To George Washington from John Kilty, 29 May 1795
From John Kilty
Annapolis, May 29th 1795.
Sir,
Having understood from respectable authority that Mr Gale proposes to resign his station as Supervisor of the District of Maryland,1 and that the choice of a person to succeed him already engages your Excellency’s attention, I beg leave to take the occasion thus offered of renewing my application for employment in the General Government.
The testimonials which I have heretofore had the honour to lay before your Excellency, together with the unsolicited recommendation for which I am indebted to Governor Lee will I presume have established my claim to public confidence, so far as a laudable discharge of the several trusts with which I have been honoured in this State can establish it.2 I have however thought it proper to procure also the testimony of the present Governor and Council which together with a Letter from Mr Paca I have the honour to forward herewith enclosed.3 with the greatest Respect, I am Sir Your Excellency’s most obedient humble Servant
John Kilty
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. George Gale had served as supervisor of the revenue for the Maryland district since 1791. He informed GW on 14 April that it was no longer “convenient” to serve in that office and enclosed his commission (ALS, DNA: RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters).
2. Kilty applied to become surveyor of the port of Baltimore in 1793 and collector there in 1794. For the testimonials in favor of Kilty, see his letters to GW, 13 Aug. 1793, n.2, and 23 July 1794, n.1. The recommendation by former governor Thomas Sim Lee has not been identified.
3. On this date, William Pinkney, president of the Maryland Council, sent a testimonial in favor of Kilty on behalf of the entire body. Kilty “served many years as a member of the Council with reputation for Capacity, Integrity and firmness of Character. He was honorably reelected for the last year; but the Clerkship of the Board becoming vacant, He accepted that office in preference, and from motives which do him great honor. His unanimous appointment affords a proof of the Estimation in which he was held by the Council, and his Conduct in the Station of Clerk has fully Corresponded with that Estimation.” The Council recommended Kilty with confidence “as being well qualified for the office for which he is a Candidate” (LS, DLC:GW).
Maryland governor John Hoskins Stone notified GW in a letter of 25 May that “Captn John Kilty has informed me that he wou’d Accept and wishes to be appointed Supervisor of this district—I take the liberty of Stating to your Excellency that Captn Kilty has served for several years in the Public Councils of this State with great capacity, reputation, integrity and attention—and I think him, every way qualified to execute the duties of Supervisor” (ALS, DLC:GW).
Kilty probably was referring to William Paca, federal district judge of Maryland, whose letter has not been identified.