From John Jay to Timothy Pickering, 26 February 1810
To Timothy Pickering
Bedford 26 Feby. 1810
Dear Sir
The last Mail brought me both your obliging Letters1— At this Moment I am constrained to write in Haste— When the present Governmt. was organized there were many interesting Papers of the former Congresses in the Hands of their Secretary Mr. Thompson— there was a secret Journal as well as a public one— I presume that the Heads of the Departmts. recd. from him the papers appertaining to them respectively— where are the Journals and the files of Letters &c. which did not ^immediately^ concern either of them? I do not recollect whether any and what order was given respecting those Papers— If they remain in his Possession, wd. it not be proper to direct him by ^a^ Law to deliver them to the secy of State, and to provide that they shd. so far be public Records as that the officers of State & members of both Houses have free access to them— Yours sincerely
John Jay
The Honb. Timothy Pickering Esqr.
perhaps all these papers are now in the Secy of State’s office— perhaps not all—
ALS, MHi: Pickering (EJ: 04815). Endorsed: “… About public papers that / were in the hands of Secy. / Charles Thompson.”
1. TP to JJ, 13 Feb. 1810, ALS, NNC (EJ: 09475); and 17 Feb. 1810, above.