Papers of John Adams, volume 20
I have received your favour of the 22.— Mrs Adams, Mr Charles and Miss Louisa, arrived on
Wednesday the 24th. after a tedious Passage of five days
from Newport. We are all very happy.
Mr Samuel Tufts needs no other merit
but that of being your Brother, to convince me that he has a great deal: but if he is a
Candidate for any Employment he must apply directly to the first Magistrate. The
Authority and Duty of the first Executive Magistrate, it is to investigate the
Characters and Merits of all Competitors and the Reputation of his Reign is responsible
for his faithful and impartial Use of it. I Shall be obliged to you however, for your
State of Mr Tufts’s merits.1
Mr Jackson, of N. Port Mr Pickman of Salem and Mr Sargant
of Glocester have applied I Suppose: for Places but this is under the Rose.2
I am with sincerest affection
RC (NN:Edward S. and Mary Stillman Harkness Coll.); internal address: “Dr Tufts.”; endorsed: “John Adams Esq / June 28. 1789.”
LbC (Adams Papers);
APM Reel 115.
For Samuel Tufts’ query, see Theophilus Parsons’ letter of 8 July, and note 2, below.
Newburyport merchant Jonathan Jackson did not receive a
collectorship, but George Washington nominated him as marshal for the district of
Massachusetts on 24 Sept., and he was confirmed by the Senate two days later (
AFC
, 8:313;
Sibley’s
Harvard Graduates
, 15:64;
First Fed. Cong.
,
2:44, 46). For the patronage requests of William Pickman and Epes Sargent Jr., see
vol. 19:382, 431.