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Editorial
July 27, 1827
The National Republican And Ohio Political Register
Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio
What is this article about?
An 1829 editorial in the N.Y. Enquirer sarcastically criticizes John Q. Adams for amassing over $305,000 in public funds from 1808-1829 through multiple diplomatic salaries, outfits, and allowances, including overlapping roles in Russia and Ghent, implying personal enrichment at public expense.
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A well rewarded public servant. It has often
been a matter of wonder how Mr. John Q. Adams
could become rich in the public service
while other public men have become poor.
Those who will take the trouble to examine the
following extraordinary account, will no longer
wonder. A minister who has three outfits of
$9,000 each, without returning home, and has
one salary as minister to Russia, and another
as minister to Ghent, both going on at the same
time, cannot but return with full pockets.
John Q. Adams in account with the United States,
from 1st October, 1808, to the 4th March, 1829.
1808.
Dr.
Cr.
Oct. 1
For amount paid you for outfit as
minister to Russia,
9,000 00
1813.
April 29. Amount paid you for outfit as
minister to Ghent,
9,000 00
1815.
Feb. 27. Amount paid you for salary as
minister to Russia, from
the 1st Oct. 1808, to this
date,
50,104 00
Amount paid you for contingencies
during your mission
to Russia,
5,153 54
Amount paid you for salary as
minister to Ghent from 29th
April, 1813, to 27th Feb.
1815.
20,299 31
Amount paid you for contingencies
during your mission to
Ghent,
6,345 60
1817.
Feb. 28.
Amount paid you for outfit as
minister to Great Britain,
9,000 00
June 10. Amount paid you for salary
as minister to Great Britain,
from 28th Feb. 1815,
to this date,
20,545 00
Amount paid you for contingencies
during your mission
to Great Britain,
3,005 62
Amount paid you for coming
home,
250 00
1825.
March 4. Amount paid you for acting
as Secretary of State from
10th June, 1817, to this date 46,366 67
1829.
March 3. Amount given you to furnish
your house,
24,000 00
March 3. Amount paid you for filling
the Presidential Chair, from
the 4th March, 1825, to this
date inclusive.
100,000 00
$305,079.47
On the 4th of March, 1829, Mr. Adams will
have received for each day since the 1st Oct.
1808, $40 89.
This is the same gentleman who furnishes an
account for petty purchases made with the
"strictest eye to economy." We would suggest
to the gentleman at Washington, who
made up this account, to go back a few years
and add the following items:
Outfit and salary to the Netherlands in 1794,
do.
do.
Portugal 1796,
do.
do.
Prussia 1797
These will amount to at least 75,000 dollars,
makng an aggregate pocketed by Mr. Adams,
of near 400,000 dollars - another four years'
term and it would be half a million. Verily,
we do not wonder that this treasury bantling
dies hard.
N. Y. Enquirer.
been a matter of wonder how Mr. John Q. Adams
could become rich in the public service
while other public men have become poor.
Those who will take the trouble to examine the
following extraordinary account, will no longer
wonder. A minister who has three outfits of
$9,000 each, without returning home, and has
one salary as minister to Russia, and another
as minister to Ghent, both going on at the same
time, cannot but return with full pockets.
John Q. Adams in account with the United States,
from 1st October, 1808, to the 4th March, 1829.
1808.
Dr.
Cr.
Oct. 1
For amount paid you for outfit as
minister to Russia,
9,000 00
1813.
April 29. Amount paid you for outfit as
minister to Ghent,
9,000 00
1815.
Feb. 27. Amount paid you for salary as
minister to Russia, from
the 1st Oct. 1808, to this
date,
50,104 00
Amount paid you for contingencies
during your mission
to Russia,
5,153 54
Amount paid you for salary as
minister to Ghent from 29th
April, 1813, to 27th Feb.
1815.
20,299 31
Amount paid you for contingencies
during your mission to
Ghent,
6,345 60
1817.
Feb. 28.
Amount paid you for outfit as
minister to Great Britain,
9,000 00
June 10. Amount paid you for salary
as minister to Great Britain,
from 28th Feb. 1815,
to this date,
20,545 00
Amount paid you for contingencies
during your mission
to Great Britain,
3,005 62
Amount paid you for coming
home,
250 00
1825.
March 4. Amount paid you for acting
as Secretary of State from
10th June, 1817, to this date 46,366 67
1829.
March 3. Amount given you to furnish
your house,
24,000 00
March 3. Amount paid you for filling
the Presidential Chair, from
the 4th March, 1825, to this
date inclusive.
100,000 00
$305,079.47
On the 4th of March, 1829, Mr. Adams will
have received for each day since the 1st Oct.
1808, $40 89.
This is the same gentleman who furnishes an
account for petty purchases made with the
"strictest eye to economy." We would suggest
to the gentleman at Washington, who
made up this account, to go back a few years
and add the following items:
Outfit and salary to the Netherlands in 1794,
do.
do.
Portugal 1796,
do.
do.
Prussia 1797
These will amount to at least 75,000 dollars,
makng an aggregate pocketed by Mr. Adams,
of near 400,000 dollars - another four years'
term and it would be half a million. Verily,
we do not wonder that this treasury bantling
dies hard.
N. Y. Enquirer.
What sub-type of article is it?
Partisan Politics
What keywords are associated?
John Q Adams
Public Service Finances
Diplomatic Salaries
Political Corruption
Outfits And Contingencies
What entities or persons were involved?
John Q. Adams
United States
N. Y. Enquirer
Editorial Details
Primary Topic
John Q. Adams' Enrichment Through Public Service Salaries And Allowances
Stance / Tone
Satirical Criticism Of Adams' Financial Gains
Key Figures
John Q. Adams
United States
N. Y. Enquirer
Key Arguments
Adams Received Overlapping Salaries As Minister To Russia And Ghent Simultaneously
Multiple $9,000 Outfits For Diplomatic Posts Without Returning Home
Total Payments From 1808 1829 Exceed $305,000, Averaging $40.89 Per Day
Additional Earlier Missions Add At Least $75,000 More
Suggests Adams Pocketed Near $400,000 Total From Public Funds