Papers of John Adams, volume 20

65 From John Adams to Stephen Higginson, 14 July 1789 Adams, John Higginson, Stephen
To Stephen Higginson
Sir New York July 14, 1789

I received your favor of the 4th of this month, but not till the impost bill was enacted and published. In the progress of that law, through the several branches of the legislature, the arguments in favor of a drawback on rum were insisted on by several members of each house. But I think it was not shewn with sufficient evidence, nor explained with so much precision as I expected, how it would affect the exportation of that article, to Africa, the baltick, and east Indies. This is an affair of calculation; if the price without a drawback, is so high, that a freight cannot be made and a reasonable profit, and still leave the adventurer at liberty to produce it at market at a price that will bear the competition with gin, Brandy, and West India rum, the exportation will be lessened, if not annihilated. This however was not shown and proved; if it can be proved, the merchants and Manufacturers interested in the business should address a petition to the President, Senate and House of Representatives stating the fact, and praying a redress. The contest about molasses was very sharp and long continued, and the Senate on some questions pretty equally divided. I took as much pains, as I thought was justifiable and more than I expected would have been excused; but no more could be done than you see.

Give me leave to congratulate you on you marriage, and present my compliments to your lady.1

In great haste I am & &

John Adams

LbC in CA’s hand (Adams Papers); internal address: “Honble: Stephen Higginson Esqr / Boston”; APM Reel 115.

1.

Higginson married Elizabeth Perkins (d. 1791), of Boston, on 18 June (Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Descendants of the Reverend Francis Higginson, n.p., 1910, p. 21).

From John Adams to Thomas Mifflin, 14 July 1789 Adams, John Mifflin, Thomas
To Thomas Mifflin
Dear Sir New York July 14 1789

I have received the letter you did me the honor to write me on the third of this month, and I thank you for giving me an opportunity of renewing a friendly intercourse which has continued I beleive with some interruption for these seventeen years.1

66

I was early acquainted with the activity, Zeal, and Steadiness of Capt: Falconer in the cause of his country: but as the number of competitors for employment in your city, is greater than that of the offices to be bestowed, and the merits of many of them are considerable; The President will no doubt think himself obliged to seek information from all quarters and carefully weigh the merits and qualifications of every one.

In order to preserve and improve the Ballance of our constitution, it is so necessary that the nominations of the President should be revered, that I shall generally support to the utmost of my power the men of his choice, and it must be a very strong case indeed that would justify me to myself in venturing to differ from him.

I congratulate you on the prospect we have that our countrymen will by degrees recover their original national character, and thier native veneration for the wisdom and virtue of those institutions of our Ancestors, which have been so long obscured and misrepresented by passion, prejudice, ignorance, and error.

With great esteem &

John Adams

LbC in CA’s hand (Adams Papers); internal address: “His Excellency Thomas Mifflin / President of Pensylvania.”; APM Reel 115.

1.

The Pennsylvania governor wrote to JA on 3 July to recommend Capt. Nathaniel Falconer for a customs post in Philadelphia. Falconer appealed to JA on 30 June (both Adams Papers), citing his past service in outfitting the Continental fleet and issuing loan certificates. JA replied to Falconer on 4 July (LbC, APM Reel 115), explaining that the president, “as the common father of the people, is wisely entrusted with authority to weigh all the pretensions of every competitor, is personally so well acquainted in Pensylvania, and has so many able and faithful men within his call to consult upon such matters, that my testimony in your favour, can add little weight.” Falconer applied to George Washington on 8 July and was named master warden of the port in 1792 (Washington, Papers, Presidential Series , 3:147–148).