From George Washington to the United States Senate, 25 May 1790

To the United States Senate

United States [New York]

Gentlemen of the Senate,May 25th 1790.

I nominate the following persons to fill the offices affixed to their names—viz.

Samuel Jasper, to be Surveyor of the Port of Currituck-Inlet in the State of North Carolina.1

Nathaniel Wilkins, to be Collector of the Port of Cherry Stone in the State of Virginia, in the place of George Savage, who has resigned.2

Henry Deering, to be Collector of the Port of Sagg Harbour in the State of New York, in the place of John Gelston, who has resigned.

Thomas Davis Freeman, to be Surveyor of the Port of Plymouth in the State of North Carolina, in the place of Levi Blount, who has resigned.

Benjamin Bartlett, to be Surveyor of the Port of Suffolk in the State of Virginia, in the place of Archibald Richardson, who has resigned.3

Go: Washington

LS, DNA: RG 46, First Congress, Records of Executive Proceedings—Executive Nominations; LB, DLC:GW.

1. See Samuel Johnston to GW, 1 May 1790.

2. Nathaniel Wilkins of Gloucester County, Va., served as a lieutenant during the Revolution and was captured at Germantown. He escaped and resigned from the army in 1778, having lost a hand. In 1790 he was in indigent circumstances (Heitman, Historical Register, description begins Francis B. Heitman. Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army during the War of the Revolution, April, 1775, to December, 1783. 1893. Rev. ed. Washington, D.C., 1914. description ends 435; Calendar of Virginia State Papers, description begins William P. Palmer et al., eds. Calendar of Virginia State Papers and Other Manuscripts. 11 vols. Richmond, 1875–93. description ends 5:164). Wilkins was recommended for the post by Josiah Parker, who described him as a “Gentleman of good Character & I know he is qualifyed for the appointment & lives near the port. whether it will be worth his acceptance or not I am not to determine haveing no request from him, or any other for the appointment” (Parker to GW, 10 May 1790, DLC:GW). His appointment as collector at Cherrystone was approved by the Senate on 27 May (DHFC, description begins Linda Grant De Pauw et al., eds. Documentary History of the First Federal Congress of the United States of America, March 4, 1789-March 3, 1791. 20 vols. to date. Baltimore, 1972–. description ends 2:69, 70, 555).

3. Benjamin Bartlett was recommended for the post of surveyor at Suffolk by Josiah Parker, who wrote: “Since I had the honor of transmiting to you the resignation of Archibald Richardson Surveyor of the Customs at Suffolk I have received a letter from Willis Riddick Esqr. representative for Nansemond County recommending Mr Bartlet as a proper person to fill the vacancy—as I have the firmest reliance on Mr Riddicks honor and integrity—I can hazard a recommendation of Mr Bartlet in preference to Mr Lawson” (Parker to GW, 25 May 1790, DLC:GW).

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Source Project: Washington Papers
Title: From George Washington to the United States Senate, 25 May 1790
Author: Washington, George
Recipient: United States Senate
Date: 25 May 1790

Reference

Cite as: “From George Washington to the United States Senate, 25 May 1790,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/05-05-02-0265. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Presidential Series, vol. 5, 16 January 1790 – 30 June 1790, ed. Dorothy Twohig, Mark A. Mastromarino, and Jack D. Warren. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1996, pp. 420–421.]

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