Excerpt from Appletons' Cyclopedia of American Biography, Vol. 5: Pickering-Sumter States and the Six Nations. Col. Pickering was up inted ostmaster-general, 14 Aug, 1791, and heidothato ce till 1795. In the mean time was waged the great war with the Indians of the North western territory, and C01. Pickering was called upon several times to negotiate with the chiefs of the Six Nations and keep up the alliance with them. He knew how to make himself liked and respected by the red men, and in these delicate missions was eminently successful. On the resignation of Knox he was appointed secretary of war, 2 Jan., 1795. The department then included Indian affairs, since transferred to the department of the interior. It also included the administration of the navy. In these capacities Col. Pickering was instrumental in founding the military school at West Point, as well as in superintending the building of the three noble frigates Constitution, United States, and Constellation, that were by and by to Win im erishable renown. On the resignation of Ban do ph in the autumn of 1795, Col. Pickering for a while acted as secretary of state, and after three months was appointed to that oflice. He continued as secretary of state, under the administration of John Adams, until the difficulties with France, growing out of the X. Y. Z. Papers, had reached a crisis and led to aserious disagreement between Mr. Adams and his cabinet. (see adams, john.) Then Col. Pickering was dismissed from office, 12 May, 1800. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.