Joseph Whipple, collector of customs at Portsmouth, (brother of General William Whipple 1730 - 1785 revolutionary War General and Signer from New Hampshire) writes to John Langdon (1741 - 1819) Senator and first President pro-tem of the Senate, thanking Langdon for his help and influence in obtaining a post in the new government and comments upon the recent establishment of the Federal court and judicial system. Langdon, a Portsmouth native, was the right person to ask as he was also a friend of the President, George Washington. "Dear Sir I have the Honour this moment to receive your favour of the 5th & am much obliged by your kind assurances of attention to my business and also for having seasonably lodged my name with the President - I should have wrote now to him agreeably to your intimation but am discouraged from the consideration of his having no personal knowledge of me and that it might on that account appear and interested application which might operate to my disadvantage - and I conceive also that your influence with the President on which I have rested my expectation is such as I need wish no other. - But if you conceive that it would be of use to hand my name with your recommendation to Mr. Vice President, to Mr. Morris, Mr. R H Lee, Mr. Dalton, your Colleagues or others as you may think proper, I should consider myself further & greatly obliged - but I think your interest requires no aid - as it will of course be represented by you that I am in the office of Colltr. - To some of the names that I have mentioned I am known - others of them were formerly either officially connected or intimately acquainted with my Brother on which account I should have applyd to them for their influence - I imagine also that all appointments will be completed tin a few days if not by this. - You will hear that the Judiciary bill is not relishd this way, I have not seen it, but think that the plan of one Judge to the District Court would be an objectionable one to most people in the Northern states - and the joining the Prov of Maine to N. H. districts no less so to N. H. - However the Acts may be finishd I hope & trust they will terminate in a system that will insure Peace and a happy Government ..."

John Langdon (brother of Woodbury Langdon) was a merchant, Delegate and Senator from New Hampshire. He was active and prominent supporter of the revolutionary movement, member of the Continental Congress 1775-76, participated in the Battle of Bennington and commanded a company at Saratoga and in Rhode Island. Member of the State senate 1784, President of New Hampshire, 1785, 1788; again a member of the Continental Congress 1787, delegate to the Federal Constitutional Convention in 1787; member of the state ratifying convention elected to the United States Senate and served from March 4, 1789 until March 3, 1801. He was elected the first President pro tempore of the Senate on April 6, 1789, in order that the Senate might organize to count the electoral vote for President and Vice President of the United States.

American National Biography, vol. 13, pp.138-139 Dictionary of American Biography, vol. 5, pt. 2, pp., 587-588.