To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 2 February 1796
From Timothy Pickering
[Philadelphia] Feby 2. 1796.
Sir,
At the request of the Chairman of the Committee on the bill for regulating trade with the Indian Tribes, I furnished him with a copy of Governor Blount’s letter mentioning the intended intrusions on the Cherokee lands; and also with a copy of the Attorney General’s letter to me on that subject.1 The chairman called upon me last evening, and suggested, that if the President officially communicated Governor Blount’s letter to Congress, it might have a good effect to enforce the provisions contemplated in the bill to prevent such outrages. The Chairman’s opinion appearing to me correct, I immediately draughted a short message, which with its object is respectfully submitted to the President’s determination.2
The Chairman left the inclosed copy of the bill, which it may please the President to peruse.3 I will wait on the President at ten o’clock to receive his commands in this matter.
Some amendments suggested by the Attorney General, the Chairman proposes to move to have introduced. I am most respectfully sir your obt servant
Timothy Pickering
ALS, DLC:GW; LB, DLC:GW.
1. In response to GW’s annual message, the House on 17 Dec. 1795 resolved in part “that effectual provision ought to be made for the security of the frontiers, and for the protection of the Indians, from any injuries by any of the inhabitants of the United States.” A committee of eight was appointed to bring in legislation pursuant to that resolution, and on 26 Jan. 1796, James Hillhouse presented on behalf of the committee “a bill to regulate trade and intercourse with the Indian tribes, and to preserve peace on the frontiers” ( 8:40–41, 125). For William Blount’s letter to Pickering of 19 Dec. 1795, see Pickering to Bartholomew Dandridge, Jr., 22 Jan., n.2. Charles Lee’s letter to Pickering has not been identified.
2. GW wrote Congress on this date: “I transmit herewith the Copy of a letter dated the 19th of December last, from Governor Blount to the Secretary of War, stating the avowed and daring designs of certain persons to take possession of lands belonging to the Cherokees, and which the United States have by Treaty solemnly guaranteed to that nation. The injustice of such intrusions, and the mischievous consequences which must necessarily result therefrom, demand that effectual provision be made to prevent them” (LS, DNA: RG 46, entry 47; Df, in Pickering’s writing, DNA: RG 59, Reports of the Secretary of State to the President and Congress; LB, DNA: RG 233, entry 28, Journals; LB, DLC:GW). The LS does not differ from Pickering’s draft in any significant way.
3. The enclosed copy of the bill has not been identified. Following receipt of GW’s message, the House voted on 3 Feb. to recommit the bill to committee, where it was amended ( 8:144, 182).