To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 18 December 1795
From Timothy Pickering
Department of State Decr 18. 1795.
Sir,
I have examined the inclosed papers from the Director of the Mint relative to the purchase of copper for making cents. From the representation of the Director & the conversation I have had with Mr Francis the Purveyor, I believe the terms to be very eligible: I mean the terms on which he proposes to agree with Mr Bilsland.1 The law of May 8th 1792, requires the President’s approbation of any purchase or contract of the Director to procure copper for the Mint.2
I will presently wait on you for your determination,3 and am most respectfully your obt servt
Timothy Pickering
ALS, DNA: RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters; LB, DNA: RG 59, GW’s Correspondence with His Secretaries of State.
1. Pickering enclosed a draft agreement between mint director Elias Boudinot and Alexander Bilsland (d. 1798), who maintained a copper warehouse on Market Street in Philadelphia, and two letters containing proposals for the copper sale—from Bilsland, 12 Dec., and from George Westcott, 15 Dec.—all of which had been enclosed with Boudinot’s letter to Pickering of 16 December. Transcripts of these documents can be found in DNA: RG 104, Copies of Letters Sent by the Director of the U.S. Mint at Philadelphia.
2. Pickering is referring to “An Act to provide for a Copper Coinage,” 8 May 1792, 283–84.
3. On 21 Dec., Pickering reported to Boudinot the results of his meeting with GW: “The President asked why it could not be imported, so as to save all or part of the Commissions demanded by Mr Bilsland?” (DNA: RG 59, Domestic Letters). Boudinot replied to Pickering on 22 Dec. that he would “negative the intended Agreement with Mr Bilsland, altho’ I fear it will in the End prove injurious to the Interests of the United States.” Boudinot’s argument that it would be impossible to obtain the copper on more reasonable terms apparently was persuasive, for an undated note on the 16 Dec. agreement states that GW “consents to & approves” it (DNA: RG 104, Copies of Letters Sent by the Director of the U.S. Mint at Philadelphia).