1From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 13 September 1798 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a petition of Robert Watson for a pardon which I refer to you for your consideration & report to Your humble servant MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
2From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 14 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a letter from Ebenezer Skiff, with many recommendations from select men, Minister &c to be keeper of the light house at Gay Head. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
3From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 24 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a letter from Daniel Davis District Attorney for Maine Another from Woodbury Storer—another from the collector Mr. Nath. Fosdick in favor of Ebenezer Mayo to be Surveyor in place of Col Lunt deceased. I add a letter of Mr Smith. Which of the three candidates ought to have the preference Mayo, Titcomb or Fosdick is somewhat difficult to determine, as each has recommendation from...
4From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, Jr., 21 September 1799 (Adams Papers)
I pray you to write me no letters to reach Quincy or Boston after the 29th. On next Monday sennight, I shall set out for Trenton and reach it at latest by the 15 of Oct. I also request that you would write to the Attorney Gen. & the American commissioners to meet us all at Trenton, at as early a day after the 15th as you shall judge proper. I also desire that all this may be kept as secret as...
5From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 26 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return the commissions signed, which were inclosed in your favor of the 18th. I agree with you, that Mr Kemp ought to be appointed unless something more should appear, than is yet exibited in favor of Mr. Muse. I return all the recommendations. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
6From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 17 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return the two Commission, inclosed in yours of the 11th. signed. The contracted Law of N. Carolina, if followed by all the states, would make short Work with the Fæderal Government. What will be the Result of these Things? Such a Law is enough to dissaffect an whole state and excite a Rebellion against the U.S. I am sir your most humble &c CtHi : Oliver Wolcott, Jr. Papers.
7From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 1 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
By virtue of the Act entituled “An Act to enable the President of the United States to borrow money for the public service”, passed on the Sixteenth day of July in the year One thousand seven hundred and Ninety Eight. I do hereby authorize and empower you, by yourself or any other person or persons to borrow on behalf of the United States, of the Bank of the United States, or any other body or...
8From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 21 September 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return you all the papers inclosed in yours of the 13th, & I pray you to acquaint Ebenezer Skiff & Gen. Lincoln that Ebenezer Skiff is appointed Keeper of the light house at Gay head. With great regard MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
9From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 28 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return you all the papers inclosed in your favor of the 19th. The proposal of Mr. Martin Lincoln is approved & the written instruments defineing the lands for the accomodation of the light house are signed / by Sir your humble servant MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
10From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 1 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed are Letters relative to the Appointment to the Naval office at Portsmouth. Oliver Whipple is the only One that has been presented whose Pretentions deserve much Attention in competition with Mr Edward St. Loe Livermore: But upon the whole I think Mr Livermore ought to be appointed. He is able, popular, honourable and I believe will give general satisfaction. If you think so, he may be...
11From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 27 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a recommendation of Mr Nathaniel Mayhew of Chilmark to be keeper of the light house on Gay head I am &c MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
12From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 26 October 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have recd your favour of the 20th and thank you for your vigilant attention to the Progress or rather to the decline of the Fever in Philadelphia. I request your explicit opinion, and pray you, if you can, to obtain those of Mr McHenry and Mr Lee; whether from the Prevalence of contagious Sickness in Philadelphia, or the Existence of any other Circumstances it would be hazardous to the Lives...
13From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 29 August 1798 (Adams Papers)
I received last night your favor of the 22d. Inclosed is the commission to Mr. Woolsey Burton signed. Can you tell me any news of Mr. Brisler my steward & the rest of my Family left at Philadelphia. I am &c. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
14From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 27 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a letter from Mr. John C. Jones of Boston, recommending Capt Joseph Coffin Boyd, to fill the place of Col Lunt. Also a letter from Richard Hunnewell, requesting the office for himself. Thus you see we have an ample choice of candidates. Fosdick, Titcomb Mayo Boyd & Hunnewell, all well qualified & recommended by very respectable men. The last however appears to me to have the best...
15From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 29 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return the blank commission signed which you did me the honor to inclose in your letter of the 20th & pray you to have it filled up for Augustine J Smith, whose satisfactory recommendation from William Payne Esqr. I return with it. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
16From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 26 April 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return the two blank Commissions, signed and am satisfied with the recommendations of Robert Chesley, to succeed his Father. If a real reformation should take place in Northampton County, in consequence of a consciencious Conviction of their Error & Crime it would be happy: but a cessation of opposition from fear only, may last no longer than the terror. I am, Sir your most obt. CtHi .
17From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 20 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return the commission signed, which you sent me in your letter of the 18th. I have left it in blank, that you may fill it, as you may find necessary or expedient. The recommendation of Mr Fleet is satisfactory. But I should be sorry that Mr. Burwell should be displeased if his election should fail. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
18From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 11 October 1800 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed recommendation of Capt. Samuel Robinson to be keeper of the lighthouse on Wigwam point are from such authority & so decisive that I presume it will be unnecessary to look any further. With great esteem &c. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
19From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 4 September 1797 (Adams Papers)
I recd. your favour of Augt. 20th. in due Season. I congratulate you, most sincerely, on the prospect of the recovery of your Father and Brother from sickness. Before I left Philadelphia, I appointed Mr. Storer in the Place of Leonard Jarvis, and have the Pleasure to find, that his established Character for Integrity and his well known Accuracy in Accounts, have given universal satisfaction in...
20From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 30 August 1798 (Adams Papers)
Please to write to Gen. Lincoln authorizing him to furnish me money out of the appropriation for my salary, while I remain here. I intended to have asked you for such a letter & brought it with me, but you was necessarily absent in Conntt. You may limit him to any sum you think proper; but I shall have occasion for all my salary while I remain here I am &c MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
21From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 22 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a letter or petition from the Indian proprietors of Gay head, recommending Mr. Nathaniel Mayhew to be keeper of the light house, which I pray you to file and consider with all other applications on the same subject. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
22From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 28 September 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have carefully read all the applications & recommendations for the office of collector of Norfolk & although the list of candidates is numerous and their pretensions respectable I think I discover sufficient reasons in the papers to concur with you in opinion that Col William Davis ought to be appointed and pray you to send him a commission accordingly. His letters have a strong character of...
23From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 15 May 1800 (Adams Papers)
The President requests the several heads of Departments, to take the most prudent and economical arrangements, for the removal of the public offices, clerks, and papers, according to their own best judgment, as soon as may be convenient, in such manner that the public offices may be opened in the City of Washington for the despatch of business, by the 15th of June. Printed Source--George...
24From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 15 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
I received but last night your favor of the 4th. The papers containing applications & recommendations for the collectorship of the port of Louisville in Kentucky I have read & agree with you that Mr James McConnel appears to be the person most suitable to receive the appointment to succeed Col. Richard Taylor resigned & you may send him a commission accordingly. I return all these papers &...
25From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 3 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed letter from Will Channing or Will Chowning I cannot determine which by the hand writing, is most proper to be referred to your consideration. He is or has been deputy collector of at Tappahannock. With sincere regard & MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
26From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 22 July 1800 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a Petition of Samuel Spring, for a Pardon, of the Crime of forging and passing Counterfeit Bills of the Bank of the United States. The Petition will be better placed among your files than mine: but the offence is of a nature so heinous that without your Advice I shall mitigate nothing of the Punishment. Col Smith writes that he has not received his Commission: I pray you to send it...
27From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 7 September 1798 (Adams Papers)
I return you a Commission signed for Moses Robinson Junr, upon your recommendation and that of Mr Jonathan Hunt. I have no difficulty in believing that he may be a good Commissioner. How is Father came to be so wrongheaded I never could account. I have / the Honor to be, Sir your humble / Servant. CtHi : Oliver Wolcott, Jr. Papers.
28From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 12 October 1797 (Adams Papers)
Last night I arrived at Col. Smiths, and my Family will probably make this House their home till they can go to Philadelphia with Safety. Your Reasons against convening Congress at any other Place than Philadelphia, have great Weight: but must all be overruled, if the Plague continues in that City. Perhaps it may not be necessary to remove many of the Books and Papers of the Public offices to...
29From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 16 September 1798 (Adams Papers)
I return you the commissions for William Hunter Cavendish of Virginia & Cornelius Howard of Maryland. I le also inclose to you letters from James Brackenridge Esqr. Robert Gorsuch, Daniel Bowley and have the honor to be Sir / your most &c MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
30From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 17 September 1798 (Adams Papers)
I return you the Commissions for William Hunter Cavendish of Virginia and Cornelius Howard of Maryland signed, and have the Honor to be, Sir your most &c Also are inclosed letters from James Brackenbridge Esqr Robert Gorsuch & Daniel Rowley. CtHi : Oliver Wolcott, Jr. Papers.
31From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 1 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have signed the blank e commission, inclosed in your letter of the 23d of July, that you may fill it up with the name of Captain William Taylor of Fredericksburg, in conformity to the recommendation of Gen Thomas Posey, if no other candidate occurs, whose pretensions are superior in your judgment. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
32From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 2 April 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received yesterday, your favor of 25th March, & thank you for the letter inclosed in it to Gen Lincoln. I am glad to learn that the discontents in Northampton are not increasing. I wish the expence of marching a force against the malcontents could be laid upon them alone.—Our elections are supposed to have gone very well.—much better than had been feared and expected. In a violent snowstorm,...
33From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 9 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return the blank commission signed that you may fill with the name of Alexander Freeland to be collector & inspector of Great egg harbor, if no other candidate presents of superior merit in your estimation. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
34From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 14 October 1797 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you, a day or two ago, on the necessary Article of money: but am afraid I did not express myself with earnestness enough to convey an adequate Idea of my Necessities. This shall be your Warrant for signing a Warrant in my behalf, if that is necessary, for two thousand dollars of my salary, which I pray you to convey to me in Postnotes, on New York, as soon as possible. The Question...
35From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 6 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
In Answer to your Letter of the 26 of July, I have to inform you that although you omitted to enclose to me the Letter from John Cowper Esq as you intended yet as there are no Candidates for the office, that I know of, who ought to excite any hestitation, I am well Satisfied that you Should apply to the Secretary of State for Commissions for Mr Claude Thompson to be Collector of the Customs...
36From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 21 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
In your letter of the 13th. you hint that attempts are makeing to draw into question the solidity of the public credit but you have not explained the particulars and I am at a loss to conjecture the facts which you may allude to. Public credit can never be steady and really solid without a fixed medium of commerce. That we have not such a medium you know has been my opinion for several years....
37From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 16 September 1795 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a Letter and Power to Mr Jones who did me the favour last year at the request of my Son to receive for me a Quarters Salary, which I beg the favour of you to deliver him and at the same time to give him a Warrant, that he may remit the Money to me by a Post Note. The Treaty opperates in Boston like the Hogsheads of Lime which I am putting under Earth and Weeds and Mud and Straw to...
38From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 17 May 1800 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your Report of the Sixteenth of this month, and for your early Attention to the important subject of the Loan. I have Subscribed, and Send you with this, an Authorization to borrow to the amount of the Law: but if the public Exigencies can be Satisfied with a part of it, your own public Spirit of Œconomy will induce you to confine your Self to Such part. The Rate of Interest is...
39From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 18 August 1798 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a Letter from Mr Pope, the Collector of New Bedford requesting to be appointed to Superintend the Building a Light House on Gayhead, to which I request your attention. I am, Sir with great regard / Your Most Obedient MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
40From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 25 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
I return you the pardon of Wanton signed & pray you to have the seal of the US official affixed & the man liberated as soon as possible being convinced that humanity & the public good will justify it. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
41From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 15 September 1797 (Adams Papers)
Last night I received your favour of Septr. 7. Many Applications have been made to me for the Place of Dr Way. Mr Muhlenbourg, Mr. Huger, Mr Knapp Dr Jackson, and Dr Rush, besides those you have mentioned, have presented themselves as Candidates, and Mr Mumford of Philadelphia formerly of Rhode Island. These are all respectable Characters: but all Things considered my Judgment inclines to Dr...
42From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 4 October 1800 (Adams Papers)
Enclosed is a Letter from Mr Daniel Bedinger, with a Certificate in his favour from Governor Wood. I Suppose the Letter comes too late but that if it had arrived earlier it would have made no Alteration in your Judgment or mine. Neither Mr Parker nor any other Person ever had authority from me to Say that any Mans political Creed, would be an insuperable Bar to promotion. No Such rule has ever...
43From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 10 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of the 1st. and read all the ——— papers inclosed with much pain as I had conceived of Mr. Tucker, without honouring very much of him, a good deal of regard for him. I have signed the blank commission to be filled with the name of William Watson, the recommendation of him being sufficient, & the expediency of a new appointment apparent. I return all the papers with...
44From John Adams to Benjamin Stoddert, 20 May 1800 (Adams Papers)
Questions 1. Among the three Criminals under sentence of death is there any discrimination in the essential Circumstances of their Cases which would would justify a determination to pardon or reprieve one or two and execute the other? 2. Is the Execution of one or more, so indispensably demanded by public Justice and by the Security of the public Peace, that Mercy cannot be extended to all...
45From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 21 September 1798 (Adams Papers)
Mr Andrew Halliburton of Portsmouth has called this morning upon me with the inclosed Letters, which I transmit to you for your consideration with all other Letters and Recommendations you may receive, relative to the Succession to the Naval Office. With great Esteem &c CtHi : Oliver Wolcott, Jr. Papers.
46From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 10 November 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Letter of the 8th. of this month; and am sorry to find that you judge it necessary to retire from office—Although I shall part with your services as Secretary of the Treasury, with reluctance and regret, I am nevertheless, sensible, that you are the best and the only judge of the expediency of your resignation.— If you persist in your resolution, your own time shall be...
47From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 20 September 1800 (Adams Papers)
It is high time for me to request, that you would seriously revolve in your thoughts, the subject of communications, both of intelligence and advice, to be made to Congress, at the opening of the approaching session, and favor me with your sentiments upon the whole subject, as soon as possible. I shall leave this place on Monday the 13th of October. No letters should be directed to me here,...
48From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 6 September 1800 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed letter from Dr Bartleet of Charleston, offering himself a candidate for a medical appointment in case; I transmit to you, because I believe the law has committed the medical marine Establishment to your care. If I am mistaken in this, you will please to give this letter & its inclosures to Mr. Stoddert. Dr. Bartleet is as worthy & respectable character as any we have. Last night I...
49From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 20 October 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have recd. your favour of the 16th.—Thank you for your care in writing to Mr Sands, who has furnished me with two thousand dollars for which I gave him duplicate Receipts to Serve for one, according to your desire. Though I rejoice to learn from your Letter that the Sickness in the City is diminishing, I cannot admit your Walk through the Principal Streets of it, to be full proof; because it...
50From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 9 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
I return you the commissions for Maxwell Armstrong & Alexander Nelson signed according to the recommendation, inclosed in yours of the first of this month which I here enclose I am Sir your humble servant MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.