II. Jeremiah Wadsworth to the Secretary of State, 22 February 1791
II. Jeremiah Wadsworth to the Secretary of State
Feb 22 1791
Sir
Nathaniel Chipman Esq. is the most proper person in Vermont for District judge. I believe he is without a competitor in the state. Their present Attorney General is Samuel Hitchcock, but I do not believe he would relinquish his State appointment for a federal one as the latter would be less lucrative. Israel Smith Esqr. would be suitable for the office. There are other Lawyers in the State of some eminence—Stephen Jacob Darius Chipman Daniel Farrand Isaac Tichenor. I have placed them as they rank in my opinion. I should have placed at the Head of the list Stephen Rowe Bradly Esq. but I have no doubt he will be a Senator. At Allborough I know no person fit for a Naval officer. Stephen Keyes is a Man of education with little property, who I believe would remove from Burlington Bay for the office and could procure Bonds for the faithfull execution of the office.—I am sir Your H Svt.
Jere Wadsworth
RC (DLC: Washington Papers); at foot of text: “The Secretary of State.” Not recorded in SJL.
On the same day Theodore Sedgwick wrote TJ: “I have been informed this morning of the characters recommended by Mr. Wadsworth to fill offices in Vermont. I very fully, from all the information I have received, concur with him in opinion” (RC in DLC: Washington Papers; addressed: “The Honorable Mr. Jefferson”; not recorded in SJL). The next day Sedgwick joined with Fisher Ames in addressing another letter to TJ, perhaps on the same subject (recorded in SJL as received 23 Feb. 1791 but not found).—Wadsworth was correct in thinking that Bradley would become a Senator: he took his seat on 4 Nov. 1791 and drew by lot a four-year term (, i, 336, 337).