Adams Papers Digital Edition

Adams Family Correspondence, volume 12

Louisa Catherine Johnson to John Quincy Adams

John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson
John Adams to Charles Adams, 13 April 1797 Adams, John Adams, Charles
John Adams to Charles Adams
Sir Philadelphia apl: 13th 1797—

I have this day been obliged to take a serious and painful measure in the removal of the Collector of Newyork, and I wish you to give me your opinion concerning a successor— The office is important and lucrative, Walker has been named to me. What think you of him?1

I must and will have a good Federalist, one who will not prostitute his office, to a Foreign faction, or a domestic one,—

I am &ca

John Adams—

LbC in Samuel Bayard Malcom’s hand (Adams Papers); internal address: “Charles Adams Esqr:”; notation: “private & Confidential”; APM Reel 117.

 1.

John Lamb (1735–1800) was the collector of customs at New York from 1784 until 1797, when a shortage of nearly $100,000 prompted his removal from office. Benjamin Walker (1753–1818), a former Revolutionary War soldier and commission merchant and broker in New York City, served as the naval officer for the port of New York between 1789 and 1797, at which time he relocated to Fort Schuyler (now Utica), N.Y. JA ultimately nominated Joshua Sands to the office, and the Senate confirmed his appointment on 20 May (Washington, Papers, Presidential Series , 2:368–369, 430; Oliver Wolcott Jr. to JA, 12 April, CtHi:Wolcott Papers, vol. 42; U.S. Senate, Exec. Jour. , 5th Cong., 1st sess., p. 240).