Papers of John Adams, volume 21

John Hinckley Mitchell to John Adams, 13 October 1795 Mitchell, John Hinckley Adams, John

From John Hinckley Mitchell

Dear Sir Charleston 13 October 1795

The great politeness and many Civilities I Received from You in London, during your Embassy there, has induced me to take the liberty of addressing this Letter to you— Requesting Your Countenance and Support to succeed Mr. William Henry Dessausune in the direction of the Mint of the United States—who I understand either has or is about to resign—1

In the Year 1790. I made Some proposals for supplying the United States with a Copper coinage—which were thought inadmissible as the work was to be carried on in a Foreign Country— in May 1791. when the President was in Charleston I applied to him personally, to be employed in the Direction of the Mint—who informed he had referred the whole business to Mr. Jefferson the then Secretary of State—and my application to him was too late, and Mr. Rittenhouse was appointed before he received my Communications—2 shoud I be successful in this application I can in a very short time furnish a Machine on an entire new Construction, worked by fire and much more regularly than can be done by hand, which strikes both faces of the Coin, with the letters on the Edge at the same blow—and 418 which works with great expedition, and will Save the United States a great expence it being worked with only 2 or 3 hands—

In fine I can Venture to affirm that the Coin will be superior to any yet issued by any Country—

You will Confer a very great obligation on me—if you will be so good as to second this my application, and shoud it be necessary will immediately Set out for Philadelphia— I shall be extremely obliged if you will honor me with Your Sentiments on this subject—and hope You’ll excuse the liberty I have taken in addressing this Letter to You— with my most Respectful compliments to Mrs: Adams / I Remain Your much obliged Huml Servt.

John H Mitchell

RC (Adams Papers).

Irish-born John Hinckley Mitchell (1741–1816) was a Philadelphia merchant who made an unsuccessful application to supply the U.S. Mint with copper coins from his machine in 1790. George Washington named Philadelphia lawyer Henry William DeSaussure (1763–1839), of Pocotaligo, S.C., as director of the U.S. Mint on 9 July 1795. DeSaussure resigned on 7 Sept. but remained at his post until 28 October. Mitchell did not earn a federal post. On 10 Dec. the president nominated New Jersey lawyer Elias Boudinot (1740–1821) originally from Philadelphia, and the Senate confirmed him five days later. Boudinot served from 1795 to 1805 (Jefferson, Papers , 16:335–341, 344–349; Washington, Papers, Revolutionary War Series , 17:246; same, Papers, Presidential Series , 18:297, 644; 19:239, 241; Walter B. Edgar, ed., The South Carolina Encyclopedia, Columbia, S.C., 2006, p. 260; Biog. Dir. Cong. ).

David Rittenhouse served as first director of the U.S. Mint ( AFC , 9:258).

John Adams to Jeremy Belknap, 22 October 1795 Adams, John Belknap, Jeremy

To Jeremy Belknap

Dear Sir Quincy October 22. 1795

Inclosed is the Letter of Dr Tucker.—1 If I should agree with him in his Maxim Fiat Justitia ruat Cælum2 the question would Still remain what is Justice. Justice to the Negroes would require that they should not be abandoned by their Masters and turned loose upon a World in which they have no Capacity to procure even a Subsistance. What would become of the old,? the young? the infirm? Justice to the World too would forbid that Such Numbers should be turn’d out to live by Violence or Theft or fraud.

I believe no better Expedient will be found than to prohibit the Importation of new Negroes, and Soften the Severity of the Condition of old ones, as much as possible, untill the increasing Population of the Country shall have multiplied the Whites to such a Superiority of Numbers, that the Blacks may be liberated by Degrees, with the Consent both of Master and Servant

your sincere

John Adams 419

RC (MHi:Jeremy Belknap Papers); internal address: “Dr Belknap”; endorsed: “V P. Adams Oct 22 / 1795.”

For St. George Tucker’s queries on slavery in colonial Massachusetts, see Belknap’s 2 March letter, and note 1, above.

Let justice be done, though the heavens should fall (John Bouvier, A Law Dictionary Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States of America, 2 vols., Phila., 1868, 2:127).