Papers of John Adams, volume 20
The Letter you did me the honour to write me, on the thirtieth of September, has been to New York; and from thence transmitted to this Place; but it never reached my hand, till the night before last.1 The Sentiments of Esteem for my private Character, expressed by Gentlemen who are probably Strangers to me, are very obliging: and the approbation of my public Conduct abroad, lays me under Still greater Obligations.
The Fisheries, are So essential to the Commerce and naval Power of this Nation, that it is astonishing that any one Citizen Should ever have been found, indifferent about them. But it is certain that, 180 at a Time, when there were Reasons to expect that more than one foreign nation would endeavour to deprive Us of them, there were many Americans indifferent, and not a few even disposed to give them away.— A Knowledge of this was the first and Strongest motive with me to embark for Europe a first and a Second time.— after all however, the final Preservation of the Fisheries was owing to Causes so Providential that I can never look back upon them without Reverence and Emotion. Your Approbation, sir and that of your Friends of the Part I acted in that Negotiation, give me great Pleasure.
The Present of four Boxes of Fish, has been received in my Absence by my Family; and is in every point of View very acceptable to me. As an Amateur I shall regale myself and my Friends: as a Well wisher to the Trade I shall endeavour to make the Dish fashionable at New York: I pray You and your Companions to accept of my Sincere Thanks, for the favour, and my best Wishes for their Pleasure Profit and Prosperity, in the Prosecution of the Fisheries. May You and they live to see a Commerce and a naval Power growing out of your Occupations, which shall render this, the first and most respectable of maritime Nations. I am, sir, with my best Comple / ments to your Friends and much Esteem for / yourself your most obedient and most / humble servant
RC (WHi:Signers of the Declaration of Independence Autograph Coll.); internal
address: “Marston Watson Esqr / Marblehead”; notation:
“Copy of a letter of John Adams / to Marston Watson Marble Head / Fisheries.”
FC (Adams
Papers).
For Watson’s letter of 30 Sept. (Adams Papers) and gift of “very fine” fish from the residents of Marblehead, Mass., see vol. 19:400.
You have my thanks for the letter which you did me the favor to
write to me on the 25th. of september last; and while I
express some small disappointment on the subject of it, I beg leave to give you the
assurance of a chearful acquiescence. I know that disappointment has often been the
cause of opposition and faction: but I trust that I have made a better estimate of
men, and of the blessings of society and good Government, than to suffer myself to be
governed by its influence. As a proof of this I take the liberty of repeating my
application, in the same line, and to the same persons, for employment under the
general Government.— Report says, at this place, that Mr.
181 Rutledge has declined accepting the appointment
as one of the associate Judges; and the policy of diffusing the appointments will, no
doubt, continue to operate. In this view I stand upon the same ground as Mr. Rutledge did; and with respect to pretensions, if they do
not evidence themselves, they ought not to be attended to. In any event your
approbation will console me.
The sentiments you express upon the general principles of
Government, and of the present condition of America, are perfectly satisfactory to my
mind; and, as to Office, I have felt, perhaps, too confident on that foundation: but I
can truely assure you, that, since the 1st. day of July
1776, my conduct, in every station in life, has corresponded with the result of that
great question which you so ably and faithfully developed on that day—a scene which
has ever been present to my mind. It was then that I felt the strongest attachments;
and they have never departed from me.
Should any principle, dangerous to the present views of future welfare, be generated in this quarter, or any thing otherwise eventful present itself, I will take an early occasion of communicating with you; and should you feel it justifiable to withdraw your attention from the engagements of your situation, and somtimes write to me, I shall be particularly obliged: for in truth, sir, / I am, with the greatest respect and / esteem, / Your most obedient servant,
Colonel Gunn,1 who is now with me and very well, desires his respectful compliments.
I have just heard that Mr. Drayton,
of South-Carolina, is recommended. I am not acquainted with him: but the fact is,
that, altho a native, he was a british subject, and a british judge, during the whole
Revolution. What idea will be formed of Justice, if such men are preferred?—2
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “His Excellency, / John Adams.”; endorsed: “George Walton / 7. Nov. 1789.”
Savannah lawyer James Gunn (1753–1801) served as a Georgia
senator from 1789 until his death in 1801 (
AFC
, 11:96).
On 24 Sept. 1789 George Washington nominated John Rutledge Sr. as
an associate justice for the U.S. Supreme Court, and Thomas Pinckney as a district
judge for South Carolina. The Senate confirmed both nominations two days later.
Writing separately to Washington on 27 Oct., Rutledge accepted the appointment while
Pinckney declined. By 18 Nov. Washington had tapped Charleston, S.C., lawyer and
planter William Drayton, a former chief justice of the province of East Florida, to
serve instead of Pinckney. Drayton was nominated on 9 Feb. 1790 and confirmed the next
day (Washington, Papers, Presidential Series
, 4:114–115, 305–306;
First
Fed. Cong.
, 2:43–45, 48, 58–59, 61, 62;
AFC
, 8:124).