To Timothy Pickering Esq^r Secretary at War [Private] New York 9 August 1795 Sir I accept my thanks for your obliging letter of the 18^th [undecipherable] — The friendly measure which induced [you] to communicate to me the information contained in it shall be remembered — The President [undecipherable] for his own situation adds new honour to his character, and confers new obligations on his Country of the [undecipherable] of an address. I am not perfectly satisfied, altho' I think it would in many Respects be useful. It appears to me to be a good general State, but the President should very rarely come forward — write officially. A Degree of Reserve seems necessary to the preservation of his dignity and authority — any address would be exposed to indecent Stricture — many of our Papers are Licentious in the [undecipherable], and there is little reason to presume that Papers of [undecipherable] will have more [undecipherable] leaders with as hostile to the Constitution and Government, from making impertinently. my opinion of the [undecipherable], and of the views and Reaches of the Leaders, if those further [undecipherable] [undecipherable] is not of great [undecipherable] — nothing in their present Conduct strikes me as so singular, except their more than ordinary [undecipherable] [undecipherable] — Individually they will be — and an artfully or [undecipherable] will be afraid to gain a majority in Congress at the ensuing [Session?]. To resist this attempt [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] address would [undecipherable] [undecipherable] — The Presidents [speech?] may very [undecipherable] for [undecipherable] and demands on the [undecipherable], but then by that Course the Mischief may be advanced and [spread?] — a more early address, by correcting [public?] [undecipherable], would render it a check on the [Conduct?] of some Representatives who might [undecipherable] themselves from the [undecipherable]. There are men who will go with the Stream, whatever its [course?] may be — and there are those who will act right when they see no advantage to themselves in acting wrong. Issues and [Complications?] will be [feared?]. In a word — this address has its [pros and cons] — but it is a [blank?] on which I shall confide in the Presidents [Judgment?] which I think very [well of?] — [undecipherable] as well as very modern History [undecipherable] teaches us [undecipherable] very applicable to the present [times?], and [proves?] out the [Necessity?] of [undecipherable] proper activity and Decision — I think that the President, with the [blessing?] of [undecipherable] will be able to carry his Country safe [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] [undecipherable]