John Jay Papers
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From John Jay to Alexander Hamilton, 13 March 1800

To Alexander Hamilton

Albany 13 March 1800

Dear Sir

Mr Coleman, who was Yesterday appointed Cl[er]k. of the NYork Circuits, will be the Bearer of this. Mr. Skinner was first nominated, for where Character and qualifications for office are admitted, the Candidate who has age Standing and prior public Services on his Side, should I think take the lead; unless perhaps in Cases peculiarly circumstanced— Mr. Skinner did not succeed. Mr Coleman was then nominated, and the Council, expecting much from his Reports, and considering the office as necessary to enable him to accomplish that work, advised his appointmt— Mr. Coleman’s Embarrassmts and whatever appeared to me necessary to observe respecting the Candidates, was mentioned antecedent1 to the Nominations— My Feelings were in Colemans favor, and had my Judgmt. been equally so, he wd. have suffered less anxiety than he has. I mentioned your opinion in his favor,2 and I wish the appointment may be generally approved— Ten or Eleven of the NYork members recommended Mr. Skinner— some of them will not be pleased. I hope Mr. Coleman will be attentive to his Reports3 much Expectation has been excited, & Disappointmt. wd. produce Disgust. It is I think essential to him that the work be prosecuted with Diligence, but not with Haste; and that they be such as they ought to be— With great Esteem and Regard I am Dr. Sir Yours

John Jay

Majr. Genl. Hamilton

ALS, DLC: Hamilton (EJ: 10793). Addressed: “Majr. General Hamilton / New York”. Endorsed. FC, NNC (EJ: 05652).

1In the FC, this reads “anterior”.

2See AH to JJ, 4 Mar. 1800, ALS, NNC (EJ: 05634); PAH, 24: 283 and note 1. William Coleman (1766–1829), a native Bostonian, who formerly practiced law in Greenfield, Mass., and served in the state legislature. Coleman moved to New York City after suffering financial losses in the Yazoo land speculations. A member of AB’s law firm, but otherwise a strident Federalist, Coleman was chosen to replace John Remsen, who had died of yellow fever in 1798, as public notary. See Proclamation on Yellow Fever, [13 Aug. 1795], note 5, JJSP description begins Elizabeth M. Nuxoll et al., eds., The Selected Papers of John Jay (6 vols. to date; Charlottesville, Va., 2010–) description ends , 6: 363; and JJ to AH, 23 Apr. 1799, Dft, NNC (EJ: 05650).

In his letter of 4 Mar. 1800, recommending Coleman for the post of clerk in the circuit of the New York Supreme Court for the city and county of New York, AH argued: “It is undoubtedly a good rule to avoid embarrassed men in appointments—yet this like every other general rule may admit of exceptions in special cases. If I understand the duties of the Office in question it is peculiarly one in which there could be no danger of Evil from the cause alluded to. There is scarcely an Opportunity for infidelity if there was a disposition. I really think the objection may without impropriety be wa[i]ved. …” The New York Council of Appointment appointed Coleman on 13 Mar. 1800, and dismissed him in August 1801. Coleman then became editor of the New-York Evening Post, founded with AH’s support in September 1801, and published two months thereafter. He remained editor until his death in 1829. Coleman’s rival for the post of clerk was Abraham Skinner of Queens County, a lawyer who had served as county clerk and member of the New York State Assembly (1784–85). See PAH, 24: 324–25; 26: 30; Commercial Advertiser (New York), 3 July 1800; Spectator (New York), 26 Aug. 1801; Daily Advertiser (New York), 10 Sept. 1801.

3William Coleman, Cases on Practice Adjudged in the Supreme Court of the State of New York (New York, 1801; Early Am. Imprints, series 2, no. 1028).

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