When at Germantown he signed the commission of John Breckenridge as
attorney of the United States for Kentucky, and that of engineer of the
United States Mint.
He proposed to have Mr. Yrujo officially presented, as envoy
extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary from Spain, to him at Mount
Vernon; but although Mr. Yrujo went there for the purpose, the ceremony
of presentation was prevented by Mr. Yrujo's having accidentally left
his credentials.
President John Adams was absent from the capital during his term of
four years, on various occasions, three hundred and eighty-five days.
He discharged official duties and performed the most solemn public acts
at Quincy in the same manner as when at the seat of Government. In 1797
(August 25) he forwarded to the Secretary of State a number of passports
which he had signed at Quincy. He issued at Quincy commissions to
numerous officers of various grades, civil and military. On the 28th of
September, 1797, he forwarded to the Secretary of State a commission for
a justice of the Supreme Court, signed in blank at Quincy, instructing
the Secretary to fill it with the name of John Marshall if he would
accept, and, if not, Bushrod Washington. He issued a proclamation
opening trade with certain ports of St.
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