Papers of John Adams, volume 19

374 To John Adams from John Eager Howard, 23 January 1789 Howard, John Eager Adams, John

From John Eager Howard

Sir, Annapolis Jany. 23d. 1789

I have the honor to enclose a proclamation which will inform you of the result of the late elections in this State. The federal ticket has been carried by a very large Majority.1 Knowing that this circumstance will give you pleasure I have taken the earliest opportunity of communicating it— One circumstance I will add that in the County which bears your name out of 1164 taken there was not one for the antifederal ticket—

I am / Yr Most Obedt Servt

J.E. Howard

Dupl (private owner, 2016); notation by JA: “much distinguished as an / Officer of the army—particularly in / the affairs of the Cowpens So. Carolina. / J.A.”

Gov. John Eager Howard (1752–1827), of Baltimore, likely enclosed a printed copy of his 21 Jan. proclamation announcing the election of the state’s six members of the House of Representatives and the naming of eight presidential electors. Howard also sent the same letter and enclosure to George Washington, highlighting Washington County’s 1,164 votes ( Biog. Dir. Cong. ; Washington, Papers, Presidential Series , 1:252–253).

To John Adams from John Jay, 23 January 1789 Jay, John Adams, John

From John Jay

Dear Sir New York 23 Jany 1789

Having read in the Papers of to Day, an Extract of a Letter from a Gentleman in France to one at Boston, mentioning an Edict excluding foreign whale Oil, I waited on the minister of France to be informed whether he had recd. official Information of it.1 He told me he had not.— We had much Conversation on the subject, and from it I was led to conclude, that he did not think it improbable that the unsettled State of the french administration might have produced such a measure. He observed that our Commerce with France should be regulated on stable Principles, and after being reduced to System, should be fixed by Treaty—that the Duration of occasional Edicts could not be relied upon, and that they would always be liable to such alterations as circumstances might from Time to Time render convenient to the administration—

Be pleased to present our Compts. to Mrs. Adams & Col. & Mrs. Smith—we hope their Journey has been as agreable as the Season would permit.

Mr. Pintard will be the Bearer of this— this Gentleman has for several Years been the american agent at Madeira—and Congress have testified their approbation of his Conduct— He expressed a 375 Desire of paying his Respects to You—and I introduce him with Pleasure—2

with great Esteem and Regard I am / Dear Sir / Your affte. Friend & Servt

John Jay—

RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “the Hon’ble John Adams Esqr.”

In his conversation with Elénore François Elie, Comte de Moustier, Jay discussed an “Extract of a letter from France, to a gentleman in Boston, dated Nov. 21, 1788,” which appeared in the 23 Jan. 1789 issues of the New-York Daily Gazette and the New York Morning Post. The anonymous article outlined the 28 Sept. 1788 arrêt prohibiting the importation of any foreign oil into French ports, for which see Thomas Jefferson’s 5 [Dec.] letter, and note 3, above.

John Marsden Pintard (d. 1811), of New Rochelle, N.Y., supervised his family’s wine business in Madeira and had served as the U.S. commercial agent there since 1783. He returned home in early 1786. George Washington nominated Pintard to serve as the U.S. consul to Madeira on 4 June 1790, and the Senate confirmed his appointment three days later (Washington, Papers, Presidential Series , 3:217; U.S. Senate, Exec. Jour. , 1st Cong., 2d sess., p. 47–48, 49).