
 letter to mc of the 24th of laft January ; which being remarkable 
 for nothing but its abfurdity, I had thrown by, and nearly for- 
 gotten.— I had fent you the printed papers laid before the Senate, 
 in the cafe of John Smith, fenator from Ohio, accufed of having 
 been concerned in that confpiracy. Among the papers was the 
 report of the committee in the cafe, drawn up by my colleague, Mr. 
 Adams, the chairman ; which, I remarked, " could not fail to 
 attraft attention ; efpecially of gentlemen" [like your Excellency] 
 '• of legal information." And you muil have obferved, that it has 
 attrafted very great attention ; as will every thing from the pen of 
 Mr. Adams, whether it merit cenfure or applaufe. 
 
 After thanking me for the commur.ication, which I thought 
 would be interefting to your Excellency alraoft wholly on account 
 of my colleague's report, — you dafh away in the following ftraui. 
 
17 
 
 « I have long been convinced that Burr's expedition was the land 
 •* detachment of Miranda's ; and both under a foreign influence : 
 <* that both were intended to difmember the union ; and to place 
 ** the northern part of the United States, either civilly or politi- 
 " cally, under the guidance of the Britifh cabinet. There are ma- 
 ** ny who co-operate in this projedl without knowing it. Burr 
 "muft have had large funis. And I have no doubt but that a 
 '* great part of it went from this northern hemifphere. The few 
 ** who hate our forms of government have had addrefs enough to 
 ** conceal their principles from their followers." 
 
 On fuch rodomontade, comment would feem to be thrown 
 away. I certainly (hould never have noticed it, had not your Ex- 
 cellency, in your letter of March 18th, prefented me with a new 
 edition, with additions. 
 
 After fuggefting that the tendency of my letter was to over- 
 throw the national government, you thus addrefs me. ** This dif- 
 ** folution you will deny to be an obje6l with you ; but you will not 
 ** deny that there is in exiftence fuch a man as Aaron Burr. You 
 " will not deny Miranda's expedition, or Burr's plot. You will 
 *< not hefitate to own that feveral millions of dollars have been by 
 <* them expended, or that more than half of it was expended by 
 ** Burr, who had no money of his own. I do not call on you to 
 ** fay where this money was obtained ; you do not know. But 
 <* this you know, that fuccefs in that plot would have been the de- 
 <* ftruftion of the United States ; and that his plan would have 
 ** divided the nation, and placed the northern part of it under the 
 ** dominion of a foreign power." — All this your Excellency advan- 
 ces with the affectation of profound political fagacity ; and with 
 as much apparent gravity as if you expeded to be credited. 
 
 No one will be foolifh enough to deny, what all the world 
 
 knows, " Miranda's expedition" — unwarrantably commenced in 
 
 this country, and defeated in the manner which is generally known : 
 
 but not a man in the world, your Excellency excepted, will fup» 
 
 3 
 
18 
 
 pofe that Miranda* s ohjeH in landing three or four hundred men in 
 South-America, was to dijnumher the United States. 
 
 If the objeft contemplated by Mr. Burr was to difraembcr 
 the union, to detach the weftern from the Atlantick ftates, he mufl 
 have known it to be altogether impradlicable, without the general 
 concurrence of the weilem people. He knew that fome leading 
 men in that country (all pro fe fling themfelves to be republicans) 
 had formerly contemplated fuch a feparation j and had been in- 
 triguing with the Spanilh government to accomplifti it. It i« 
 now known that fome of thefe men were penlioners of Spain. Is 
 it not probable that Mr. Burr, in his vifit to the weftern country, 
 in 1805, converfed with men of influence there, who might be dif- 
 pofed to a feparation ? and that he miftook their ideas of it for the 
 fentiment of the people at large ? and thence conceived the projeft 
 of a feparation to be feafible ? 
 
 But inftead of feveral millions of dollars being at Mr. Burr's 
 difpofal (which you have permitted yourfelf to fay that I fhall not 
 hefitate to own — ^plainly infinuating that I know, and know as a 
 partaker in his plot) every man of information, in the Atlantic 
 llajtes, knows that Mr. Burr's want of credit was fuch, that no per- 
 fons (certainly no federahfts) could have been found to advance 
 him, on his own fecurity, even a fmall fura. But when he was in 
 Kentuckey, where his true charafter was not generally known, 
 fome of the inhabitants were furprized, as I have underftood, into 
 an acceptance of his bills, to the amount of forty or fifty thoufand 
 dollar^, drawn on places where he had no funds to difcharge them. 
 And would any man, with feveral millions in his hands, refort to 
 fuch diftionourable means to raife that comparatively trifling fum ? 
 But your Excellency has further allowed yourfelf to fay, not only 
 that Burr had feveral millions (or more than half of feveral millions) 
 at his difpofal, but that you have no doubt that a great part of his 
 large fums went from the northern hemtfphere ! as, with your char- 
 afteriftitk precifion you call the northern ftates. Is it poflible for 
 your Excellency to mention one fohtary reafon, or Jhadotv of rea- 
 ion, that could induce federal men of property (for furely you 
 
19 
 
 would not implicate any of your own party) in Maffachufetts, for 
 inftance, to advance a great part of feveral millions of dollars to any 
 man, much lefs to the man whom they detefted — as a Catiline, an 
 unprincipled, profligate man — and for the purpofe of detaching the 
 weftern from the Atlantic flates ? This is fuch an abfurdity as 
 would expofe any character of lefs weight than your Excellency's 
 to derifion. Yet abfurd and incredible as it is, that Burr fliould 
 have had feveral millions in his hands, you have proved yourfelf 
 capable of infmuating that /knew where he obtained them ! 
 
 That Mr. Burr, in 1806, formed fome proje£l injurious to the 
 United States, I have not doubted. And yet the ftate of the 
 country, the good difpofition of the people, and his abfolute want 
 of means, prefented fuch infuperable difficulties to the execution of 
 a projeft fo extenfive as the difmemberment of the union, or the 
 invafion of Mexico, — that the conception of one or the other, by 
 a man of Mr* Burr's underflanding, could be accounted for only 
 from a confi deration of his forlorn condition. — I think it was in 
 January 1807> when at Wafhington, where Burr's plot almofl en- 
 groffed the publick attention, that in writing to a friend, in order to 
 avoid the imputation of weak credulity, as to the exiflence of a 
 proje6i fo manifeftly impracticable, I thought it neceflary to ftate 
 the grounds of my own belief : fuch as, that Mr. Burr was a bank- 
 rupt in fame and fortune : that he faw the impoffibihty of ever 
 retrieving either in the United States ; while his ambition had no 
 bounds : that whatever might be the iffue of his enterprize, his 
 condition could not well be worfe : and that reduced to defperation^ 
 he might form the wildeft projeds ; knowing, that if by any poffi- 
 bihty he could fucceed, he might again become an important man ; 
 and if he failed, tjjat he might be eafed of a life which a man, of 
 his afpiring mind, reduced to poverty, and deftitute of power, might 
 conflder worfe than death. 
 
 Such, Sir, was my view of the man and his projeA with whicli 
 you have the temerity to infmuate that I was conneded ! A m.an 
 who I beheved could fo eafily accommodate his principles to his 
 ambition ! A man to whom as Prefident of the Senate, I -had, in= 
 
20 
 
 deed, manlfefted the ufual civilities demanded by our relative offi- 
 cial fituations ; but from whom I had withdrawn, during his lall 
 year's prefidency of the Senate, all perfonal regard. Yes — I 
 had purpofely withheld my hand from his^ then reeking with the 
 blood of the murdered Hamilton. 
 
 Hear me farther. A few days before the clofe of the fame 
 fefTion of Congrefs, a bill was brought into the Senate, to grant to 
 Mr. BuiT the privilege of fending and receiving letters and pack- 
 ets by the mail, free of poftage, during life. Mr. Burr was in the 
 chair ; and his prefence is impofing. Neverthelefs, the bill was op^ 
 pofed. The oppofition was begun by Mr. Hillhoufe and myfelf. 
 But the bill was paffed in the fenate, by a majority of 18 to 13, 
 In the houfe of reprefentatives it failed at once, by an indefinite 
 poftponement, 
 
 And yet, Sir, with this man, thus detelled, and finally with^ 
 flood to the face, in a favourite meafure, which by means of the 
 poft-offices would have faciliated his projefts, whatever they were, 
 and perhaps even then in contemplation ; — with this man you were 
 defirous to have it believed that I was an affociate ! — What lan- 
 guage of reprobation would be too ftrong for fuch injuftice to my 
 charader ? Doubtlefs you intended that the people of Maflachu- 
 fetts, and of the United States, as far as your letter fhould travel, 
 fhould believe, or at leaft fufpeft, that I was concerned in Burr's 
 confpiracy ! For whoever reads your whole letter will fee that it 
 was defigned for the news-papers : but your own refle6lions, or 
 the advice of friends, rellrained you to the publication of a part. 
 
 One word more. You fay that fuccefs in Burr's plan would 
 have divided the nation, and placed the northern part of it under 
 the dominion of a foreign power. Will your Excellency have the 
 goodnefs to inform the people of Maflachufetts, and of the United 
 States, how a feparation of the wejlern Jiates would have placed 
 the northern Jiates under the dominion of a foreign power ? To 
 men whofe minds have the ordinary powers of difeernment, this is 
 quite kicomprehenfible. Who but your Excellency would have 
 
21 
 
 imagined that fuch a feparation would induce the Atlantick flates 
 further to diminifli their ftrength, by a divifion into a northern and 
 a fouthern feftion ? On the contrary, would not the northern and 
 the fouthern ftates then cling more clofely together ? Thefe are 
 the thirteen United States, which, with half their prefent popula- 
 tion, dared defy the power of Britain, and finally achieved their 
 independence. Where, then, is the danger, of their being now 
 brought into fubjeftion to the fame power ? 
 
 The laft topic in your letter which I (hall notice, is in the 
 following paffage. 
 
 ** We are wrong, if we quarrel with our own political exill- 
 ^* ence. We are a nation ; and though there were not afeiv, <who 
 *< <were fed daily on the puhltch rations, that from timidity , or fome other 
 ** caufe, doubted the propriety of the declaration of independence, yet we 
 ** (hall now be wretched beyond defcription or example, if we di- 
 <* vide ourfelves among the European nations.*' 
 
 Your Excellency's meaning here is obvious. You intended 
 to have it underftood that I, from timidity, or fome other caufe — 
 meaning, probably, attachment to the Britifh — " doubted the pro- 
 priety of the declaration of independence ;" a charge utterly un- 
 founded, and known to be fo, by every man in Maflachufetts ac- 
 quainted with my life, 
 
 I have hitherto treated the various calumnies invented and dil- 
 igently pubhfhed againft me, with filent contempt. In one in- 
 ilance, indeed, fome of my friends fohcited my confent to a pub- 
 lick profecution. I yielded to their requeft. In my abfence, the 
 libeller was indided, convided, and puniflied. And what can 
 your Excellency imagine to have been one ground taken by his 
 counfel, in defence, or to mitigate the punifhment of the libeller ? — 
 Wantonly and cruelly aflailed as I have been in news-papers devo- 
 ted to the vilell flanders — flanders at this time renewed with in- 
 creafed virulence, — fhall I be charged with vanity if I mention it ? 
 It was to this effect, as ftated to me, foon after, by one of the coun- 
 fel for the profecution ; that the counfel for the libeller urged be- 
 
22 
 
 fore the court, that the fairnefs of my charader was Jo ivell knoiun, 
 and my reputation Jo Jirmly ejlabl'i/hedy the libel could have done me no 
 injury. But, Sir, that trial was local ; and perhaps tjie knowledge 
 of the proceedings has reached but a very few perfons ; while I 
 have been flandered before the nation. Perhaps I have too long 
 filently defpifed the (landers and their authors. * But at the pref- 
 ent time a governour of the commonwealth of Maffachufetts has 
 lent himfelf to their aid. 
 
 I am now. Sir, far advanced in life, I have children and 
 grand-children who, when I am gone, may hear thefe llanders re- 
 peated, and not have the means of repelling them. I have, too, 
 fome invaluable friends in moft of the ftates, and many in that 
 which gave me birth ; men who are the ornaments of fociety and 
 of their country. All thefe, if not my country itfelf, interefted 
 as it is in the publick concerns on which I firft addreffed you — 
 have claims which I ought not to leave unfatisfied. Thus called 
 upon to vindicate my character, I am conftrained to give a concife 
 narrative of my publick life. 
 
 The difputes between Great-Britain and her American colo- 
 nies (which now form the United States) commencing with the 
 ilamp aft, in 1765, and revived in 1767> by the aft of parliament 
 for raifmg a revenue in the colonies — gave rife to two parties, 
 which at length were diftinguifhed by the names of whig and tory ; 
 the latter acquiefcing in Britifh claims of taxation ; the fornfer re- 
 filling them. — In 1767> the aflembly of Maffachufetts fent a cir- 
 cular letter to the fpeakers of the other Affemblies, for the pur- 
 pofe of promoting the adoption of uniform meafures, (by petitions 
 •and remonftrances) to obtain a redrefs of grievances. Moft of 
 thofe affemblies concurred with that of Maffachufetts. — In 1768, 
 a letter from Lord Hillfborough required the affembly of Maffa- 
 x^hufetts to refcind the vote of their predeceffors for fending that 
 circular letter. This was peremptorily refufed, by a majority of 
 92 to 17. The reprefentatives of Salem, my native town, were 
 among the 17. At the next eleftion, they were neglefted, and 
 whigs chofen in their ftead. This was the crifis of the political 
 
revolution in that town. I was then four-and-twenty years old. 
 My elder and only brother was chofen one of the reprefentatives : 
 and from that time I was myfelf aftively engaged in all the whig 
 meafures which were preliminary to the final revolution and inde- 
 pendence of the colonies Always a member of the committees 
 of infpeftion and correfpondence, the burthen of writing i efted 
 upon me. Thofe writings, in their nature temporary, perifhed with 
 the occafion. The memory of one of them, however, is preferved 
 by Dr. Ramfay, in his elegant " Hiftory of the American Revo- 
 lution." 
 
 When in 1774, the Britifii parliament, by an aft ufually called 
 the Bojlon Port-Bill, (hut up the capital of Maflachufetts from the 
 fea, thereby proftrating its adlive and extenfive commerce — as it is 
 now proftrated by the afts of our own government, impofing the 
 embargo — the feat of the provincial government was removed from 
 Bofton to Salem. Sympathizing with the fufferers of Bofton, the 
 inhabitants of Salem (I think in full town-meeting) voted an ad- 
 drefs to the new governour. General Gage ; the great objeft of 
 which was, fo far as an expreffion of their fentiments would go, to 
 procure relief for their brethren in Bofton. That addrefs luas 'writ- 
 ten by me. Its conclufion Dr. Ramfay has thought worth tran- 
 fcribing on the page of hiftory. It here follows, with his intro- 
 duftory obfervation. 
 
 *« The inhabitants of Salem, in an addrefs to Governour Gage, 
 ** concluded with thefe remarkable words — * By ftiutting up the 
 ** port of Bofton, fome imagine that the courfe of trade might be 
 ** turned hither, and to our benefit : But Nature, in the formation 
 ** of our harbour, forbid our becoming rivals in commerce with that 
 ** convenient mart ; and were it otherwife, we muft be dead to ev- 
 *^* ery idea of juftice, loft to all feelings of humanity, could we in- 
 ** dulge one thought to feize on wealth, and raife our fortunes on 
 •* the ruins of our fuffering neighbours.'* 
 
 Another incident it may not be improper to mention. While 
 •be feat of government remained at Salem, I received a note from 
 
24. 
 
 the fecretary of the province, informing me that the govemour 
 wifhed to fee me at the fecretary's houfe. I went, and was intro- 
 duced to General Gage. Taking me into another room, he enter- 
 ed into converfation on the then ftate of things, the folemn league 
 and covenant, and the non-importation agreements. In the con- 
 clufion, the general faid — " Well, there are merchants who, not- 
 *< withftanding all your agreements, will import Britifli goods." 
 I anfwered — " They may import them, but the people will ufe 
 " their liberty to buy or to let them alone." 
 
 * Thefe incidents are mentioned, not for any intrinfick import- 
 ance attached to them ; but as evidences of the confidence I had 
 acquired among my fellow-citizens, from an early period of our 
 political difputes with Great-Britain.. 
 
 On the 19th of April 1775, was the battle of Lexington. 
 This is the era to which Slander feldom fails to recur, when, for 
 party purpofesy my chara6ler is to be held up to reproach. I will 
 ftate the fads, with all the accuracy in my power, after a lapfe of 
 three-and-thirty years. 
 
 About nine o'clock in the morning, being in my office (the 
 regiftry of deeds for the county of Effex) a captain of militia from 
 the adjacent town of Danvers, came in and informed me that a 
 man had ridden into that town, and reported that the Britifh troops 
 had marched from Bofton to Lexington, and attacked the mihtia. 
 This officer, whofe company belonged to my regiment, allied for 
 orders, and I gave him a verbal anfwer, that the Danvers compa- 
 nies Ihould march without waiting for thofe of Salem. 
 
 Immediately I went to the centre of the town, and met a few 
 of the principal inhabitants. A fhort confultation enfued. Thofe 
 who knew the diftance of Lexington from Salem, and its relative 
 fituation to Bofton (of which I had no perfonal knowledge, and 
 but an indiftind idea) obferved, that the Britifh troops would cer- 
 tainly have returned to Bofton long before the Salem militia could 
 reach the fcene of the reported adion j and that our marching 
 
2^ 
 
 would therefore be ufelefs. Neverthelefs, we concluded to affembk 
 the militia, and commence our march ; and for this fole reafotiy^^ 
 That it ivoulJ be an evidence to our brethren in the country ^ of our dif- 
 pojition to co-operate in every meafure which the common fafety required. 
 This idea, however, of the frultleffnefs of our march, was fo prcr 
 dominant, that we halted a ftiort time, when about two miles from 
 the town ; expeding every moment intelHgence that the Britifh 
 troops had returned. But receiving none, we refumed our march, 
 and proceeded to Medford, which was about five miles from Bof- 
 ton. Here, to the befl of my recolleftion, I firft received certain 
 information that the Britifli troops were ftill on their march, and on 
 a route whieh rendered it poflible to meet them. I hailened the 
 march of the militia on the dire6): road to Charleftown and Bofton ; 
 until on an elevated part of the road, I faw the fmoke from the fire 
 of a fmall number of militia mufl^ets difcharged at a diftance, at the 
 Britifh troops. I halted the companies, and ordered them to load 5 
 in full expectation of coming to an engagement. At that moment 
 a meffenger arrived from General Heath, who informed me that 
 the Britifh troops had their artillery in their rear, and could not be 
 approached by muiketry ; and that the general defired to fee me. 
 Leaving the companies in that pofition, I went acrofs the fields, 
 and met General Heath. We there foon after faw the Britifli 
 troops afcend the high ground called Bunker's hill. It was about 
 funfet. The next day they entered Boflon. — I lafl fummer faw 
 General Heath : he did not remember this interview. He had 
 even forgotten my perfon ; although we virere acquainted with each 
 ether, both before and during the American war. — I returned to 
 join the Salem militia, who marched back to Medford, where we 
 ftaid that night, and the next day returned to Salem. 
 
 According to Dr. Ramfay, the Britifli forces who marched 
 to Lexington were 800 grenadiers and light infantry, the flower of 
 the royal army; aud they were reinforced by a detachment of 900 
 men under Lord Piercy. Of this number nearly three hundred 
 were killed, wounded and taken priloners ; leaving a regular force 
 of 1400 men ; for not deftroying whom, or making them prifoners, 
 with four companies of militia, I have been reproached. 
 
25 
 
 I think it was before the clofe of the year 1775, that in or- 
 ganizing the provifional government of Maflachufetts, I was ap- 
 pointed one of the judges of the court of common pleas for EfTex, 
 my native county, and fole judge of the maritime court (which 
 had cognizance of all prize-caufes) for the middle diftrift, compre- 
 hending Bollon, with Salem and the other ports in Effex ; offices 
 which I held until I accepted an appointment in the army. 
 
 In the fall of 1776, the army under General Wafhington's 
 command being greatly reduced in numbers, a large reinforcement 
 of mihtia was called for ; I think 5000 from MafTachufetts. I 
 took the command of the regiment of 700 men furnifhed from Ef- 
 fex. The quota of Salem was compofed of volunteers. The af- 
 peft of our affairs was gloomy, I addreffed the Salem militia, urg- 
 ing a cheerful tender of their fervices. One fentiment I expreffdd 
 on that occafion is frefli in my memory : That it was, at fuch a time 
 the real patriot would JJootu his %eal and devotion to his country. 
 
 This tour of militia duty was performed in the winter of 
 1776 — 7 ; terminating at Boundbrook, in New-Jerfey ; General 
 Wafhington's head-quarters being at Morriflown. 
 
 Soon after my return home, I received an invitation from 
 General Wafliington, to take the office of adjutant- general. This 
 I accepted, and joined the army under his command at Middle- 
 brook, in New-Jerfey. 
 
 General Howe having embarked his army at New-York, 
 to proceed, as it was underftood, either to Delaware or Chefapeake 
 Bay, General Wafhington's army marched from New-Jerfey to the 
 ilate of Delaware ; and thence into the adjacent part of Pennfyl- 
 vania, to oppofe the Britifh army then marching from the Head of 
 Elk for Philadelphia. On the 11th of September, the battle of 
 Brandywine took place. A.fter carrying General Wafliington's 
 orders to a general officer at Chadsford, I repaired to the right, 
 where the battle commenced ; and remained by the general's fide 
 to its termination at the clofe of the ^ay. Orders were given for 
 
27 
 
 the troops to rendezvous at Chefter, whence they marched the next 
 day to the neighbourhood of Philadelphia. When refrefhed, and 
 fupphed with ammunition, the army again croffed the Schuylkill 
 river, and advanced to meet General Howe. On the 16th of Sep- 
 tember, in the morning, information was received of the approach 
 of the enemy. Some detachments were made to reinforce the ad- 
 vanced guards, and keep the enemy in check, until the American 
 army fhould be arrayed for aftion. General Wafhington ordered 
 me to the right wing, to aid in forming the order of battle. On 
 my return to the centre, I found the line not formed. Seeing the 
 commander in chief with a number of officers about him, as incon- 
 fultation, I prefied my horfe up to learn the objeft. It was a 
 queftion whether we (hould receive the Britifh on the ground then 
 occupied by our troops, or retire beyond a valley in their rear, in 
 which the ground was faid to be wet, and impaflable with artillery, 
 which, in cafe of a defeat, would of courfe be loft ; excepting that 
 with the left wing commanded by General Greene, through which 
 there was a firm road. By this time, the fire of the troops engag- 
 ed appeared to be drawing near. At this moment, the confulta- 
 tion yet continuing, I addreffed General Wafhington. " Sir, (faid 
 ** I) the advancing of the Britifh is manifeft by the reports of the 
 *< muflietry. The order of battle is not completed. If we are to 
 ** fight the enemy on this ground, the troops ought to be immedi- 
 " ately arranged. If we are to take the high grounds on the other 
 ** fide of the valley, we ought to march immediately, or the enemy 
 " may fall upon us in the midft of our movement." — " Let us 
 ** move" — was the General's anfwer. The movement took place. 
 It had begun to rain. The Britifh army halted. Ours formed on 
 the high ground beyond the valley, and there remained during a 
 very rainy day. We then marched to a place called the Yellow 
 Springs. — The cartridge boxes were bad, and nearly all the ammu- 
 nition in them was fpoiled. Hence it became neceffary to keep 
 aloof from the enemy till frefh ammunition could be made up and 
 diftributed.* 
 
 * Since writing this, I have turned to Gordon's hiftory (not twenty 
 pages of which I had ever readj to fee his account of this day's proceedings. 
 My ftatement furniflies additional circumrtances. I have recited what Ifaiv 
 and what Iperfonally knoiv. 
 
28 
 
 On the 4tli of Oftober, General Wafhington attacked the 
 Britifh troops at Germantown. After the right wing, commanded 
 by General Sullivan, had for fome time been briflily engaged. Gen- 
 eral Wafhington fent me forward with an order to that officer. 
 Having dehvered it, I returned to rejoin the commander in chief.— 
 It had been found that a party of the Britifh troops had taken poll 
 in a large and ftrong Hone houfe, fiace well known by the name of 
 Chew's houfe, on which our light field artillery could make no im- 
 preffion. This houfe Hood back a few rods from the road. I firll 
 difcovered the enemy to be there, by their firing at me from the 
 windows, on my return from General Sullivan. -,.. 
 
 On rejoining General Wafhington, 1 found a queftion was agi- 
 tated, in his prefence. Whether the whole of the troops then be- 
 hind fhould pafs on, regardlefs of the enemy in Chew's houfe, or 
 fummon them to furrender. A brave and diflinguifhed officer (now 
 no more) urged a fummons. He faid it would be " unmihtary to 
 ** leave a caftle in our rear.'* I anfwered — " doubtlefs, that is a 
 <* correal general rnasim ; but it does not apply in this cafe. We 
 *« know the extent of this caftle (Chew's houfe ;) a^jd to guard 
 *« againft the danger from the enemy's fallying out and falling on 
 ** the rear of our troops, a fmall regiment may be pofted here to 
 ** watch them ; and if they fally out, fuch a regiment wi// take care 
 " of them. But (I added) to fummon them to furrender will be ufe- 
 " lefs. We are now in the midft of the battle ; and its ifTue is un- 
 *' known. In this flate of uncertainty, and fo well fecured as the 
 " enemy find themfelves, they will not regard a fummons : they iv'ill 
 ^^Jire at yourjlag,^^ — However, a fubaltern officer, with a white 
 flag and drum, was fent with a fummons. He had reached the 
 gate at the road, when a ihot from a window gave him a wound of 
 which he died.* 
 
 * Here, again, I have fince looked at Gordon's account. He mentions 
 General Knox as the ofRcer who faid " it would be unmiUtary to leave a caf- 
 " tie in our rear." It was General Knox. And it was to him (in the presence 
 cf General Wafliington) that I gave the anfwer above ftated in my letter. Gor- 
 don puts the following words into the mouth of General Reed, in anfwer to 
 General Kuox — ^" What ! call this a fort, and lofe the happy moment " — But 
 Oeiicral Reed was not pref-ent. He haa been adjutant-general in 1776; but 
 
29 
 
 In December, the army marched to Valley Forge, and took 
 ap their winter quarters in log huts which they eredled at that place. 
 
 Before this, the Congrefs, then fitting at Yorktown in Penn- 
 fylvania, had ele6led me a member of the Continental Board of 
 War. General Gates and General Mifflin were elefted members 
 of the fame board : and before the expiration of the winter, we re- 
 paired to Yorktown, where the board fat. In this ftation I re- 
 mained until General Greene religned the office of quarter-mafter- 
 general. On the 5th of Auguft 1780, Congrefs elected me hiafuc- 
 ceffor ; and I continued in the office of quarter-mafter-general dur- 
 ing the remainder of the war. 
 
 The projed of befieging the city of New- York, in 1781, hav* 
 ing been rehnquifhed, and the fiege of Yorktown, in Virginia, re- 
 folved on, I received General Wafhington s orders to prepare im- 
 mediately for the march of a part of the army to that place, and 
 for the tranfportation of artillery, and of all the ftores requifite for 
 the fiege. This was done. The event is known to every body. 
 Lord CornwaUis and his army were made prifoners. This decided 
 the fate of the war. In the fucceeding winter, the Britifh govern- 
 ment, defpairing of conqueft, abandoned all offenfive operations in 
 America: and in November, 1782, articles of peace were agreed on. 
 
 From the the year 1790 to 1794, I was charged, by Gen- 
 eral Wafhington (then Prefident of the United States) with fev- 
 eral negociations with the Indian nations on our frontiers ; In 
 1793, in a joint commiffion with General Lincoln and Beverly 
 Randolph, Efq. of Virginia, to treat of peace with the weflern 
 Indians : And in 1794, I was appointed the fole agent to adjuft all 
 our difputes with the Cix nations ; which were terminated by a 
 fatisfadlory treaty. 
 
 did not now belong to the army. Early in December, afterwards, when Gen- 
 eral Howe marched from Philadelphia to Chefnut-Hill, (the American army 
 being then polled two or three miles farther off, on the high grounds of 
 ■VVhite-Marfli) General Reed was with a party of Pennfylvania militia; 
 and in a fkirmifli with fome Britilli troops, had a horfe fliot under Iiim : an 
 ffvent which has furaiflied a fubjed: for sm. hiftorick painter. 
 
In the year 1791, General Wafhington appointed me Poft- 
 Mafter General. In this office I continued until the clofe of the 
 year 1794- ; when, on the refignation of General Knox, I was ap- 
 pointed Secretary of War. In Augufl 1795, Mr. Edmund Ran- 
 dolph having refigned the office of fecretary of Hate, General 
 Wafhington gave me the temporary charge of that department alfo. 
 Some time before the meeting of Congrefs, which was in Decem- 
 ber following, he tendered to me the office of Secretary of State. 
 At the fame time he frankly told me the names of feveral gentlemen 
 whom he had invited to accept, but who had declined the office. 
 They were men of the firll abilities and diftinftion, and for whom 
 I entertain the highell refpe^l. General Wafhington knew me well, 
 and that I had not enough of vanity or ambition to be wounded or 
 humbled by his preference of thofe men. I only regretted that 
 they all declined the office. For myfelf, I objefted that the duties 
 of the department of ftate were foreign to my former purfuits in 
 life ; and I thought myfelf unequal to the proper difcharge of 
 them. He defired me to take the matter into confideration. When 
 he again fpoke to me on the fubjeft, I obferved, that although the 
 gentlemen he had named to me, declined the office, yet, by a little 
 delay he might find feme other candidate to fill it. The feffion of 
 Congrefs was approaching. By inquiry among the members, he 
 might obtain information of a fit charadler not then occurring to 
 him ; and I requefted him to poftpone the matter till the meeting 
 of Congrefs. The prefident acquiefced. But as foon as Congrefs 
 affembled — without fpeaking to me again, he nominated me to the 
 fenate to be fecretary of ftate : and the fenate approved the nom- 
 ination. I continued in this office until May 1800 ; when I was 
 removed by the late Prefident Adams. On this a6i I fhould ftiU 
 have continued filent, had it not given occafion to add one more 
 reproach to the former mahcious flanders on my charaAer. — I am 
 reproached for having been removed from the office of fecretary of 
 ftate (as I have juft mentioned) on the fuppofition that this would 
 not have been done but for feme fufficient caufe, honourable to the 
 prefident, and diflionourable to me. On this I muft remark, that 
 I had held that office about a year and a half under General Wafh- 
 ington, and three years and two months under Prefident Adams, 
 
31 
 
 and until ten months only remained of his own term of office. 
 For what did he remove me ? — He never told me. Was it for any 
 diflionelt or difhonourable aft ? — He will not fay it. Was it for 
 Britifh attachments ? — He will not fay it. Was it for my inca- 
 pacity ? — If that were the caufe, and it be well founded, a ftatef- 
 man of his experience and difcernment ought fooner to have made 
 the difcovery. — But without troubling myfelf about my difmiflion, 
 which even at the time excited a fcarcely fenfible refentment, and 
 after that little had ceafed for years ; I (hould not now have men- 
 tioned the fubjeft, had not the herd of libellers, and your Excel- 
 lency's own infinuations, conftrained me to exhibit this narrative 
 of the principal incidents of my hfe. To my friends I am fure it 
 will not be uninterefting : and I fondly hope that others of my 
 fellow citizens who may read it, will not think the time loft which 
 ihall be occupied in the perufal. I hope alfo, that to oppofe a fe- 
 ries of incontrovertible, fadls to general reproach, may not be deem- 
 ed an improper mode of vindication. 
 
 At the clofe of the year 1801, I returned to live in Maffa- 
 chufetts. In 1803, the leg'flature appointed me a fenator to rep- 
 refent the ftate in Congrefs, for the refidue of the term of Dwight 
 Foftcr, Efq. who had refigned. In 1805, the legiflature again 
 cleded me a fenator, and for the term of fix years. ,. 
 
 Such, Sir, is the publick life of the man whom you have wan- 
 tonly defamed, and whofe charadler your fhamelefs advocates have 
 attempted to deftroy. 
 
 Being in debt for new lands purchafed fome years before, and 
 by the appreciation of which I had hoped to have made an event- 
 ual provifion for my eight furviving children ; and having no other 
 refources ; — gs foon as I was removed from office, in 1800, I car- 
 ried my family from Philadelphia into the country ; and with one 
 of my fons went into the back woods of Pennfylvania, where, with 
 the aid of fome labourers, we cleared a few acres of my land, 
 fowed wheat, and built a log hut, into which I meant the next 
 year to remove my family. — From this condition we were drawn 
 
3i? 
 
 by the kindnefa of my friends in Maffachufetts. By the fpontane- 
 ous liberality of thofe friends (of whom fome were then to me un- 
 known) in taking a transfer of new lands (for my Jahi not their 
 own) in exchange for money, I was enabled to pay my debts, to 
 return to my native flate, and finally to purchafe a fmall farm, in 
 Effex, on which I live, which I cultivate with my own hands, and 
 literally with the fweat of my brow. In this retreat, engaged in 
 what with peculiar pleafure I had always contemplated, rural occu- 
 pations, I have found contentment. 
 
 This long letter, Sir, T fliall fend to the printer : it being the 
 mode of communication which your Excellency has been pleafed to 
 propofe. 
 
 I remain, Sir, 
 
 Your humble Servant, 
 
 TIMOTHY PICKERINCv, 
 
 His Excellency JAMES SULLIVAN, Efq. 
 Governor of the Comtnon'weahh of ^Maffachufetts,