Thomas Jefferson Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-34-02-0280

To Thomas Jefferson from Albert Gallatin, [16 June 1801]

From Albert Gallatin

[16 June 1801]

Of the seven Offices applied for by T. Coxe, that of Secy. of the navy was designed for another person, the three in the customs are undecided & may perhaps remain a lenghth of time in that situation until general arrangements are made, and that of Supervisor was applied for by P. Muhlenberg in whose favor a representation was made by the whole republican representation of Pennsylva. in Congress, and whom it was necessary to appoint from considerations connected with the political situation of that State.

The two other offices were that of Comr. of the Revenue and that of Inspector of first survey & collector of int. revenue for Philada. (the two last united together). That of Comr. seemed on first impression to be the best fitted for Mr Coxe, as being the very one which he had held before. The objections to this were—that W. Miller was really a very good officer & that Mr Coxe seemed to prefer an office in Philada. Hence it has been thought most eligible to offer to Mr Coxe the two united offices of inspector & collector now held by Ths. Ross and Ash. In favor of this it may be said 1st. the most profitable of the two that of collector does not depend on the Senate, & arrangements have been made with P. Muhlenberg to secure Mr Coxe’s appointment—2d that 2000 drs. in Philada. will really be worth more to Mr C. than 3000 here. The emoluments as stated by the officers themselves (exclusively of direct tax) and after making their own deductions for clerk hire office rent & fuel and official expenditures are 550 Drs. for inspector—1450 for collector—But they are under-rated—

Should Mr. C. be dissatisfied I think the survey of Gen. Hand might be added to his inspectorship. The public would save 700 dollars salary & clerk, and the commission & fees would give an addition of at least 700 dollars to Mr. C. But as this is connected with a general arrangement it would not be proper to mention it at present.

A. G.

RC (DLC); undated; endorsed by TJ as received from the Treasury Department on 16 June and so recorded in SJL with notation: “Inspector & Collector”; also endorsed by TJ: “Tenche Coxe to be Inspector of 1st survey vice T. Ross & Collector of the internal revenue vice Ash.”

The list of seven offices applied for by Tench Coxe is printed as an enclosure at Coxe’s letter to TJ of 19 Apr. 1801. Whole Republican Representation: Michael Leib, Robert Brown, Joseph Hiester, John Smilie, John A. Hanna, and Andrew Gregg recommended Peter Muhlenberg for supervisor of the revenue of Pennsylvania (see note to Thomas McKean to TJ, 20 Feb. 1801). The United Offices of revenue inspector of the first survey and collector of internal revenues for Philadelphia were fifth on Coxe’s list. In his letter of 19 Apr., Coxe observed: “I hope I do not estimate myself and my conduct & sufferings too highly, when I say that I fear my appointment to N. 4 or N. 5 would be of ill impression upon the Administration.”

Survey of Gen. Hand: on 17 June 1801, Gabriel, Joseph and John Hiester, Peter Frailey, and three others signed a letter to Gallatin recommending John Kean of Dauphin County as revenue inspector in place of Edward Hand, whom they believed the president would soon remove. They noted that Gallatin was already aware of the “Talents Patriotism and Republican principles” of Kean, who served in the Pennsylvania senate and was noted for “his abilities and indefatigable industry in behalf of the Republican cause.” Gallatin endorsed the letter on the verso, “Joseph Hiester & others favor <Christ> J. Kean,” and forwarded it to TJ with an initialed notation: “J. Kean is agreeable to the Governor, but very obnoxious to the warm republican (Logan &c) interest in the State. He is office hunter but said to be very capable A.G.” (RC in DNA: RG 59, LAR; in unidentified hand; endorsed by TJ: “Hiester & others to mr G” and “J. Kean vice Hand”).

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