To John Adams from Charles Storer, 23 February 1790
From Charles Storer
Troy. 23d. February. 1790.
dear sir,
From the friendship you have always expressed for me I am led to acquaint you with some circumstances in which I am interested & to request your advice & assistance— Pardon me this liberty, which I should not have taken, had not my situation required it, & but from a reliance on the same good nature to which I am already so much indebted.—
The speculation I am upon here does answer my expectations & wishes, and I am induced to look elsewhere an establishment— Without a capital it is extremely difficult to carry on business to advantage; and this, through the misfortunes of my father, I am denied the benefit of— I must therefore seek that employment, which requires the least capital, & which is more within the compass of my own abilities— From these circumstances I have turned my thoughts to a public life again, & if favored with your assistance may hope to succeed.—1 Mr: Jefferson is appointed to the office of Secretary of State—2 The office of his first Secretary is an appointment in his gift, & one to which I am vain enough to think myself not unequal— Being a stranger to Mr: Jefferson, I have to request your friendship to speak in my behalf— You have intrusted me with confidential matters, & I trust have never found me unfaithfull— Whatever in your good nature you may please to advance in my favor shall serve as a stimulus to merit Mr: Jefferson’s esteem & confidence, and particularly to approve myself deserving your recommendation.— Since there will doubtless be many to seek this place, I would request you to write Mr: Jefferson on the subject when convenient—in order that, should he accept my services, I may be made acquainted with the result timely enough to make the necessary arrangements requisite on my leaving this place.—3
To be employed in a place of trust is extremely flattering to me—and to be admitted to the confidence of & habits of intimacy with Mr: Jefferson would greatly add thereto— I have therefore to request information of you on what footing his Secretary stands, and what allowance Congress has made for him—
I am fearfull you may term my application improper, as recommendation is a delicate matter—but, sir, this is between friends—this is not seeking honor & emolument—and, if it does not meet your approbation, may be checked, in deference to your opinion, which I shall at all times respect.—
Having explained myself thus openly, be pleased to communicate to me your candid thoughts in return.
[. . . .] greatly oblige me—and in the mean time [. . . .]ther that this matter remain a secret betwe[en] [. . .]
With respects to the family, I have the honor to be, dr. sir, / Your much obliged friend / & humle. servt:
Chas: Storer.
RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “The Vice President / of the United States”; internal address: “John Adams Esqr:”; endorsed: “C. Storer. 23. Feb. / 1790 / ansd 20 March.” Some loss of text where the seal was removed.
1. For Ebenezer Storer’s financial situation, see vol. 19:397–399.
2. On 25 Sept. 1789 George Washington nominated Thomas Jefferson to serve as the first secretary of state, and he was confirmed by the Senate the following day. “It is not for an individual to chuse his post. You are to marshal us as may best be for the public good,” Jefferson wrote to Washington on 15 December. By 22 March 1790, Jefferson had relocated to New York City and assumed his new responsibilities. He planned to retain Roger Alden and Henry Remsen Jr. as chief clerks. Alden (d. 1836), a Connecticut native, resigned on 25 July, finding the annual salary to be inadequate (, p. 52; , 16:34–35, 184; 17:349–350; , 3:296).
3. Although Charles Storer did not receive this appointment, he served as secretary to the federal commissioners who opened treaty negotiations in 1793 with the Northwest Indians in the Ohio River Valley (, 14:218–219).