[Private] Philadelphia 19 May 1800 Dear Sir As I may not, possibly, have the pleasure of seeing you before your return to S. Carolina, I wish to mention some special circumstances inducing to my resignation which you may wish to be informed of, leaving particulars [undecipherable]. It is n[undecipherable] [undecipherable]ainly, that the antifederal ticket has prevailed in the State of New York by a small majority. You will add to this the influence which certain characters who have been chosen into the legislature must enjoy in a popular assembly over inferior abilities and men without the opportunity to be rightly informed or penetration to know when they are so. It is also a problem, what kind, if any, compromise will take place between the two parties in this State on the subject of an election Law, and if a law is agreed to, for whom the federalists will vote upon the occasion. The Eastern members will return home, generally speaking, more indisposed to, than desirous of the election of Mr Adams. The same thing in a higher degree may be said of the federal members from South Carolina. Do not believe however that any knowledge or anticipation of these dispositions or events influenced me to resign. Quite otherwise. I assure you. I had with the knowledge of the President taken a house in George town, and made arrangements for the residence of my family. We have had for some time past a disjointed cabinet, as the Aurora expressed it. In other words Mr Wolcott, Mr Pickering and myself, were decidedly of opinion that the mission to France must have been happily dispensed with. We thought the situation in [undecipherable] was, the most desirable in [undecipherable] kept during the existence of [undecipherable] between [undecipherable] and France; and [undecipherable] the kind of war we were engaged in gave us nothing to fear from France, secured us from the spread of French principles, and was calculated to ensure the continuance of a growing and lucrative commerce, with the friendship of England. The President disregarding these considerations, from a contrary conviction, or looking only to his own election, thought otherwise, and could be well with nobody who did not think he well of the mission. Upon second thoughts [undecipherable] and it was thought as he did. From that moment I began to perceive a [undecipherable] of principles were to be introduced, and that the acts of administration, were as far as practicable to be made subservient to electioneering purposes. Every day increased his alarm and distrust of those gentlemen near him who did not constantly feed him with news or hopes flattering to his election. In this temper of mind, and while the issue of the election in New York was decided, which every one said was to be decisive of his election, the federal members of Congress had a caucus on [undecipherable] it is called, in [undecipherable] with very few exceptions. It was determined, that each member in his [undecipherable] was his best endeavors to [undecipherable] men for President, without giving any preference to the other. The [undecipherable] increased [undecipherable] to him that he requested to see me [undecipherable]. The [undecipherable] appeared [undecipherable] of a [undecipherable], and to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] an engagement to that [undecipherable]. This [undecipherable] the other [undecipherable] became [undecipherable] and at times [undecipherable]. General Washington had saddled him with three Secretaries. Wolcott, Pickering & myself. I had not appointed a gentleman of North Carolina, the [undecipherable] elector who had given him a vote in that state a captain with [undecipherable], and afterwards had him appointed [undecipherable] which he refused. (The list on which these gentlemen [undecipherable] or which was made out you will recollect [undecipherable] you and Governor Davie) I had biased General Washington to place Hamilton in his list of Major Generals before Knox. I had embarrassed Gen Washington in my report to Congress and had attempted on the same to praise Hamilton. In short there was no bounds to his jealousy. I had done nothing, [undecipherable] — my body became mine, and I must resign. I resigned the next morning to take place [undecipherable] hence. Mr Pickering was thrown out a few days after. Mr Wolcott is retained for a while only because he is afraid of derangements in the affairs of the Treasury. And I [undecipherable], should he be elected (which of the federalists proportion [undecipherable] fortitude to the crisis cannot happen) Stoddert and he will have dwindled the moment he is persuaded the [undecipherable] will [undecipherable] him on his seat. If you [undecipherable] to write to me, letters directed [undecipherable] after the 1^st of June, not of [undecipherable] in a house, it may be proper to put them under a cover addressed to Mr Wolcott. I shall be in Baltimore, [undecipherable], [undecipherable]. I am Dear Sir very sincerely and [undecipherable] yours James McHenry [Major Gen. Charles C. Pinckney]