Description:

Jefferson Thomas

Bi-fold ALS, 7.5" x 9.5". Dated "City of Washington Jan 16, 1806" and signed by Timothy Pickering in full signature "Timothy Pickering". Written extensively on the recto and verso of the first page with the second page blank. Last page has several random math calculations. Near fine with expected folds.

 

Timothy Pickering writes to Judge March a fantastic hilarious "no-holds barred" letter slamming our court houses and President Thomas Jefferson's recent message.

 

In 1806 the Federalist Pickering was U.S. Senator from Massachusetts. A Revolutionary War veteran, he had previously served in the Washington and Adams Administrations as, variously, Secretary of War, Postmaster General, and Secretary of State. His Letter criticizes the layout of Massachusetts courts and compares them unfavorably with those in France. "Whenever there is an interesting cause, the justices & gentlemen of the bar & the witnesses, are obliged to struggle thro' the crowd."

 

Pickering continues with his expression of frustration about President Jefferson and the Congressional session.

 

"Congress have yet done nothing, tho' we are now in the 7th week of the session! The President’s message, in which many thought they saw a spirit like that of foretimes, appeared to me, from the beginning, pregnant with an abortion. The Mountain in labour will scarcely produce a mouse. The only measure of any consequence yet agitated, will terminate in further National Degradation. I cannot at present be more explicit."

 

It would be curious to understand which exact message was eluded to by Timothy. Although the specific details of Jefferson's message was not referenced, on January 4th and 10th Jefferson made numerous addresses and speeches to the delegation of Indian Chiefs. Indian delegations had long been part of European diplomacy with native people, and they came to play an increasingly important role in U.S. Indian policy as well. Even before leaving St. Louis, Lewis and Clark began organizing delegations to visit the new “great father” in Washington. One such speech by Jefferson on January 4th less than 2 weeks before this ALS. Jefferson spoke to a group of chiefs from the lower Missouri River is an arresting combination of friendship, promises of peaceful relations in a shared country, and thinly veiled threats if Indians rejected American sovereignty. Reminding the chiefs of the changes in international diplomacy after the Louisiana Purchase, Jefferson insisted that “We are now your fathers; and you shall not lose by the change.” But behind all the promises of a shared future was an unmistakable threat. As the president said, “My children, we are strong, we are numerous as the stars in the heavens, & we are all gunmen.”

 

And in another dated January 10th Jefferson spoke to the chiefs of the Cherokee Nation praising their efforts to farm and develop laws, offering the expertise of Americans to help further modernize their society. At the same time, the President condemned the attacks on Indians on the other side of the Mississippi River and called on the Cherokees to bring peace in the newly-acquired American land.

However, it is unclear as to which Jefferson speech Timothy Pickering referred to when he spoke of the President's message appeared as being " pregnant with an abortion. The Mountain in labour will scarcely produce a mouse." 

 

A forthright, outspoken humorous letter showing the differing opinions of the time.

 

Judge March is Ebenezer March who was appointed to the Court of Common Pleas in 1796; Timothy Pickering was appointed Chief Justice of that Court in 1802. Ebenezer March [1745-1827] was born and died in Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts. He was elected to represent Newbury in the State Constitutional Convention in September 1779, and re-elected the following May to participate in the examination of the resulting returns. He was later elected Senator to the General Court from Newbury for four sessions; served on the committee to build a new courthouse in Newburyport from 1803-1805; was President of the Board of Dummer Academy in Massachusetts for more than 20 years; and participated in many other civic activities.

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