Papers of John Adams, volume 21
r:6. 1794
I have the Pleasure to inform you that Mr Ames is reelected by a very respectable
Majority of the Votes of this District and perhaps there never was a time
when the Rights of Election were more fully improved or greater Exertions
made. you will see by our Papers who the Persons were who stood in the Entry
of Fanieul Hall to distribute the fœderal Votes. their party [. . .] the
Antifœderal were sanguine of their Success at the Commencement of Election.
The Governor came himself to vote for Jarvis he
had a Vote offered him for M r Ames which he refused and said aloud He is not the
right Man.1
Mr Russell stood at the Door
handing Votes. when the Governor came down he addressed Mr Russell: Sr. how
do the Votes go? He replied Mr Ames they tell me
has a Majority of more than four Hundred; ah replied the Governor they will
put the Cart before the Horse.
You will also see that Mr
Dexter is reelected for the next District.
I am Sr with respect your
humble St
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “The Vice President of the United States.”
In the Massachusetts congressional elections of 1794,
Fisher Ames received 2,178 votes, and Charles Jarvis 1,668 votes. The
other six candidates received eleven votes in all. Politician Samuel
Dexter (1761–1816), of Lunenburg, Mass., Harvard 1781, represented
Massachusetts in Congress from 1793 to 1795. Dexter failed to retain his
seat, losing in a subsequent runoff election to Joseph AFC
, 10:51,
306).