To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 30 March 1796
From Timothy Pickering
Wednesday Morning 6 o’clock [30 March 1796]
The Secretary of State has the honor to lay before the President of the U. States the result of his examination of Mr Livingston’s speech.1
He also returns the draught of the proposed answer to the House, in the 3d page of which he has restored the idea of the Senate being composed of few members, as a reason why they participated in the power of making treaties: for taking the thing at large, when thirty men are made the depositaries of State Secrets, they might not be deemed very safe.2
Before nine this morning, the Secy expects an answer from Mr FitzSimons, when the Secy will wait on the President.3
T. Pickering
ALS, DLC:GW.
2. Pickering’s draft for GW’s message to the House of this date is in DLC:GW. It clearly formed the basis for that message, although GW made numerous cuts, the most important of which are noted in the annotation to that document.
3. Pickering may have been awaiting an answer from Thomas FitzSimons about whether he would serve as one of the U.S. commissioners under the Jay Treaty; FitzSimons was nominated to the post the next day.