Papers of John Adams, volume 21
y.2d. 1796.
The Senate were pleased, on the 22d of December, to direct a statement to be laid before them of the military force actually employed against the Insurgents in the four Western Counties of Pennsylvania, and an account of the expenditures in that expedition.
I have now the honour to inform the Senate, that the
expenditures were of various kinds, none of which, except merely for the pay of the militia, fall under the cognizance
of the Secretary for the department of war: and that the dispersion of the
militia to their homes before their pay could be delivered to them, has
prevented complete settlements to this day; altho it is near a year since an
Agent in each of the four states whence the militia was drawn, has been
employed in paying & settling with them. Under these circumstances it is
impossible to make the statement required. The supplies in the quarter
master’s department and of provisions were furnished immediately by the
department of the Treasury. Arrearages in all the parts of this service
remain to be settled and paid.
I have the honour to be / with the highest respect / sir
your most obt. servant
RC (DNA:RG 46, Records of the U.S.
Senate); internal address: “The President of the Senate / Of the United
States.”; docketed: “Legis: 1st Sess: 4th. Cong: / Communication / to the Vice President from / the Secretary of War in / reference to the
order of 22d / December last directing a /
statement of the military / force actually 446 employed / against the Insurgents
and an / account of the expenditures / in that expedition. / February
2d. / 1796.”
th.1796.
have you heard any thing from your Son John—and shall I
be the barrer of Agreeable, or disagreeable News—if I tell you he is alive,
and in good Helth: (my Story must be my Appollogy for writing this letter,)
some time in April 1793, I was at the Notchees, on the Missicippia—and one
After Noon, while I lay in the Harbor, your Son come on board, and soon let
me know he was from New England, and that his Name was Adams—1 this led me to Inquire more
perticular, and he told me his Father was the Vice President of the United
States, he also told me of many things, that hapned to him in Early life and
mentioned so many charactors in and about Boston that I know, to be fact that he convincd me he had
been there and I had no doubt but he had told me the Truth— his appearence
was very genteel and an open frankness appeared in his conversation, much
superior to any I had seen in that Country—when he related to me his faults
and the consiquences that Insued, the big Tear freequentley burst from the
sweling Eye, and I was obliged to acompany him— I did not in-quire into the
perticular causes of his Emigration, nor did he tell me, but ondly hinted
that it was an Affair of Love— in the evening I invited him up to a Tavern,
to take a glass of wine, he seem’d at first to be at a stand and paused some
time, I guised at his difficulty, and offered him my Prurse, he hissitatd no
longer, but accompanied me In: we had scarse drank one glass: when Capt. Cabe a Spanish officer came in, and in a very
Imperious Maner bid him be gone out of the room, your Son tryed to reason
with him, but in vain, the Landlord also Joind with the Captain, and he was
turnd out of Doors— this gave me much uneasiness and I inquired the reason
of their treetment of Mr: Adams they said he was
a Vagobond; and had no right to Gentleman company, for he never had any
Money, nor never paid any thing. I told them I had Invited him in: and knew
the Charactor of his Family which, I told them, and by my Intercession he
was Invited in, but the affair had put and end to the conviveally of the
evening, I desired him to caul in the Morning on Board but he did not come
towards Noon I saw him and Ask’d his liberty to
go and see you his Father, when I arrived at 447 Philedelphia But this he wholly
dene’d me and beged I would never mention
his Name in New England— after this the Landlord (one John Ardon) told me he
was an Impostor and he did not beleave his Name was Adams: thise two
Circomstances made me suspect I had been Imposed upon, but yet I alway felt
for him, for he had much won my Heat, and sundry times have I been on the
point of writing to your Excellency, and whot finally detirmened me to do
it, was—thot the said John Ardon came to Redston four weaks Ago, and I
inquired after your son, he told me he was about their yet and could not git
away for he ow’d above five Hundred pound, and
they never would let him come away till he paid all off—and yesterday I
hapned to light upon one Briant Whooper a young Man from Boston, Now at
Herrisburg, and he told me that your Son was gone off and that you all
thought him, Dead— thise reasons have Indused me to give you this
Information, contrary to your Sons wishes— if I have given you any
satisfaction, I am amply paid, and O! how should I rejoice to hear he is
returnd to a Father that will receive him with open Arms; I beleave he would
come if he could—and can I say, or do, anything to save him from Distruction
will it be of any sirvice for me to plead in his behalf No your Own Great
Good sence can, but teach you whot to do— I live near Bedston Old Fourt, am
now on my way to New Hampsheir, but Shall return in two months and Intend a
Voige down the Rivr next season and should be happy in Executing your
Commands, one line given to Coll. Wm. Wallace who is a member ol the House of
Representives will come safe to me—2
Pray Great Sir Pardon me if I have done wrong— I am with affection / for your Charactor, and for you Son / your unknown / Humble Sert
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “His Excellency John Adams
Esqr.”
Jabez Bingham, a Washington County, Penn.,
speculator, tried to purchase George Washington’s Ohio lands in 1795 and
also unsuccessfully sought a federal post in Thomas Jefferson’s
administration. There is no indication that JA replied to
this account of a JQA impostor (Washington, Papers,
Presidential Series
, 18:574; Jefferson, Papers
, 33:488–489).
Planter and slaveholder William Wallace of Washington
County, Penn., was a Revolutionary War veteran who had served in the
Pennsylvania house of representatives since 1794 (John W. Jordan, Encyclopedia of Pennsylvania Biography, 29
vols., N.Y., 1914–1963, 2:528–529).