From John MacPherson to John Adams, 19 March 1792
From John Macpherson
March 19th. 1792
Sir!
I beg the enclosed may be read in your Honorable House. My former Petitions, and other Papers respecting Mr. Churchmans Conduct, I have in my pocket, and wish they may be read also
Your mo: obedt: / hble servt:
John Macpherson1
ENCLOSURE
March. 19th. 1792
Gentlemen of the Senate and of the House of Representatives.
For the sake of Justice, and for the honor of your Country, hear my Complaints, and do me that justice, which every freeman, in a free Country is entituled to.— That I have discovered Longitude, is a truth, that I can easily prove, if I can but obtain an impartial hearing, face to face, with the Man, that would with Art and falshood deprive me of the Credit and benefit of my discovery, but which by your Justice of impartiality I can obtain.
While I understood, that he was to discover Longitude, by the variation of the Compass, I only smiled at his ignorance; but when I observed to Mr. Page, that I could ascertain the Longitude, within a quarter of a degree, by the dipping needle, as certainly as he could a whole degree, by the variation of the Compass; as the Inclination of the Load Stone, was four times as much as its declination. True says Mr: Page, but he is to take a dipping needle with him.2 Then, said I, he intends to find out Longitude, by my plan, & give assurance that he did it by his own.
Surely the Representatives, of the Freemen of North America, will not suffer such fraud to prevail, but will do justice, to every one of their fellow Citizens, according to their veracity, and abilities— Your compliance with this request, will do honor to yourselves, and justice to / Your most obedient & / very humble Servant
John Macpherson
N: B. I do not wish to obtain Sea Otters and Seal Skins &c by deceiving my Country; nor to run it to the expence of such a Voyage, My only desire is, to be sent a passenger to France, in the Character of a Gentleman, that I may have an opportunity, by crossing the Atlantic, to prove my allegations, and to make the second discovery of my improvement, to your good Ally the King of the French—
I am respectfully, Yours as above,—
John Macpherson
RC and enclosure: (DNA:RG 46, Records of the U.S. Senate); addressed: “The President / of the Senate / of the United states / of / North America.”; docketed: “2d Con: 1st: Sess: / John McPherson / Letter / March 19th / 1792”; enclosure addressed “The President and other / Gentlemen of the Senate of / the United states / of North / America.”
1. Macpherson (1726–1792), a Scottish privateer who immigrated to Philadelphia and in 1785 published the city directory, frequently assailed his U.S. government contacts with various requests, policy ideas, and scientific endeavors, such as this plan to determine longitude at sea. JA routed Macpherson’s petitions to Congress, including one of 27 Dec. 1791 relating to Native American diplomacy in the Northwest Territory. JA also forwarded Macpherson’s 2 April 1792 petition to the Senate seeking compensation for service in the Revolutionary War. Macpherson was engaged in a lengthy disagreement with Maryland surveyor John Churchman Jr. regarding the invention of a method to ascertain longitude at sea (vol. 19:90–92; , 4:148, 7:528–529; DNA: RG 46, Records of the U.S. Senate).
2. John Page (1743–1808), William and Mary 1763, represented Virginia in the House of Representatives from 1789 to 1797 ().