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Albert Gallatin’s Report on Collector for Michilimackinac, 16 July 1801

Albert Gallatin’s Report on
Collector for Michilimackinac

Treasury Department July 16th. 1801.

The Secretary of the Treasury respectfully reports, that the District of Michillimackanac was erected by the 17th. Section of the “Act to regulate the collection of duties on imports and tonnage” passed March 2, 1799; but that no appointment of Collector has yet been made, on a supposition, it is presumed, that it was unnecessary. It seems doubtful whether that clause, as well as those which erect the Districts of Illinois, Erie, & Ohio, and which have never been acted upon are not obligatory. If the President is of opinion that the clauses are not obligatory, information should be obtained as to the necessity of appointing Collectors in any of those Districts, as, by the “Act to establish the compensations of the Officers employed in the collection of the duties on imports & tonnage & for other purposes,” passed March 2nd. 1799, they are entitled not only to the usual fees and compensations but also to a salary of 250 Dollars a year. It is presumable that if unnecessary in any of the Districts it must be at Michillimackanac. If the President is of opinion that the clauses are obligatory, it will be necessary to designate the ports of entry & to obtain information from proper characters.

That of Saml. Duncan appears from the recommendation in his favor unexceptionable, nor can much selection be expected in that remote part.

Respectfully submitted by—

Albert Gallatin

MS (DLC); in clerk’s hand, signed by Gallatin; at head of text: “On the subject of the application to appoint a Collector for the District of Michillimackanac”; at foot of text: “The President of the United States”; endorsed by TJ as received 16 July and “Collector of Michillimacinac” and so recorded in SJL.

Saml. duncan: David Duncan received the appointment as collector. On 25 Aug., Gallatin requested that William Irvine return Duncan’s commission, if it had not yet been forwarded, because a mistake had been made in the name (Gallatin, Papers description begins Carl E. Prince and Helene E. Fineman, eds., The Papers of Albert Gallatin, microfilm edition in 46 reels, Philadelphia, 1969, and Supplement, Barbara B. Oberg, ed., reels 47–51, Wilmington, Del., 1985 description ends , 5:607, 641; JEP description begins Journal of the Executive Proceedings of the Senate of the United States … to the Termination of the Nineteenth Congress, Washington, D.C., 1828, 3 vols. description ends , 1:401).

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