To James Madison from Jonathan Robinson, 8 December 1811 (Abstract)
§ From Jonathan Robinson1
8 December 1811, Washington. Recommends Thomas Hall Storm of New York,2 now acting as U.S. chargé d’affaires at Tripoli, for consul there. “Altho he has been in Europe for the last 7 years … and I have not a Personal acquaintance yet from the very Respectable Station his father and all his Family Connections stand in at New York … I am convinced he is a very worthy character. Mr. Davis I learn has resignd that office and it would be very gratifying to Col Storm if his Son can be appointed.”3 Refers JM to Gallatin for confirmation that Storm has an “excellent Reputation and is a Sincere friend to the Administration.”
RC (DNA: RG 59, LAR, 1809–17, filed under “Storm”). 1 p. Docketed by Monroe.
1. Jonathan Robinson (1756–1819) was a Republican senator from Vermont from 1807 to 1815.
2. Jefferson had appointed Thomas Hall Storm to be commercial agent at Genoa in February 1808. He was the son of Thomas Storm, a prominent New York merchant and director of the Merchants’ National Bank formed in New York City in 1803 (, 2:69; Syrett and Cooke, Papers of Hamilton, 26:105 and n. 5).
3. George Davis had been consul in Tripoli since 1806, but he had returned to New York for health reasons in 1810 and eventually resigned the position in June 1811. According to Storm’s father, Davis had already suggested his son to the administration as Davis’s successor (, 1:25; Thomas Storm to Monroe, 2 Dec. 1811 [DNA: RG 59, LAR, 1809–17]).