31From John Adams to James McHenry, 12 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a letter of Mr. Thatcher recommending George Barrell to be a midshipman & I know of no reason why a warrant should not be given him. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
32From John Adams to James McHenry, 12 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
I will not object to the surgeons & mates selected by Col Rice & Col Hunnewell for their regiments. But I am not fully satisfied with the appointment of Dr Blake. He would do very well as a mate but his age does not entitle him I fear to the preeminence, if his learning is sufficient. I wish we had a system digested & Hospital surgeons appointed who might give us better information. MHi :...
33From John Adams to James McHenry, 10 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed certificates from a clergyman & two surgeons of good authority were brought to me yesterday by the gentlemen recommended. Dr. David King, whose countenance, figure, dress & conversation, certified in favor of his certificates. I pray you to place his name among the candidates to be a surgeon or a mate, & his papers among the files. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
34From John Adams to James McHenry, 7 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return you Col. Hawkins of 23 of May inclosed in yours of 29. July and am happy to find that all accounts agree in holding out expectations of a continuance of Peace with the Indians. Inclosed is a letter to me from Gen. S. Smith of Baltimore, dated 24 July with an address to the Citizens of Baltimore from the Marine Committee, in a slip of a Newspaper. I wish that Justice may be done to...
35From John Adams to James McHenry, 6 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
Last night I received your favor of 31st July. Upon looking over the list of candidates for surgeons & surgeons mate & all the other papers, I find no letters from Lt Col Rice nor Lt Col. Hunnewell selecting such as they wish. Lt. Col. Rice called on me a few days ago and told me had recommended Charles Blake for surgeon & Ebenezer Lawrence for mate. I know personally few of the candidates but...
36From John Adams to James McHenry, 5 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return you Col. Hawkins’s Letter of 23 of May inclosed in yours of 29. July and am happy to find that all Accounts Agree in holding out Expectations of a continuance of Peace with the Indians. Inclosed is a Letter to me from Gen. S. Smith of Baltimore, dated 24 July with an Address to the Citizens of Baltimore from the Marine Committee in a Slip of a Newspaper. I wish that Justice may be...
37From John Adams to James McHenry, 29 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a letter & petition of the officers of a company of Artillery at North Hampton, William Edwards, Jonathan Breck & David Hunt, requesting the loan of two brass field pieces at Springfield, a petition which I pray you to grant, on the conditions they offer. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
38From John Adams to James McHenry, 29 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
The talk of Methlogee & the answer of Mr Seagrove, copies of which were inclosed in your favors of the 22d had been before transmitted to me by the Secretary of State, & returned to him with some of my sentiments upon them. Mr. Seagrove’s answer is so unanswerable, that the Indians unless determined on War at all events, must be satisfied with it. The French officer in the Spanish service, who...
39From John Adams to James McHenry, 27 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have recd your favour of the 20th. and have no Objection to the plan you propose of raising a Company of Cavalry.—“Our means”! I never think of our means without shuddering! All the Declamations as well as Demonstrations of Trenchard & Gordon, Bolingbroke Bernard & Walpole, Hume, Burgh and Burke, rush upon my Memory and frighten me out of my Witts. The system of Debts and Taxes is levelling...
40From John Adams to James McHenry, 27 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received the letter of Gen. Hamilton, inclosed in yours of 22 July, which I return as you desire. I see no material or reasonable objection against the appointment of Mr Thomas Y How to be a second lieutenant in the eleventh regiment. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
41From John Adams to James McHenry, 26 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed letter is from a very respectable Senator of our State, to a gentleman, whom you know to be as respectable as any of our best federalists. Application has been made to me by Dr. Hunt, another of our Senators and a man of the most worthy & independent character. Our North Hampton is the very reverse of its namesake in Pensylvania. It has produced some of our very best characters &...
42From John Adams to James McHenry, 23 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I am so continually entertained with applications to be chaplains & surgeons, that I pray you to give me some idea of your designs upon this important subject. Inclosed is a letter from Dr. Blake. Be so good as to send me a list of the twelve candidates to be Surgeons of Col Rice’s regiment. Are we to appoint regimental surgeons or only hospital surgeons? MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
43From John Adams to James McHenry, 23 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return the recommendations inclosed in your letter of 18th, received last night & agree to the list of appointments. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
44From John Adams to James McHenry, 22 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
On Saturday Dr. Waterhouse made me a visit & introduced Dr Lyman Spalding whose appearance justifys the character given him in the inclosed letter. I believe we shall not find a more proper appointment. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
45From John Adams to James McHenry, 20 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of the 13th and am perfectly satisfied with the disposition you have made of Ensign David Fero & hope we shall have no father trouble about him. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
46From John Adams to James McHenry, 19 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I agree with you, in your opinion expressed in your favour of the 12th, that both an Army and Navy Establishment is essential to the present and future Interests & Greatness of the United States and that We must run the Risks which other Nations have run. It appeared to me that Offices were created and salaries made necessary in the Plan for supplying the Army, which would require the...
47From John Adams to James McHenry, 19 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of the 12th, & have considered the opinions of the heads of departments. I wish that courts martial may be advised to be as cautious as possible, in all their proceedings, especially in cases of life, because the discipline of the army will depend much upon this habit. But the crime of Richard Hunt is of so deep a die, that I have not seen my way clear to avoid the...
48From John Adams to James McHenry, 13 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received your letter of the 8th of this month, & have read the letter from Major General Hamilton & the proceedings of the court martial in the case of Joseph Perkins. All circumstances considered I think this instance the least capable of a pardon of any, which has been laid before me. I have thought, it my duty to sign the warrant for his execution, & return it inclosed with all the...
49From John Adams to James McHenry, 13 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received your letter of the 6th & have examined the list of officers & read all the recommendations. In the fourteenth regiment I think John Hastings must be appointed Capt and if he refuses Beale. I am glad to find the gentlemen on the list have so good recommendations. I own however I have some doubts whether, Beale and Shaw have not superior pretensions to Mackay, notwithstanding the...
50From John Adams to James McHenry, 7 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
As It is an excellent Principle for every Man in public Life, to magnify his office and make it honourable I admire the Dexterity with which you dignify yours by representing an Army and means adequate to its Support as the first thing necessary to make the nation respected. Genius in a General is oftener, an Instrument of divine Vengeance, than a Guardian Angell. Stoddert I warrant you,...
51From John Adams to James McHenry, 5 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
Last night I received the two letters inclosed dated Natchez 2d May & 10th August from David Fero, ensign third regiment. I pray you to inform me if you have any official information, relative to the subject, & to report to me your opinion what is proper to be done. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
52From John Adams to James McHenry, 1 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received your two letters of 25 June and return you all the papers inclosed.—If you believe Fonda has a shade in his favor, you are at liberty to appoint him. He is to me a stranger. Fowler has been presented to me as an old officer and a man of property. I have read all the recommendations & approve of your list for the 7th. 8 & 9 regiments. If any of the surgeon’s mates should refuse...
53From John Adams to James McHenry, 1 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return you the recommendations inclosed in your favor of the 25th of June & approve of the medical appointments, proposed by you and authorize you to make the necessary substitutions as you desire. Indeed in capacity double at least, you are better qualified to judge in these cases than MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
54From John Adams to James McHenry, 28 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received yours of the 20th & return the letter of Gen. Pinckney & Capt Taylors report & readily consent to the exchange of names proposed by the General MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
55From John Adams to James McHenry, 24 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received your letter of the 18th and have read Count read Rumford’s letter to Mr. King. For five or six years past I have been attentive to the character of this gentleman, and have read some of his essays. From these, I have formed an esteem for his genius, talents, enterprise & benevolence, which will secure him from me, in case of his return to his native Country, a reception as kind...
56From John Adams to James McHenry, 24 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return the letters of Gen. Pinckney and your answers inclosed in yours of 17th. There is no occasion for any comments on my part. I cannot refrain however from expressing a high gratification in the intelligence activity and zeal exhibited by the Gen. and my entire satisfaction with your answers. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
57From John Adams to James McHenry, 19 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return you the selection of two majors from North Carolina & that of officers for South Carolina and Georgia with the letter of Genls Pinckney & Washington with that of Mr Steele. I am satisfied with these recommendations and approve the selections.—I return the proceedings of the court martial in the cases of the deserters. The absolute necessity of examples in such cases as that of Richard...
58From John Adams to James McHenry, 13 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return you the papers inclosed in your letter of the 1st. I have carefully read the proceedings of the court martial on Ensign David Fero It will be necessary for the legislature at their next session to make some provisions for cases of standing mute. The best possible jurisprudence in this case in my opinion is, to order the refusal to plead, to be recorded & then proceed to tryal in all...
59From John Adams to James McHenry, 5 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return the inclosures in your letter of 29th May. I know of no reason why Lt. James Sterit should not succeed to the vancy created by the death of Capt Demlar. The other papers, which I have read with pleasure require no comment from me. With great regard MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
60From John Adams to James McHenry, 5 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return Col. Ogdens letter inclosed in yours of 28 Ult. & have no objection to the appointment of Wm: J Anderson as you propose. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.