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Subject Area: Political Theory
Topic: The American Revolution and Constitution

TO J. McHENRY, SECRETARY OF WAR. - John Adams, The Works of John Adams, vol. 8 (Letters and State Papers 1782-1799) [1853]

Edition used:

The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: with a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations, by his Grandson Charles Francis Adams (Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1856). 10 volumes. Vol. 8.

Part of: The Works of John Adams, 10 vols.

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TO J. McHENRY, SECRETARY OF WAR.

Quincy, 13 April, 1799.

Sir,—

Last night I received your favor of the 5th. The proceedings detailed in it, appear to have been well considered and prudently pursued. But the sordid spirit which produced this as well as the former insurrection in Pennsylvania, and which has given so much trouble to the government, anxiety to the nation, and burden on the treasury, ought to excite more general indignation than it has done. I return all the papers, and pray you to keep me informed of the progress of the business.1

Inclosed is a letter from Major Badlam and Mr. H. G. Otis, recommending Mr. Benjamin Bass Leeds to be a lieutenant, for which I believe he is well qualified.

I wish that a plan may be considered for numbering the regiments and arranging the rank of the lieutenant-colonels commandants, and sent to me for my consideration. I think the best way will be to determine the rank of the lieutenant-colonels, and number the regiments at first according to the number which designates the rank of their commanding officer. This will be a good precedent to get rid of the practice, which has too long prevailed, of beginning at one extremity of the Union and proceeding to the other.

[1 ]Mr. McHenry had written,

“Finding that the two companies of horse, whose services had been relied upon, could turn out about sixty men only, and that the opposition in Northampton, &c., had assumed a more threatening aspect, I conceived it necessary to submit to the heads of department and Attorney-General, the expediency of my calling upon the Governors of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, to hold in readiness to march against the insurgents a respectable body of militia.”