51From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 30 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a letter from Gen Lincoln with several inclosures, recommending persons for keeper of the light house at Gay head. I believe the Generals ideas are just on this subject, & pray you to decide among all the candidates. Capt Dagget I am confident will only exercise the office by some other. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
52From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 30 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
Enclosed is a letter from Mr. Sam Freeman of Falmouth, in favor of Mr. Joseph Titcomb, but although Mr. Freeman is a very respectable man, & I doubt not Mr. Titcomb is so too, I still am of opinion in favor of Col Hunnewell for the office of Surveyor, for reasons mentioned in a former letter I am with sincere esteem MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
53From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 5 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have recd your favour of June 29, and have read the Proposal inclosed in it from the Collectors of Phyladelphia and New York and request you to carry them into Execution. I perfectly agree with you in your preference of Brick to Wood. I return you Mr. Latimers and Mr. Sands’s Proposals. CtHi .
54From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 9 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a letter of the 1st of this month from John Coffin Jones Esqr recommending Dr. Benj. Mason to be physician to the marine hospital at Newport. I recommend this letter & subject to your consideration among all other applications of a like nature. Dr. Welsh speaks as handsomely of Dr. Mason as Mr. Jones writes. A certificate from Dr Howard Secretary to the board of overseers or...
55From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 28 September 1798 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a letter from Kinchen Turner of Virginia requesting to be appointed a commissioner to value lands houses &c. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
56From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 31 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
I return you the commissions inclosed in yours of the 22d signed and desire you to fill the blanks with the names you report in favor of. I return you the letters of recommendation you sent me & send you a letter from Mr McDowel I am &c MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
57From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 23 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a letter from Mr. Thaxter relative to the light house on Gay head. I shall soon send you a drawing if not a model of an œconomical improvement of these lights of Mr. Cunnington, which appears to me, but I may be mistaken, of greater importance than the great question who shall be the keeper of one of them. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
58From 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 & recommendations you may receive relative to the succession to the naval office With great esteem &c MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
59From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 3 April 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received yesterday your favour of 25 Marche and 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 Snow Storm,...
60From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 5 October 1800 (Adams Papers)
The enclosed letter from Gen Lee recommending in very strong terms Mr King for collector in place of M Col Byrd came to me but yesterday, & consequently too late I suppose to answer any purpose, but to be filed with the rest & considered on some future occasion MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
61From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 22 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a letter from Gen Lincoln, incloseing a certificate from the marine society in favor of Capt Dagget & a letter from Benjamin Allen to him, recommending Mathew Tilton to be keeper of the light at Gay Head. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
62From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 23 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a letter from Mr. Thatcher another from Mr. Parker & a certificate of a number of respectable men recommending Mr. James Fosdick of Portland to be Surveyor in the place of Col Lunt deceased. You will please to file these with all other papers you may receive relative to the same to the same subject & consider them all together. I know not that the circumstances of the relation...
63From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 2 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received your report of the 24th of July 24th & have read the documents which attended to it, & now return them all to you. I agree with you, that a new appointment of a collector of Alexandria appears to be indispensibly required by the public interests. I hope we shall obtain information of the best character for a successor. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
64From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 22 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return signed the blank commission inclosed in your favor of the 14th to be filled with the name of Roe Latimer as you proposed MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
65From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 21 August 1798 (Adams Papers)
Col. Dawes has declined his Appointment and I have determined to appoint Thomas Davis Esqr in his place of first Commissioner. I return the Papers that you may request the secretary of State to alter the Commission if he can. It would be a very unlucky loss of time, to send a new Commission to me for signature and after that for me to return it to the secretary of State for the seal of the...
66From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 2 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a petition from New Bedford in favor of Thomas West to be keeper of the light house at Gay head MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
67From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 3 September 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of the 27 of Aug. & return the commission for Mr Thomas Davis signed by your humble servant MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
68From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 30 September 1798 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your Attention to my request and for the trouble you have taken in writing the Letter &c I hope the Post Office will not be robbed by any of the Societies of Illuminati, German Union, United Irishmen &c who are Said to be so inquisitive in Post offices in America as well as Europe. CtHi : Oliver Wolcott, Jr. Papers.
69From 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...
70From 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...
71From 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...
72From 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...
73From 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...
74From 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...
75From 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 &...
76From 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...
77From 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...
78From 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...
79From 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...
80From 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....
81From 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...
82From 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...
83From 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...
84From 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...
85From 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...
86From 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...
87From 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...
88From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 7 November 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have just now recd your favour of Yesterday I shall be obliged to you if you will inform General McPherson that I am very Sensible of the honour intended me by the Troops of the City and Vicinity. I shall dine at New Bruswick tomorrow and on Thursday get as far as Trenton or perhaps two Miles beyond the Delaware. On Fryday I intend to reach Philadelphia and that before night. I pray the...
89From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 15 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a Petition from John Sylvester for a Pardon, a Copy of the Record of his Conviction, a Petition which he presented to Governor Sumner, and a Certificate and request Signed by a large Number of respectable and Worthy Citizens of Plymouth in his favour.— My answer to his Relation who brought me the Petition was that the Crime was of so serious a Nature, that, Whatever might be my...
90From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 26 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
Mrs Nabby Sylvester, the signer of the inclosed petition, came to me this morning to present it. She has the appearance of a virtuous & discreet woman. Left as she is with an helpless family of children, among whom is a pair of twins very young, she seems to me to be an object of compassion & of charity. I know not whether the law authorizes me to grant her request. The fine is yet in the...
91From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 17 November 1823 (Adams Papers)
With real pleasure I received your kind letter of July 28th. though I received it but a few days ago. I thank you for introduceing to me Major Wolcott Huntington —whose appearance and manners do honor to both his names— I rejoice to hear that you enjoy so good health and I wish, that your Life may be prolonged for the Government of Connecticut as long as mine has been; which has been extended...
92From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 21 December 1796 (Adams Papers)
In obedience to the Resolutions of the Senate, passed on the 10th. of February and 16th. of March 1796, I have the honour to transmit herewith the following statements. 1st. A statement of the Tonnage of the ships and vessels employed in the Trade of the United States for the year preceding the first day of October 1795. distinguishing the Foreign from the Domestic Tonnage, and the quantity...
93From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 17 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
I thank you, Sir, for your favour of the 11th. which I received last night. The Termination of the Tryal of Fries is an important, an interesting and an affecting Event. I am unable to conjecture the grounds of Mr Lewis’s opinion, and wish I had a sketch of them. Is Fries a Native or a Foreigner? Is he a Man of Property and independent, or is he in Debt? What has been his previous Life,...
94From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 23 September 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have recd your favour of Septr. Mr Storer is a Man of Science and Letters, a Merchant of acknowledged Accuracy and unblemished Reputation, many years Treasurer of the University of Cambridge, and of the Academy of Arts and Sciences, in both of which offices he has acquitted himself with Punctuality. His Connections are numerous and respectable. His Age is the only Objection to him: but his...
95From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 1 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
By virtue of the Act entituled “An Act making certain appropriations; and to authorize the President to obtain a loan on the credit of the direct tax.” 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...
96From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 6 April 1801 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of the 28 of March and read it with much pleasure The information you have received from your Friends, concerning the Circumstances of your nomination to be a Judge of the Second Circuit of the United States, is very correct. I have never allowed myself to Speak much of the Gratitude due from the Public to Individuals for past services. But I have always wished that...
97From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 14 September 1800 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday Mr. D Leonard Jarvis called on me to present me the inclosed letter from himself dated the 10th and the enclosed statement in print of the claim of the Rhode Island brigade. All the consolation I could give him, after reading over his representation with some care, was a promise to enclose it to you with my recommendation to you to give it a candid & impartial consideration & if you...
98From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 15 November 1799 (Adams Papers)
By Some Accident or other the Original Papers concerning the Conspiracy against the Laws and the Beginnings of the late Insurrection in Pennsylvania were never laid before me. I believe they were transmitted to You by the Judge and the Marshall. How far it will be necessary to communicate the Facts, in detail to Congress you will be So good as to consider and I Should be obliged to you for...
99From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 27 September 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have carefully read all the Applications and Recommendations for the Office of Collector of Norfolk: and altho the List of Candidates is numerous and their Pretensions respectable, I think I discern 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...
100From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 13 April 1799 (Adams Papers)
I recd yesterday your favour of the 4th. and am so well satisfied with the Recommendations of Mr Elijah Barrett of Cambden Kent County, in the State of Delaware, as to be very willing to sign his Commission: but unluckily the Blank Commission which you intended to send was not inclosed. The recommendations of Lamberton Cooper to be surveyor and Inspector for the Port of Middleton, in...