Adams Papers Digital Edition

Papers of John Adams, volume 20

From William Smith

To John Trumbull
To John Adams from James Lovell, 22 January 1791 Lovell, James Adams, John
From James Lovell
Sir Boston Jany. 22d. 1791

From the Borders of the Grave, revived, and even established in Health, I once more present my Respects with my accustomed Fervency to You and Yours.

But, with my Respects I must also send my Complaints and Supplications.

In a Transaction where you was only, according to your own chosen Expression, Teste di Legno, I was fretted disgraced & beslaved; and have taken some Measures for Emancipation. You will know why I was not Collector of this Port; but I have never told you how perfectly you reconciled me at first to my present Office, or how I ceased afterwards even to wish for any Change during the Remainder of my Days. But, Sir, what tended heretofore to give me Tranquillity serves at present to heighten my Chagrin. Possessing the good Will of the President and yourself I am martyred by one or more Committee-Men who have carried private Friendship and Relationships into their public official Doings. I know but two of the Committee one of whom can give no better Rationale of the inimical Transaction than because the other “perhaps was more a Friend to the Collector than to the Naval officer,” while in fact he was himself brother in Law to a Surveyor, and the Naval Officer is sacrificed to both.

466

This will appear œnigmatical till you have read my Letter to mr Gerry.1 I intreat you to do that; and to quiet me by a Condemnation of my Discontent, or by promoting Redress—according to the Verdict of that sound Judgement to which I now submit myself.

Be so good as to allow me to present my respectful Love to your Lady, and to think me continuing devotedly / Sir / Your obedient / Friend & Humble / Servant

James Lovell

RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “The Vice President / of the United States / His Excellency / John Adams Esqr / Philadelphia”; endorsed: “Mr Lovel”; notation by Lovell: “favd by / Majr Genl. Lincoln”; and by CFA: “Jany 22d 1791.”

 1.

Lovell also wrote to Elbridge Gerry on 22 Jan., complaining that personal connections between members of Congress and those applying for jobs in the revenue service meant that Gerry and his colleagues were biased enforcers of the Collection Act. He wrote: “As there are 67 Collectors 54 Surveyors and but 13 Naval Officers it is evident how the Proportion of Relations Friends and Patrons will naturally stand in the Great Assembly.” Lovell trained his criticism on appointments made for the ports of Baltimore, Philadelphia, Newburyport, and Salem, Mass., where, he observed, “Rivalry & Heart-burnings” for federal posts dominated local politics. Equally troubling, in Lovell’s view, was the hazy status of officers’ duties, their annual salaries, and their treatment of emoluments ( First Fed. Cong. , 21:494–497).