From John Adams to Henry Marchant, 25 July 1790
To Henry Marchant
New York 25 of July —90
Dear Sir
I have recd your favour of the 19th— I presume your answer to Mr Jefferson will be sufficient: but If you write to the President, it will do no harm— Your letter to the President came to me after your appointment, so that I have never delivered nor mentioned it to any one; and shall keep it and all that came with it till your farther orders.— It is best it should not now be conveyed to the President, as it is become unnecessary.1
I thank you my dear Sir for your friendly politeness. I shall certainly never pass New Port without seeing you and your family, I hope in prosperity. I should have written you before but for a cause which makes it difficult to write now, an inflamation in my eyes.2 He will not be less friendly to you, if you should ever hear of poor old blind
John Adams.
LbC in CA’s hand (Adams Papers); internal address: “Hon Hen Marchant / New Port.”; APM Reel 115.
1. Soliciting the post of Rhode Island district judge, Marchant wrote to JA on 7 June (Adams Papers) and enclosed a letter of the same date for JA to forward to the president. Two weeks later, Marchant sent JA several letters of recommendation supporting his application (, 5:488–490; from Marchant, 16 July 1789, and note 1, above).
2. Owing to ill health, JA’s letter writing lapsed noticeably after 11 June 1790, resuming on 15 July.