1Cabinet Opinion on Foreign Vessels and Consulting the Supreme Court, 12 July 1793 (Washington Papers)
At a meeting of the heads of the departments at the President’s on summons from him, and on consideration of various representations from the Ministers Plenipotentiary of France & Great Britain on the subject of vessels arming & arriving in our ports, and of prizes it is their opinion that letters be written to the said Ministers informing them that the Executive of the U.S., desirous of...
2Cabinet Opinion, 13 May 1794 (Washington Papers)
At a meeting of the heads of the departments and the attorney General, at the house of the President, of the United States, the subject of affording an auxiliary force to Major General Wayne for the purpose of enabling him to make a vigorous and offensive campaign against the hostile Indians being considered, it is advised, that he be authorised, to call for two thousand mounted volunteers...
3Cabinet Opinion on Relations with Spain and Great Britain, 20 June 1793 (Washington Papers)
At a meeting this day of the heads of departments at the President’s on summons from him, a letter from Messrs Viar & Jaudenes dated June 18. & addressed to the Secretary of state, was read: whereupon it is the opinion that a full detail of the proceedings of the U.S. with respect to the Southern Indians, & the Spaniards be prepared, and a notification as to the particular matters charged in...
4Cabinet Opinion on the Rules of Neutrality, 3 August 1793 (Washington Papers)
August 3. 1793 The foregoing rules having been considered by us at several meetings, and being now unanimously approved, they are submitted to the President of the United States. DS , in George Taylor, Jr.’s writing, DLC:GW ; copy (letterpress copy), DLC : Jefferson Papers; LB , DLC:GW ; Df , in Alexander Hamilton’s writing, DLC : Jefferson Papers; copy, DNA : RG 46, Third Congress, 1793–1795,...
5Henry Knox’s Report on Military Preparations, with Cabinet Opinion, 6 September 1793 (Washington Papers)
The Secretary of War humbly reports to the President of the United States That the following measures appear necessary to be taken in order in some degree to place the United States in a situation to guard themselves from injury by any of the belligerent powers of Europe. 1st To have all the small arms of the United States put in order for immediate use. 2dly To have all the cannon in...
6Cabinet Opinion on French Privateers and Prizes, 5 August 1793 (Washington Papers)
At a meeting of the heads of departments & the Attorney general at the Secretary of state’s office Aug. 5. 1793. The case of the Swallow letter of marque at New York, desired to be sent out of our ports, as being a privateer. it is the opinion that there is no ground to make any new order on the subject. The Polly or Republican, in the hands of the Marshal at New York, on a charge of having...
7Cabinet Opinion on the Little Sarah [Petite Démocrate], 8 July 1793 (Washington Papers)
At a meeting at the State house of the city of Philadelphia July 8. 1793. Present the Secretary of state, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary at War. It appears that a brigantine called the Little Sarah has been fitted out at the port of Philadelphia, with fourteen cannon, & all other equipments indicating that she is intended as a Privateer to cruise under the authority of France, &...
8Cabinet Opinion on the Recall of Edmond Genet, 23 August 1793 (Washington Papers)
At meetings of the heads of departments & the Attorney General at the President’s on the 1st & 2d of Aug. 1793. On a review of the whole of mister Genet’s correspondence & conduct, it was unanimously agreed that a letter should be written to the Minister of the U.S. at Paris, stating the same to him, resuming the points of difference which had arisen between the government of the U.S. & mister...
9Cabinet Opinion on French Privateers, 17 June 1793 (Washington Papers)
At a meeting of the heads of departments at the President’s this day, on summons from him, a letter from mister Genet of the 15th inst. addressed to the Secretary of state on the subject of the seizure of a vessel by the Govr. of New York as having been armed, equipped & manned in that port with a design to cruize on the enemies of France, was recd as also the draught of an answer prepared by...
10Cabinet Opinion on Sending an Agent to the Choctaws, 1–5 June 1793 (Washington Papers)
That an Agent be sent to the Choctaw nation to endeavor secretly to engage them to support the Chickasaws in their present war with the Creeks, giving them for that purpose arms and ammunition sufficient: and that it be kept in view that if we settle our differences amicably with the Creeks, we at the same time mediate effectually the peace of the Chickasaws & Choctaws, so as to rescue the...
11Cabinet Opinion on the Polly (Republican) and the Catherine, 12 June 1793 (Washington Papers)
The President having required the opinions of the heads of the three departments on a letter from Governor Clinton of the 9th inst. stating that he had taken possession of the sloop Polly, now called the Republican, which was arming, equipping & manning by French & other citizens to cruize against some of the belligerent powers, and desiring to know what further was to be done, and they having...
12Cabinet Opinion on French Privateers, 3 August 1793 (Washington Papers)
That The Minister of the French Republic be informed that the President considers the U. States as bound pursuant to positive assurances, given in conformity to the laws of neutrality, to effectuate the restoration of, or to make compensation for, prizes which shall have been made of any of the parties at war with France subsequent to the fifth day of June last by privateers fitted out of...
13Cabinet Opinions on the Roland and Relations with Great Britain, France, and the Creek Indians, 31 August 1793 (Washington Papers)
At a meeting of the Heads of departments & Attorney General at the President’s on the 31st day of Aug. 1793. A letter from mister Gore to mister Lear, dated Boston Aug. 24. was read, stating that the Roland, a privateer fitted out at Boston & furnished with a commission under the government of France, had sent a prize into that port, which being arrested by the Marshal of the district by...
14Council of War, 10 April 1779 (Washington Papers)
At a Council of War held at Head Quarters Middle Brook April 10th 1779. Present The Commander in Chief[,] Major Genls Sullivan[,] Greene[,] Ld Stirling[,] St Clair[,] D’Kalb, [Brigadier Generals] Smallwood[,] Knox[,] Woodford. The Commander in Chief states to the Council, that since the last meeting of Commissioners on the subject of an exchange of Prisoners, the result of which is contained...
15Enclosure: Opinions of Alexander Hamilton and Henry Knox, 22 June 1794 (Washington Papers)
I am not willing to give a pretext for not doing us justice by the appearance of carelessness or indifference as to the fulfilment of our engagements. I continue to think that the idea of a special instruction to Mr Jay is proper, because it is an evidence of our being in earnest, because as Mr. Jay’s mission was produced by circumstances subsequent to the communication to Congress, that...
16To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton and Henry Knox, 5 August 1794 (Washington Papers)
The draft of a proclamation and that of an instruction to the Commissioners being both prepared, we take the liberty to suggest that we think a meeting tomorrow morning at such hour as may be convenient to the President, may be adviseable. The Secretary of State & Attorney General being out of town we cannot consult them, but we will engage the attendance of the Attorney General provisionally...
17To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton and Henry Knox, 2 May 1793 (Washington Papers)
A conformity of opinion, and upon the same grounds, enables us to submit to you a joint Answer to the third of the Questions, which you were pleased to propose on the 19th of April to the Heads of Departments and the Attorney General. We have concluded that this mode would be more agreeable to you than a repetition of the same ideas and arguments in seperate answers. With perfect respect & the...
18Memorandum from Alexander Hamilton and Henry Knox, 8 July 1793 (Washington Papers)
Reasons for the opinion of The Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of War respecting the Brigantine Little Sarah. Because there can be no doubt, either upon principle or authority that the permitting or suffering or what is equivalent the not taking effectual measures to prevent, when known, the fitting out of privateers , in our ports, by one of the belligerent powers, to cruise...
19To George Washington from William Heath, 29 September 1782 (Washington Papers)
In pursuance of your Excellencys Commission and Instructions to us, we proceeded to Tappan on the 25th instant; where we were met by Lieut. General Campbell and the Honorable Mr Elliot, Commissioners on the part of General Sir Guy Carleton. The next Morning we interchanged Copies of our respective powers, and adjourned to the followg Day. On perusal of the powers vested in the Commissioners of...
20To George Washington from Henry Knox, 8 September 1790 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to transmit to you, a letter from Governor Telfair of the 20th of July, containing enclosures relative to the murder of a Creek Indian. The measures which he has taken to discover the murderer and his abettor and bring them to punishment, seem to be satisfactory and to preclude the necessity of any thing further being done on the part of the general government. As to the...
21To George Washington from Henry Knox, 27 March 1789 (Washington Papers)
The house of Representatives want Yet four members and the Senate two. The first will not be formed until Monday, and the senate probably not untill Wednesday next the first of April. Colo. Hanson of Alexandria is so good as to take charge of the cloth sent you from the Hartford manufactory, and also of some federal buttons manufactored in this City, both of which will I hope safely reach you....
22To George Washington from Henry Knox, 7 November 1792 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to submit to you, the pleasing information of a treaty with the Wabash indians; and which appears to have been a general one. After you shall have perused them, they shall be copied, to be laid before the two houses. Mr Bradshaw says, there were upwards of seven hundred indians present —He came by the way of Kentucky, and says that he understood that about twenty people had...
23To George Washington from Colonel Henry Knox, 17 December 1775 (Washington Papers)
I returnd from Ticonderoga to this place on the 15th instant & brought with me the Cannon &c. It having taken nearly the time I conjecturd it would to transport them here —It is not easy to conceive the difficulties we have had in getting them over the lake owing to the advanced Season of the Year & contrary winds—three days ago it was very uncertain whether we could have gotten them over...
24Henry Knox to Bartholomew Dandridge, Jr., 20 June 1793 (Washington Papers)
Please to submit the enclosed letter to the President of the U.S. from Major Gaither—dated 23d May 93. I am Dear Sir Your humble Servt ALS , DLC:GW ; LB , DLC:GW . Another writer added the phrase containing the date of Henry Gaither’s letter to Knox. Gaither, writing from Fort Fidius in Georgia, reported that residents of the Georgia frontier were fleeing their homes in fear of an Indian...
25To George Washington from Henry Knox, 23 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
Mr Ruddock, Deputy Commissary of Military Stores, at Fishkill, has handed me an order from the board of war, for discontinuing the post at Fishkill, so far as it relates to the department of the Commissary General of Military Stores, dismissing the said Mr Ruddock and all the Officers under him, and ordering all the military stores in his possession to be delivered to the D.Q. Master of the...
26To George Washington from Henry Knox, 8 February 1787 (Washington Papers)
My last to you was of the 1st instant since which I have received your favor of the 25 Jany. You will probably have received mine long before this time of the 14th ultimo which will satisfy you that I received duly your favor of the 26th December. I now enclose you (in confidence) three Copies of letters written by our friend Lincoln to Govr Bowdoin which will shew you in a more connectd State...
27To George Washington from Henry Knox, 18 February 1792 (Washington Papers)
I propose to send a duplicate of McGillivrays letter to Seagrove, and conform his instructions thereto. I submit you a motions of Colo. Guns. The division to day was 15 for inserting the additional regiments to 13 against it. Colo. Burr, voted for it under some restrictions. The bill is recommitted to Mr Elsworth Mr Read[,] Hawkins, Mr Burr, and Mr Gun. The object of the amendment is not...
28Henry Knox to Bartholomew Dandridge, Jr., 15 March 1794 (Washington Papers)
Be so good as to submit to the President of the United States the letter of Genl Chapin, with the accompanying speeches of the cheifs of the six nations at Buffaloe Creek on the 7th ultimo. Yours ALS , DLC:GW ; LB , DLC:GW . In his letter to Knox of 25 Feb., written at Canandaigua, N.Y., Israel Chapin wrote: “Inclosed are the proceedings of a Council holden at Buffaloe Creek, the 7th of this...
29To George Washington from Henry Knox, 27 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
There being no established principles to govern the appointments to the vacancies of officers in the artillery, some doubts have arisen since the last regulation of the army, whether the right of appointment is in Congress, as generally has been the case, or in the States on which the regiments of artillery are apportioned, as part of their quotas. This uncertainty has operated to the...
30To George Washington from Henry Knox, 21 October 1794 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to transmit you, enclosed, the copy of another letter just received from Colonel Pickering, dated the 8th instant. I am, with the highest respect, Sir, Your most obt Servt LS , DLC:GW ; LB , DLC:GW .