Adams Family Correspondence, volume 12
rMadam,
th.July. 1797:
Pardon my thus abruptly addressing you. I plead the occasion as my apology—
I am just informed that Mr: Leonard
Jarvis expects soon to quit his Office. The Office is considered as a decent livelihood.
Were I seeking emolument for myself I might be diffident; but when soliciting for the
Interest & happiness of a Parent, I am emboldened, & venture to presume upon
your friendship & goodness on the occasion.— For the discretion, prudence, integrity
& honor of the Candidate you will not require a voucher from so near a friend as
myself—& to the President I hope it will be unnecessary; but allow me to say that
for exactness & correctness in accounts none exceed him— May I request you to
mention my father to the President—at 207 the same time
presenting him my best respects— Tis said some application has already been made: I
would hope how ever mine may not arrive too late—1
With sentiments of esteem & respect, I am, Madm: / Yr: much obliged friend /
& humle: servt:
s:Storer:2
RC (Adams
Papers); internal address: “Mrs: Adams.”
Leonard Jarvis (1742–1813) was a Boston merchant whom George
Washington had appointed an inspector of the excise for Massachusetts in 1792. Reports
of Jarvis’ “delinquency” surfaced in June 1797, and on the recommendation of Oliver
Wolcott Jr. JA dismissed Jarvis. Prior to his departure from
Philadelphia, JA appointed Ebenezer Storer to fill the position because
of Storer’s “established Character for Integrity and his well known Accuracy in
Accounts.” Once Congress reconvened, JA formalized the nomination on 24
Nov., and the Senate gave its consent the following day (
Doc. Hist. Supreme Court
,
5:569; Washington, Papers, Presidential Series
, 3:412; Timothy Pickering, James McHenry,
and Charles Lee to JA, 18 Dec., Adams Papers; JA to Wolcott, 4, 15 Sept., CtHi:Oliver Wolcott Jr. Papers; U.S. Senate, Exec. Jour.
, 5th
Cong., 2d sess., p. 251).
In a reply to Charles Storer of 23 July, AA reported her compliance with his request and praised Ebenezer Storer’s “honour, integrity, and probity,” without which “the President would not knowingly appoint to office any Man, however nearly connected, or otherways bound to him” (MHi:Norcross Autograph Coll.).
Tis expectation that make a Blessing sweet, says the poet.1 how sincerely sweet would it be to me to fold my dear Thomas to my Maternal Bosom in his own Native Land. I hope and wish, wish & hope that the Day may not be far distant.—
This Day, the 14 of July I received by way of N york your kind
Letter of April 7th, more than 3 months Since it was
written, from your Brother no one of a later date than the 3 of April has arrived.2 I should suppose that your Brother was
kept regularly informd of the various transactions of our Government. I regreet that
there is reason of complaint, particuliarly as he is allowd on all hands to be one of
the most industerous, able, and accurate ministers abroad.
I have sent him some News papers and pamphlets. I could fill a volm if I thought my self at Liberty to enter into the details of politicks, that our Country is in danger, and perils, as saint Paul was, in Perils by sea in Perils by Land and in Perils from false Breathern is a melancholy truth.3 However Foreign Nations may deceive themselves by supposeing that the people are opposed to the Government, if affairs are brought to a crisis, they will find the spirit of America will not easily bend to a foreign yoke, and that the Faction who so loudly clamour, are a combination of Foreigners, joined 208 with some unprincipled Americans, but by no means, the Body of America.
I shall not make any strictures upon the conduct of the Members of the last session of Congress. you will see by the various papers which I have cull’d, that these are the same parties, equally voilent, in existance now, as were under the former Administration. I hope however that the Government will stand the various shocks to which it is daily subject. we cannot expect to escape wholy when So many great and powerfull Nations are rending to peices
Mr Munroe visited here, so did Mrs Munroe. I returnd her visit. she
told me she saw you that you was very well & very lively—4 you will see that an entertainment was made for
him, about 40 persons only attended. Congress were sitting. some of the voilents were
there, and the vice President. the Man of the people was
toasted.!5
Your Friends desire to be rememberd to you amongst the Number was the pretty miss wescot, who visited me
I have sustaind the weather tolerably untill this week— I find I must quit the city.
adieu my dear son / God send you a safe passage to your Native land prays your affectionate / Mother
RC (Adams Papers).
Sir John Suckling, “Against Fruition,” line 23.
For JQA’s 3 April letter to JA, see AA to William Cranch, 5 July, and note 6, above.
2 Corinthians, 11:26.
James and Elizabeth Kortright Monroe, for whom see LCA, D&A
, 2:409, toured the Netherlands prior to their departure from
Europe, spending 21 through 28 Jan. at The Hague where they socialized with
TBA and JQA. Returning to France, the Monroes departed
from Bordeaux aboard the ship Amity in April and arrived
in Philadelphia on 27 June. They visited the Adamses the following day, during which
time James Monroe appeared “very guarded” according to AA (Monroe, Papers
, 4:141, 143, 155; D/JQA/24, APM Reel 27; AA to William
Smith, 1 July, MHi: Smith-Carter Family
Papers).
On 1 July James Monroe was the guest of honor at “an
entertainment” in Philadelphia, where Thomas McKean congratulated the former minister
to France on having “uniformly endeavoured to fulfil the objects of your mission; to
render your country and yourself agreeable to the Republic of France, and to maintain,
on all occasions, the interests and connections of the two nations.” Monroe presented
his own reply, noting, “My whole mission … was employed in a continual effort to
promote harmony between the two republics … which I did with a fervent zeal.” Thomas
Jefferson attended the event, and the toasts included one to the vice president as
“the man of the people” (Philadelphia Gazette, 3
July).