Thomas Jefferson Papers
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To Thomas Jefferson from Philip Key, 2 July 1802

From Philip Key

Chaptico 2d July 1802

Esteemed Sir

A report has prevailed that I had applied to you soon after you was elected President for the office Mr Kelty held in Baltimore

As no such application was ever made by me nor did I ever request any person to solicit you for any place of trust or proffit—I must beg the favor of you to contradict the report by a written certificate which you will please enclose me

I am driven to the necessity of making this application—because an investigation may soon take place that may unfold the infamy—of some men who endeavour to make all around them think that republicanism is nothing more than a wicked & ridiculous clamour.

With sentiments of respect & esteem I am Sir your Ob Svt

Philip Key

RC (DLC); endorsed by TJ as received 4 July and so recorded in SJL.

Philip Key (1750–1820), a planter and lawyer from St. Mary’s County, Maryland, had served as a representative in the Second Congress, where he had been aligned with James Madison and other republicans, and as speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates (Papenfuse, Maryland Legislature description begins Edward C. Papenfuse, Alan F. Day, David W. Jordan, and Gregory A. Stiverson, eds., A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature, 1635–1789, Baltimore, 1979–85, 2 vols. description ends , 2:508–9; Norman K. Risjord, Chesapeake Politics, 1781–1800 [New York, 1978], 397–8).

THE OFFICE to which Key believed he had been connected was that of supervisor of internal revenue for Maryland, a position that John Kilty had held since 1795 (ASP description begins American State Papers: Documents, Legislative and Executive, of the Congress of the United States, Washington, D.C., 1832–61, 38 vols. description ends , Miscellaneous, 1:283; Washington, Papers, Pres. Ser. description begins W. W. Abbot, Dorothy Twohig, Philander D. Chase, Theodore J. Crackel, and others, eds., The Papers of George Washington, 1983– , 55 vols.  Colonial Ser., 10 vols.  Confederation Ser., 6 vols.  Pres. Ser., 15 vols.  Retirement Ser., 4 vols.  Rev. War Ser., 20 vols. description ends , 13:439–40; Papenfuse, Maryland Legislature description begins Edward C. Papenfuse, Alan F. Day, David W. Jordan, and Gregory A. Stiverson, eds., A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature, 1635–1789, Baltimore, 1979–85, 2 vols. description ends , 2:510).

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    Jefferson Papers
    Title
    To Thomas Jefferson from Philip Key, 2 July 1802
    Author
    Key, Philip
    Recipient
    Jefferson, Thomas
    Date
    2 July 1802

    Reference

    Cite as
    “To Thomas Jefferson from Philip Key, 2 July 1802,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-38-02-0012. [Original source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 38, 1 July–12 November 1802, ed. Barbara B. Oberg. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2011, pp. 12–13.]