Papers of John Adams, volume 21
ca.25
June 1792
I had the honor to receive your letter relative to the
house, and have since confer’d with Mrs. Keppele
on the subject. She does not incline to take the lease off your hands, but
is willing to let the house, if a satisfactory tenant shall offer, for a
year after your time. If this can be effected the rent in the interim may be
saved. I have therefore advised your Son by a note yesterday to put a bill
on the door with reference to him, and have mentioned in several companies
that the House will be to let—2 Every thing in my power to 129
promote your convenience and interest on this occasion will be attended
to.
As the franking clause in the post office act requires
all persons receiving letters unfranked within their free letters to deliver
them at the post office with the place from wch.
they came noted on them, I was under the necessity of delivering the letters
for Mrs. Dalton, Mr.
Adams & Brisler marked as from Boston where I presume my letter entered
the post office—3
I have very great satisfaction, sir, in noticing to you a
material Change in the prospects of opposition in the next election— The
situation in which Mr. Clinton is placed, by the
circumstances of the votes which were rejected, has attracted universal
Attention. The greater part of those I have conversed with appear to be very
strongly impressed with the necessity of his resigning, and running the Race
again, but I do not learn that there is any probability of this sort of
Conduct on his part.4 he
owes, in his situation, much attention to personal delicacy, and much to the
undisputed (even if informal) expression of the peoples sentiments, and if
he so far overlooks the obligations that lie upon him, as to enter upon the
office I am convinced a great part of the antifederal interest will think
him unfit for the office of Vice President of the United States. I cannot
believe his prospect of Success was at all probable before, but I think it
much diminished by the event abovementioned.
Mr. Pinckney is to sail this
day in the American Ship Ceres for Dover—5 A fine Vessel on her third Voyage
of about 310 Tons.
It is favorable to his prospects, I think, Sir, that Europe is likely to be much disturbed. GBritain, under all circumstances existing cannot help arming, and the encreasing ardor of Ireland will render her desirous of as strong a force as she can raise & be permitted to maintain without public Murmur.6 I hope in such a Conjuncture we may acquire the posts and an indian peace, when we may leave Europe to itself till it shall have fought its own Battles, and untill we can destroy or repress the evil spirit, which rages at home.
With the greatest respect, I have the honor to be, / Sir,
your most obedt. / & most humble Servant
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “The V. President of the
U.S.”; endorsed: “Mr Coxe.” Filmed at [ante 8 July 1792].
The dating of this letter is based on Thomas Pinckney’s departure from Philadelphia.
Not found.
On 10 Jan. the House of Representatives passed a bill
to establish a post office, which the Senate approved with amendments on
30 January. Congress passed a lightly revised version on 3 Feb., and
George Washington signed 130
the Postal Act of 1792 into law on 20 February. Coxe referred to the
nineteenth section, which clarified the franking privileges of the
executive branch (vol. 20:386; U.S. House, Jour.
, 2d Cong., 1st sess., p. 490, 499, 502, 511;
U.S.
Statutes at Large
, 1:237–238).
In the contested New York gubernatorial election of
1792 between incumbent George Clinton and John Jay, sheriffs failed to
deliver the votes from Otsego, Tioga, and Clinton Counties. Other
messengers tried to submit the ballots, but they were deemed
inadmissible and the votes were disqualified. Clinton won by a scant
majority of 108 votes, and Jay’s Federalist supporters unsuccessfully
challenged the result (Young,
Democratic Republicans
, p.
301, 304, 306).
Pinckney sailed on the Ceres, Capt. Marsh, on 25 June and reached Dover, England, by
2 August. Six days later, he met with George III and presented his
credentials (Philadelphia Federal Gazette,
26 June; London Star and Evening
Advertiser, 2 Aug.; London Diary, 13
Aug.).
The Irish parliament was debating the Catholic Relief
bill, which extended suffrage, the right to bear arms, broader military
and legal opportunities, and admission to Dublin’s Trinity University to
Roman Catholic citizens. The Protestant minority opposed these
provisions, appealing to George III to “maintain unimpaired the
Protestant ascendancy in Ireland” (
Cambridge Modern
Hist.
, 9:695, 696; Philadelphia Gazette of the United States, 4 April). For
similar reforms in England, see Thomas Brand Hollis’ 3 March [1791] letter, and note 3,
above.
You will find enclosed your account, which I take the liberty to send, lest by not adverting to the state of it, some inconvenience might ensue.1
You are I presume aware, that Mr. Clinton is to be your Competitor at the next election. I trust
he could not have succeeded in any event, but the issue of his late election
will not help his cause. Alas! Alas!
If you have seen some of the last numbers of the National
Gazette, you will have perceived that the plot thickens & that something
very like a serious design to subvert the Government discloses itself.2 With sincere respect &
attachment I remain Dr sr / Yr. Obed ser
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “The Vice President”;
endorsed: “Ansd. 4. Aug. 1792”; docketed by
JQA: “A. Hamilton 25. June 1792.”
Not found. For payment of JA’s salary, see his 16 Sept. 1795 letter to Oliver Wolcott Jr., and note 1, below.
A report in the Philadelphia National Gazette, 11 June 1792, condemned the U.S. government
for implementing the Whiskey Act while neglecting western farmers’
interests. Recommending a reduction in duties, the Gazette echoed calls for the law either to
“be totally repealed, or fully executed.” Subsequent issues of 18 and 21
June hammered in the critique, claiming that enforcement of the
legislation gave “the odious appearance of tyranny, first to load the
citizens with intolerable burdens, and then, under the sanction of law,
to harrass them into submission.”