[Docket on outer cover: Lettr 24. 1797 / T. Pickering / [undecipherable] calls to / deny State / the President] James McHenry Esq^r Downingstown Pennsylvania [Sir / T. Pickering] Trenton Oct. 24. 1797. D^r Sir, 13 This morning I received the inclosed letter of Mr. Coche, from the President, who desired me to send it to you. It proves both his impudence and ignorance: tho' whom knew Coche wanted no proof of either. On Sunday morning [the 22d] I rec^d letters from Mr. T. Bulkeley dated at Lisbon Aug^t 26. 27. 29. The vessel by which he wrote sailed unexpectedly; and Mr. Smith & my son being in the country to spend a few days with his father, knew not of the conveyance. — They arrived the 20^th of August, after a passage of 27 days from the capes of the Delaware. They embarked at Newcastle July 20. Mr. B. confirms the account of Nelson's expedition to Teneriffe, & his defeat. I sent the details extracted from Mr. B's letter to Henno, on Sunday. The preliminaries of peace between France & Portugal had been signed & brought to Lisbon by a Courier, who arrived August 25. Terms not made public. Mr. B. supposes, some cession of territory at the Brazils — some say also the Island of Joa — and the payment of 25 millions of livres. Mr. Murray's last letter is dated July 21. — He mentions that last [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] certain times had been agreed between Delacroix & the Portuguese minister at Paris, and the treaty prepared for signing — but just then arrived the news of Bonaparté's great successes — and the Directory had the perfidy and the insolence, not only to [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] & abandon the treaty agreed on, but to present a paper with very different terms to the Portuguese minister to sign: but he refused — and they ordered him to quit Paris — tho' not France. He chose to go to Holland. I suppose it was from [him] that Mr. M. received the account. What do you think of the Washington news, by the Mr. Purdie who arrived at Brownsville the [undecipherable] of Oct. in 45 days from New-Orleans — That the posts were given up, & the boundary line running? You will recollect that such was Mr. Ellicott's expectation, when he conversed with D.W. Coxe, whose narrative I sent you. I am truly yours T. Pickering James McHenry Esq^r