[19 Oct^r 1797. / Secy. Pickering] [humber Oct. 19] [Free / T. Pickering] James McHenry Esq^r. Downingstown Pennsylvania. [answered / 22 Oct.] [12] Trenton Oct. 19. 1797. Dear Sir, You see by the Pittsburg paper of last week, that my letter of Aug. 3^d. to [undecipherable: probable reading "Gruye"], is [strikethrough: undecipherable] prematurely publishing. I must charge some of your military friend with the communication; as I have sent no copy to that quarter, and wherever I have handed it to my friend, it has been with an explicit caution against such a publication. But I do not know that it is to be regretted: it is an anticipation of but a few weeks, for I doubt not that Congress would have directed its publication, as usual with documents before [strikethrough: presented] to them on the same subject. And as one of my friend has lately written to me, "Since the policy of France has dragged our Executive into the forest, it is best to make the people who are there understand that we are wholly right, and our accusers altogether wrong." This friend then begins his letter. "I am greatly obliged to you for the pamphlet [letter of Aug. 8. to Ky.] you sent me, as I felt a strong desire to see the argument which should prove conclusively that the [undecipherable] would be a Knave if he were not by nature a Fool." It is a good while since I heard from you or of you: how are you? is your health restored? I shall be glad to learn; being very truly yours, James McHenry Esq^r Timothy Pickering.