Washington, George, 1732-1799 to Henry Knox

Marked private. Washington as President to Knox as Secretary of War. John Jay, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and Rufus King, a Senator from New York, wrote a newspaper article they uncharacteristically signed with their own names decrying the actions of Edmond Charles Genet, the French Minister to America. Genet was trying to outfit privateers to support the French revolutionary government, and Washington refused to support this breach of neutrality. Genet threatened to go over Washington's head to the American public, which had given Genet a warm welcome. Jay and King published this threat in their article, sparking an anti-French backlash. Washington attempted to act even-handedly, which offended Jay and King, who saw Genet as a real threat. They sent an angry letter to Washington, which he references in this letter to Knox. Washington asks Knox to be the go-between. Knox's efforts led to a reconciliation, and the offensive letters were burned.