Adams Papers Digital Edition

Papers of John Adams, volume 21

TRANSLATION

From Hezekiah Balch
437 Richard Harrison to John Adams, 16 December 1795 Harrison, Richard Adams, John
From Richard Harrison
Dear Sir Decr. 16. 1795

According to an Opinion of the Attorney General, taken some time since, your Salary, as Vice-President of the United States, is to commence from the day on which you left home for the Seat of Government, after your first Election—

Being now about to state your Accot. to the 30th. Septemr. last I take the liberty of requesting information from you when that day was, no record of it appearing in the Journals of the Senate.1

With sentiments of great Respect & Esteem, I have the honor to be / Dr sir / Y. obed & very hble S

R. Harrison

RC (Adams Papers).

 1.

Harrison wrote this letter just a week into the new attorney general’s term. George Washington nominated Virginia lawyer Charles Lee (1758–1815), Princeton 1775, for the post on 9 Dec., and the Senate confirmed him the next day. JA replied to Harrison on 17 Dec. (private owner, 1937), recollecting that he left Braintree for New York City on 13 April 1789 (vol. 18:148; AFC , 11:167; U.S. Senate, Exec. Jour. , 4th Cong., 1st sess., p. 25).