Adams Papers Digital Edition

Papers of John Adams, volume 20

To John Trumbull

From Pierre Charles L’Enfant
To John Adams from Sylvanus Bourne, 17 January 1790 Bourne, Sylvanus Adams, John
From Sylvanus Bourne
Respected & Dr Sir— Boston Jany. 17th 1790—

I am pleased to find that the President in his late Speech to both Houses of the American Parliament has specifically called their attention to foreign Affairs and to those necessary provisions, preliminary to his nominations in that Department1

The rising consequence of this Country in the scale of Nations will doubtless be a subject of much political & commercial speculation in the European World—while I conceive that our own interest & more especially the product of our Revenue is intimately connected with the extension of our Commerce & having our intercourse with other Powers secured by explicit treaty or Contract & no longer subject to the uncertain tenure of legislative decrees—to effect these & other valuable purposes—deputations in the Diplomatic & Commercial lines will probably soon take place—a Secretaryship in the former—or a Consulate in the latter are Objects which I trust a not unworthy Ambition still prompts me to indulge the hope of obtaining & in prosecution of which I expect to be shortly at New york

I have just finished the second reading of those Volls. of your defence of the American Constitutions which you politely gave me at Mr Jay’s and I’ll assure you Dr Sir I am delighted with the generous sentiments they contain in favr. of the happiness of mankind—while my mind has been illumined & informed in the best means by which that Happiness is to obtained & secured under a free & equal administration—every avenue to the human Heart is there fully explored, the true direction of the political magnet discovered, and the great Arcana in the science of Government which has puzzled Philosophers & Statesmen of old are there completely developed—and the mode of reducing its principles to practice so as best to subserve the interest of human Nature is rendered clear and intelligible—

Pardon my interruption of your time thus far—while with the 216 Compliments of the Season you will please to tender my best Respects to your good Lady—Mr & Mrs Smith &c believing me / With Unequivocal Esteem / & Respect / Your Obedt & Obliged / Servant—

Silva. Bourn

RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “His Excellency / John Adams Esqr. / Vice President of the United / States. / New york”; internal address: “His Excellency John Adams Esqr.”; endorsed: “Silvanus Bourne / March 17. 1790”; notation: “pr post.”

 1.

For the president’s first annual address to Congress on 8 Jan., see First Congress, Second Session, 4 Jan. 1790 – 12 Aug. 1790, Editorial Note, above. Senators Ralph Izard, Rufus King, and William Paterson drafted a reply on 11 January. Led by JA, they presented it three days later at George Washington’s residence on Cherry Street, pledging to uphold the president’s plans. Representatives George Clymer, John Laurance, and William Loughton Smith prepared a reply from the House on 12 Jan., promising that the question of public credit would be “among the first to deserve our attention.” As AA reported: “The House condescended to go in a body to the President with their answer to his speech, tho’ many of them warmly opposed it, yet as the Senate, with their president at their Head, had done it, they did not know how very well to get over it” (Washington, Papers, Presidential Series , 4:546–549; AFC , 9:5, 6–7).