To Thomas Jefferson from John Lambert and Others, 24 May 1802
From John Lambert and Others
Trenton New Jersey May 24th 1802
Respected Sir
The Subscribers Representatives in the Legislative Council of New Jersey being informed, that the Office of Marshal of the United States for the District of New Jersey, has become Vacant, by the Appointment of Genl. Heard to the Office of Collector of Perth Amboy; take the liberty, to recommend to the President, Doctor Oliver Barnet, of the county of Hunterdon, for the Office of Marshal. We are induced to solicit this Appointment, as we know that Dr. Barnet from his Central situation, Independance in Life, Capacity and Intelligence, will be able to execute the duties with the greatest ease to himself, and satisfaction to the public.
We beg leave to add, that He has ever distinguished himself for his attachment to the Principles of the Revolution & most particularly in the late Elections, in support of the present Administration—& we think the appointment will most esentially serve the cause of Republicanism in New Jersey.
John Lambert
David Moore
William Parrot
Charles Clark
Wm. M’Cullough
David Welsh
Thos. Little
RC (DNA: RG 59, LAR); in an unidentified hand, signed by all; at foot of text: “To the President of the United States.” Probably enclosed in Joseph Bloomfield to TJ, 24 May, not found, but recorded in SJL as received from Trenton on 30 May and “Dr. Olivr Barnet to be Marsl.”
A native of Lambertville, in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, John Lambert (1746–1823) began serving in the New Jersey General Assembly in 1780. A member of the Legislative Council of New Jersey from 1790 to 1804, Lambert was vice president of the 13-member council in 1802. He served as acting governor of New Jersey from 15 Nov. 1802 to 29 Oct. 1803. Lambert was one of the early Republicans in the state noted “as friends of the farmer and working man.” He represented New Jersey in the House of Representatives from 1805 to 1809 and in the Senate from 1809 to 1815 (Votes and Proceedings of the Twenty-Seventh General Assembly of the State of New-Jersey [Trenton, 1802], 3; ; Walter R. Fee, The Transition from Aristocracy to Democracy in New Jersey, 1789–1829 [Somerville, N.J., 1933], 71n).
For earlier recommendations of OLIVER BARNET as U.S. marshal of New Jersey, see Vol. 33:183–4 and Vol. 34:5–6. TJ appointed Barnet on 3 June 1802 (National Intelligencer, 4 June; Appendix I). His permanent commission as “Marshal in and for the New-Jersey District” is dated 25 Jan. 1803 (commission in Lb in DNA: RG 59, MPTPC).