To George Washington from John Churchman, 29 July 1796
From John Churchman
Union Street Philadelphia
No. 311
July 29th 1796
With pleasure do I acknowledge to have received from the President of the United States the honour of a Letter dated 10th September 1792. enclosing two other introductory ones to the American Ministers at the courts of Paris & London.2
I take the Liberty to say that my new universal work on the Variation of the Compass being presented to the National Convention in France, they sent the same to the committee of public Instruction, who referred it to the Bureau des Longitudes, & altho both of these Bodies have made flattering reports on the project,3 I hardly expect the Nation will explore the places of the two magnetic points untill the conclusion of peace, & I have to lament that the war which broke out between two great maritime powers soon after my departure from my native country has continued ever since. Nevertheless I rejoice to have had an opportunity to make a multitude of observations, at Sea & Land, & I hope these will serve to prove how near the principles may be reduced to practice.
Having spent some time & money in an affair which I still suppose will be highly useful to mankind, I now apprehend it may not be amiss to apply myself to some kind of Business, & I must confess that Business connected with my favourite pursuits would be the most agreeable.
Understanding that an Act has passed providing for the sale of Lands of the United States in the Territory North West of the River Ohio, & above the mouth of Kentucky River, & several other laws that may require actual surveys,4 It would give me pleasure to render some service to my country & myself in some way or other, & I hope to be excused when I hint at the diffidence which I can not help feeling when I introduce this subject. this is a task I could not have attempted at present had I not yesterday understood that the Surveyor general had resigned.5 With the greatest sentiments of respect, I hope to be permitted to make an offering of my service & esteem
J. Churchman
ALS, MHi: Pickering Papers.
Churchman again wrote GW from Philadelphia on 22 Aug.: “J. Churchman offers his respectful compliments to the President of the United States, & sends enclosed a Letter from Baron Vall-travers, this Letter Churchman has lately received from his friend William Barton Esqr. in a parcel containing thirteen other articles, including Letters, Memoirs, &ca from some of the principal Learned societes in Europe, all of which to himself are highly interesting. As the said parcel is said to have come through the hands of the President, soon after he left America, Churchman considers himself under many obligations to the President for his kindness & care, but partly on account of the good old Baron (who called upon him in London) Churchman is very sorry not to have had it in his power, to send the said Letter until the present late period” (AL, DLC:GW). For the parcel, see Rodolph Valltravers to GW, 6 June 1792, and n.2 to that document.
1. Churchman’s brother Mordecai Churchman, a shipmaster, resided at this address (Philadelphia Directory, 1797, 43). For Churchman’s arrival in Philadelphia, see Timothy Pickering’s first letter to GW on this date.
2. For these letters, see John Churchman to GW, 5 Sept. 1792, and n.4 to that document.
3. Churchman apparently is referring to a new version of his book first published as An Explanation of the Magnetic Atlas, or Variation Chart … By which the Magnetic Variation on any Part of the Globe may be Precisely Determined. … (Philadelphia, 1790). The Committee of Public Instruction in France sent Churchman’s work to the Bureau of Longitudes on 18 Oct. 1795. The bureau’s report praised the effort as worthy of attention but requested more observations. The committee subsequently conveyed this report to Churchman (see 6:803, 856; see also Churchman, The Magnetic Atlas, or Variation Charts of the Whole Terraqueous Globe … [3d ed., New York, 1800]).
4. Churchman named an act approved on 18 May 1796 ( 464–69). Two other laws enacted during the recent congressional session called for surveys: “An Act to regulate Trade and Intercourse with the Indian Tribes, and to preserve Peace on the Frontiers” and “An Act regulating the grants of land appropriated for Military services, and for the Society of the United Brethren, for propagating the Gospel among the Heathen” ( 469–74, 490–91).
5. For consideration of Churchman as surveyor general, see GW to Timothy Pickering, 5 Aug. (second letter); see also GW to John Marshall, 15 July, and the notes to that document.